photo workshop with kids

6th november2005 is a very special date for me and all of us.
not only it is the birthday of my little daughter Sanchi, but this day we began a mission of the
life time- sharing our understanding of the world to the future generation- through photography.

as in any work we all need time , money, effort, dedication, passion to keep going.
and i wish to thank you for giving the time and effort for it so let us keep going.
learning and sharing the knowledge.

Sounder, Atul, Neeraj, Sudharak, Mamata, Santosh...& Ravi shekhar...

the workshop began at 10 am in the morning.
Sounder started it with playfullness. we all started plaing differnt games with him and this made kids
much relaxed. the kids who came for the workshop were 11- to 15 years of age. Sounder started working to destroy the gender barriers and soon kids were playing comfortably. then Sounder started the memory game so we can learn the names of each other.
as per time table Sounder gave the charge to Ravi and left.
we all sat in the conference room of the patrkar sangh and Ravi took the seat.
Ravi started the talk in a question -answer form so that the kids were comfortable and involve in the process. he talked about the process of being alert and aware. he also talked about the simple process of breathing to collect the attaintation.
It is a importance of alertness makes a person a better photographer.
technical part of the photography is much simple, he said, but it takes years to cultivate the personal visual language. with growth of digital photography, with mastering the seeing it self can make you a master photographer.

later, Atul Loke, the staff photographer of the weekly magazine- OUTLOOK showed them his pictures
of Sunami and Mumbai Chawl project.
at first, children saw the Sunami pictures and were shocked with the images of dead bodies. then Atul shared his journey of NAPATTANAM village. there he spend two days walk around for two days just on biscuits and water. witnessing human tragdey. After knowing the story behind the images the kids
started relating with the images in a differnt way.
the next photo presentation by Atul was his ongoing project of the Mumbai chawl where he was born and stayed till he got married. his parents are still staying there. All the participants were used to stay
in chawl near Mumbai central. they were enjoying the images they could relate with them easily.

Neearj Priydarsi, the photo editor of the Indian express, has bought the off beat images of the daily life.
boxing, monkey playing with puppy, Amitabh Bachhan, Abhisek Bachhan, Arun Gavali images thrilled them as they could talked to the person who has the opprtunity to meet these people and click them in person.
after the lunch break Ravi started talking on the image and imagination.
he conduted a small session of guided imagination meditation and kids could enjoy the process.
the came the process of training them for the shoot.
agfa has given disposable cameras so that kids can go shoot on there own. Atul, Sudharak, Neeraj and Ravi guided about how to hold camera. each child took the camera in hand and strted looking through viewfinder. afterwards the venue of the workshop was shifted to the outdoor, where the lighting conditions were better for the small box cameras.these photographers started clicking photos to understand the working of the equipment.
then we all went back to room. Mamata distributed the camera. each one of the participents were delighted with the days experience. we sat in a group and the participents were encouraged to share there feelings.
this was a happening day for all of us.

creativity

BECOME A CHILD AGAIN and you will be creative.
All children are creative. Creativity needs freedom --
freedom from the mind, freedom from knowledge, freedom
from prejudices.
A creative person is one who can try
the new.
A creative person is not a robot. Robots are
never creative, they are repetitive. So become a child
again.

And you will be surprised that all children are
creative -- all children, wherever they are born, are
creative. But we don't allow their creativity, we
crush and kill their creativity, we jump upon them. We
start teaching them the right way to do things.

Remember, a creative person always goes on trying the
wrong ways. If you always follow the right way to do a
thing you will never be creative -- because the right
way means the way discovered by others. And the right
way means that of course you will be able to make
something, you will become a producer, a manufacturer,
you will be a technician, but you will not be a
creator.

What is the difference between a producer and a
creator? A producer knows the right way of doing a
thing, the most economical way of doing a thing; with
the least effort he can create more results. He is a
producer. A creator fools around. He does not know
what is the right way to do a thing so he goes on
seeking and searching again and again in different
directions. Many times he moves in a wrong direction
-- but wherever he moves, he learns. He becomes more
and more rich. He does something that nobody has ever
done before. If he had followed the right way to do
things he would not have been able to do it.

Listen to this small story....

