PRASHANT RAI cinematographer

12 March 2006. I was fed up with the cold in Prague, dipping as low as minus 19 degree on one occassion.  With the ides of March around corner and living on high latitudes I was expecting Spring season to usher in full strength of colours and style. Instead I saw more snow fall. Two days of continuous snowfall covered everything – the roads, pavements, parks, rivers, and buildings in a cloak of white.  It was beautiful because it was a novel sight for me but the moment my concentration strayed leaving my thoughts alone – i felt depressed. That’s not a w orry though because Prague has pleanty of things to cheer you up.

So, I was walking to the metro station and I saw all the cars completely wrapped in snow. I was wondering how do they recongnize their car. It might take you an hour to dig your car out of the snow and then you find it’s not y0urs! Man how’s that for starting your day with.

The power of denial

Professional photography meant access to a lot of equipments starting with good SLR to having your dark room; some even had their own processing machines. The desire to produce stunning images required not just craftsmanship or skills but access to logistics too which was limited to a handful. There were many whose creativity was limited or dependent on other technicians as to how they processed their stills or whether they could get their negatives pushed or pull for creative effects. I think the digital industry saw this gaping hole in the market which comprises mostly of amateur photographers and within a decade they changed the global photography market. Now with just one time investment for a good DSLR and software like Photoshop, you bypass everything else that came between a photographer and his image. No film stocks, no labs, no chemicals, no dark rooms, and no hassle of exercising economy of usage.

Though, I am still an avid fan of film based photography because nothing beats the photochemical look even though I have to spend on expensive stocks and digitisation of negatives. I don’t like to compromise, maybe. For many others, who are happy with digital, the credit goes to the digital revolution which grew from mass based photography support. One can never underplay the power of denial.

About the picture above – http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=631856208&v=photos&viewas=631856208#/photo.php?pid=2296036&id=631856208

fast forward to 2009 and I have to use Just-Dial facility to find out are there any still film processing shops around or they all have been devoured by the digital revolution. The bulky process machines replaced by desktops, chemicals pipped off by photoshops, and people slowly forgot the photochemical look of a film; they are contend with digital images – it’s hassle free, you see!

I am sure the so called ‘film look’ void in the market will soon be filled with a 49$ plug-in for image enhancing softwares. Whatever, film based photography has become expensive now, especially in India. Even in Europe, there is still a substantial demand and market for film based photographers. I am sincerely hoping to see some revival of film.

These pictures were taken during monsoons in 2003. the cloud patterns often cast interesting lighting patterns over the sea. It is a pity that most negatives were spoiled after manual processing. these are the four which have survived.

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more pictures on kashmir images.