I have noticed that generally when photographers grows out of the cocoon from their mentors or even in any creative related field which requires a great amount of mentoring - they tend to dismiss or isolate themselves from their mentors and claim to be a 'self-made" genius artist with little or no influence from them, which is actually sad to be more precious atrocious
Before getting into wedding photography back in 2005, i wanted to be a fashion photographer and my search took me to a cinematographer, who advised me that before getting in, I should invest a good amount in buying equipments, almost 8 years later i happened to meet Mr.Raghu, (Raghu Sir) wedding photography only because of the guidance of Mr.Raghu Laksminarayanan, I feel immensely lucky to have been associated with the team for a good period of time, Mr.Raghu is arguably one of the best wedding photographers in the country and a pioneer in showcasing the nuance in a Brahmin wedding, before meeting him, i always had my mind that wedding is one boring form of photography where people gather in groups and a guys shouts 'smileeeeee"
when my clients tell me 'Mr.Sujith are you the best in the business' I murmur thank god you have not heard photostrophe!
I have literally been a witness when he posts a pic in his hugely popular facebook page, some top notch photographers who wouldn't dare to like or comment on the pic would secretly inbox him asking him 'how the shot was taken!'
Though I guess my way of telling a story is different, the basics, the artistic value of a shot, in short the complete mind, body and spirit of wedding photography has been embibed because of the time I spent with him and by closely following his work till today and I will never shy of telling this to my client's how ask me in wonder how did learn to take shots like this..
I would like to end the blog my quoting George Bernard Shaw where he once famously said that 'i'm taller than shakespeare because i'm sitting on his shoulder' in my case though I feel im standing on his shoulders but still shorter than him..
Dedicating this first blog to Mr.Raghu Lakshminarayanaan,