A Sunday school teacher asked her students to draw a
picture of the Holy Family. After the pictures were
brought to her, she saw that some of the youngsters
had drawn the conventional pictures -- the Holy Family
in the manger, the Holy Family riding on the mule, and
the like.
But she called up one little boy to ask him to explain
his drawing, which showed an airplane with four heads
sticking out of the plane windows.
She said, "I can understand why you drew three of the
heads to show Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. But who's the
fourth head?"
"Oh," answered the boy, "that's Pontius the Pilot!"


Now this is beautiful! This is what creativity is. He
has discovered something. But only children can do
that. You will be afraid to do it, afraid you will
look foolish.

A creator has to be able to look foolish. A creator
has to risk his so-called respectability. Only those
who are ready to put their prestige, their pride,
their respectability at stake again and again, and can
go on into something which nobody thinks is worth
going into.... Creators are always thought to be mad
people. The world recognizes them, but very late. It
goes on thinking that something is wrong. Creators are
eccentric people.


'Creativity' By Osho

Naseerudeen Shah

4th August2006, NCPA, Mumbai, India
I am sitting on the staircase of the experimental theatre inside the National Council of Performing Arts situated on the tip of Narman Point. I have come here to see the show of the English play – ‘DEAR LIAR’
I am not a audience of English theater. I am a hard core fan of the genius actor- Naseeruddin Shah.
I am sitting on the stairs of the experimental theater with my friend Sonal.
Sonal is leaving for Coimbtore next week, leaving Mumbai for some time.
She keeps repeating- ‘but one day I will come back’.
Sea wind is crazy. Mumbai monsoon takes a little break in between. Climate is wet. And we are talking about longevity.
We normally do not expect to live very long. The way we are living our life- we know that- life span is 50 to 60 years of active life. Then we grow old and wait to die.
Out of the context I quote-
‘one of the most remarkable cases of longevity to spill over into the 20th century is that of the Chinese herbalist and Taoist adept LEE CHING-YUEN, who maintained his youthful vigor, sexual potency and perfect health through out long active life. Lee died in 1933, shortly after marrying his 24th wife, and it remains a matter of historical record in china that he was born in 1677, during the early year of Ching Dynasty. That made him 256 years old when he died, for those who wish to count the years. Lee died with all his own teeth and hair, and those who knew him say that he looked about 50 when he was already over 200.’
-‘The Tao of Health, Sex and Longevity’ by Daniel Reid (page-348).
As I am talking, I see a car coming closer to the stairs an a lady in late 60’s opens the rear door with a show ticket ready in her hand. I share a glance and -smile with Sonal. I am looking towards the entrance where a black board is hanging behind the glass- ‘HOUSE FULL-THNAK YOU’.
I see a fat man coming near the board and lifts it and hangs it back showing the reverse side of it, which is blank. Now I see him opening one of the glass doors and sitting behind a table. I walk to the man.
Now I have the ticket. Sonal is going back to hostel to concentrate on her studies. And I am heading towards the ever group of the audience.
I am walking to the experimental theater auditorium. This crowd is different.
These are not the people, who share my Mumbai in day-to-day basis. They live in South Bombay, probably never use local trains for commuting.
Ticket rates for the show is flat two hundred rupees.
Everybody wants secure for a better seat. I am glad to grab a seat in the second row. Slowly audience is coming inside and taking whatever seats are available. I notice their sorry figures when they are indicated to seat in the last rows of the auditorium.
I am also seeing the stage without curtains. There is a small table on the center stage with two chairs facing the audience and two separate chairs on the left and right side of the stage slightly behind the line of center stage.
Two huge black and white portraits of a male and female are hanging in the back drop with a large white frame.
As the third bell rings some where outside the auditorium, music of western classical orchestra fills the hall and the darkness creeps all over. Sound grow higher and the light flashes around the two portraits, a beam flashes on all the chairs. Volume is going higher with the interruption of mobile ring tones.
Thank you for switching off your mobile phones- says a voice, we know as
Naseruddin Shah.
I first met Naseer at CCI in 1989.
I reached churchgate station in morning to keep my 5.30am appointment with him. I was to shoot his photographs along with Shekhar Kapoor. They came there for morning exercises. I had the breakfast with them and the photographs published in Sunday Mid-Day.
As a fan I have never missed any of his interview. I always found him a man of substance. He has been consistent in his work. Fully dedicated to the quality you expect from a top grade performer.
I watched him growing with the boom of parallel cinema movement. He was the supper star of those films- ‘Nishant’, ‘Manthan’,‘Bhoomika’, ‘Akrosh’.
He won a national award for ‘Sparsh’ playing the blind teacher.
I am ready to witness the play
‘DEAR LIAR’.
directed by Naseer himself.
He is also playing the lead role with the leading lady of his life, wife and actress Ratna Pathak Shah.
Naseer walks on the stage with Ratna.

‘I am Naseeruddin Shah.
I am Ratana Pathak Shah.

This play is based on the letters of Geroge Benard Shaw written to Stalla an actress in England. The period is early ninth century.’

And now on, I will not be able write the details of the play.
I am sitting mesmerized by the performance of the two. I am overbold with the British English boiling out from both. There nuances, and the in between expressions give the a very high level of their acting ability
Naseer starts the character with age of 56 and takes it to age of 80. He changes the body language to change the age and I am thrilled. The play is more than two hours.
Its for my love for this dedicated actor that I am writing these line.
In age of sms, mobile, mms and internet, when the success is measured by the numbers and market,
I wish to salute the couple-
for their dedication to what they enjoy-acting.

Now I am going to watch-
Yun Hota to Kya Hota

Behind The Camera:
Sharing Moments of Fim Making "MERI PEYARI BOI"
by Ravi Shekhar

I am very happy to see so much excitement for `Meri Pyaari Boi'. I have been the part of it since the very beginning of the idea of making the film. And I would love to share the story behind. My friend Mukesh Dhasmana is an actor from Dehradun.

He was doing theatre before he bagged the role of a hero in a kumauni film- `Kabi Sukh Kabi Dukh. For the post production of the film he came to Mumbai and became part of this city. People who are familiar with the cinema of Uttaranchal know him as an actor. He also acted in `Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak' with Amir Khan. In `Chor Aur Chand' he played the main villain with Pooja Bhatt, Aaditya Pancholi and Raghubir Yadav. But the post production experience of `Chor Aur Chand' gave a serious dent on his mind and he started taking much interest in the making of cinema. He has helped people to understand the language during the making of `Kabi Sukh Kabi Dukh'. His close association with Editor Harish Pathare helped him to learn the finer nuances of film making. Nobody knew that this could be the process of making of a film director.

Film is a very expensive medium and most of the films made in Uttranchali dialects hardly make any profit, hence the technical quality of the films is not at par with Hindi cinema. But time changes and with the help of new technology came the possibility of making a technically sound film in a cost effective way. Making a film is a really very easy task. I know many people in the industry, who have the ability to make a film. But to make a film one needs a person who can put his money on your faith. Jitendra joshi has come forward to help mukesh in that. He is a very close friend and relative. And a very close near and dear one only can help to take this kind of risk. Now he is the producer of the film. (You will see him in the film too.)
CONCEPT?
We were shooting a video album in the Jaunsar when Mukesh narrated the story of -`Meri Pyari Boi' to us. He was nurturing a dream of making a film in his own mother tongue. Cameraman Bimal Biswas, who fell in love with the beauty of Himalaya during the shoot, started asking mukesh about the progress of the script. But who will write the script? Mukesh had no experience in writing a script. He was searching for a person who can put his dreams on the paper. People with writing skills started coming. But when they come with a story, it was never same film, mukesh was watching in his third eye.

Mukesh is good story teller. So one day I asked him to narrate the story on camera. I wished to transcribe the spoken word to make the final story line. He narrated the story and went back to dehradun. One day I received a call from him telling me that after a long frustration of dealing with so called story and screenplay writer he has decided to pen down the screenplay himself. He has churned the film so many times that only he could write it down. And he wrote the story and screenplay of the `Meri Pyari Boi'.
Surendra Bhandari, the friend, a prominent actor and theatre person from dehradun had always been with mukesh in all his creative ventures. He took the charge of finding the real faces to play the characters. He become so much part of the process that mukesh decided to co direct the film with him. This will certainly ease the responsibilities he was to face. Noted folk playwright, director and lyricist jeet singh, a family friend penned the songs and dialogues. Santosh Khetwal agreed to give the tunes to the songs and the `Meri Pyaari Boi' started taking shape in a physical form. But much has to be done.

Ever since we talked about the film, we have always seen Nivedita Bonthiyal as the mother, the boi. Nivedita had played the mother of Mukesh years ago in the theatre. She was dhaniya of munshi pream chand's `godan'. Mukesh had played gobar. Now nivedita is also in Bombay and continue to act in television serials. She is too enthusiastic to play the mother. She heard the story and always eager to do the preparations with the script.

CAST?
The trouble begins with the other artists. Mukesh wanted to take the actors, who can speak garhwali. And it was difficult. Young actors staying in dehradun are not much comfortable with the dialect. Neha Guleri, to whom Mukesh introduced in the video album - `Khawbo Main Aaye Jo' can not speak garhwali though she is. Manish Parthsarathi was too eager to play the lead role. But he too is not a garhwali. He has always been the part of the team and worked as the executive producer too. Auditions were on. We hang posters for the need of young faces in cyber cafes in dehradun. Hundreds of girls and boys came for screen test. Only problem was the dialect. And Mukesh and Surendra did not wish to work on the dialect on each artist. But they have to think back. When they took the screen test of Pinky Raout, they were too happy to find Kusum in her, only to find later that she too is not comfortable with the garhwali dilect. But she became the kusum. Her big expressive eyes bagged the role for her. Pradeep Duklan became the son Suraj. He had the same innocence directors dreamt for. But we could not find Neelam. Neelam is modern girl, born in dehradun, never went to hills. We wanted the girl who can play the both shades of the characters. And the Rachita Kukreti seems to be the only choice. The character of the `bauda' is very important. I personally wanted Surendra Bhandari to play the role. But he too can not speak garhwali. So, later a veteran artist from kotdwar was asked to play it. But the God wanted Ratan Sing raout to play it. We took the screen test of Ratan Singh on sets, while shooting in Dehradun. He just said one dialogue and mukesh has finalized him.
EXPERIMENTS?
We were doing a lot of experiments with this film. So every one was curious, how and why? But we were doing our research and very much confident about the project. Specially the technical part of it. One can never complete the film with this kind of shoe string budget. You need very dedicated support system. As if we are not making a film but just doing a theatre. Only a very dedicated and committed theatre person can act-or -work in a film like this. Cameraman Bimal Biswas and myself went to Dehradun for the shoot of public service advertisement on female child education in august 2002, also directed by Mukesh. The songs were ready for recording. Santosh Khetwal use to come on the roof top of Abhishek tower at the Subhash road where the Srishti art and communication has its office. That's where he was working on tunes. First time I heard the songs `jhigjha putadi- jhigjha putadi- jhigjhjhi tan paith ke barata chale jhigjhi' I am not a garhwali but I also sing and hum this song. I am in the process of becoming one. Bimalda is a very innovative cameraman. He has worked with movers and shakers, Kyoki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and numerous programs of MTV and VTV. He took the challenge of doing the camera work. He was the first camera man to do feature film with digital medium in garhwali. Film makers never dare to make a film with this new technical possibility. The reason is simple. Most of the film makers are not very comfortable with computers. Only a very courageous person could think of banking on this new possibility.

We wanted to shoot in October 2003. But there were lots and lots of things to do. Mukesh has created sets in the farm house. Sanjay a theatre actor from dehradun worked hard to create the interior of the Suraj's house. And the exterior of the house was at `rauto ki beli', on the way to thatoor, more than 50 kms from the farm house. Mukesh has designed it so well that nobody could feel a shift of location on screen. This was the one of the much technical mastery; I was going to witness with him.
January 2004. We will start shooting this month. I was waiting for mukesh. Mukesh came to Bombay. He was working designing his own lighting equipments. We went to lohar chawl several times. Searching for tube lights and bulbs which can be used for the low cast lighting arrangements. Budgets are very low and we need to take much care to get the things done in the lowest possible way.
Apart from me and our camera man bimal biswas two more persons will join the team. Ajay pawar will come for the make up. I met Ajay at malad rly station. He is simple boy, never visited Himalaya earlier. He is excited about spending two months there. I told him to carry all the woolen clothes he is having. (And like most bombayite he did not listen to me and underestimated the cold weather of the mighty Himalaya. He bought jackets from paltan bazar and we often joke about it) .
Munna bhai came as dress man. He became part of the team that one can see him working as sound person or a light man too. That was the true theatre spirit we were working with.
19th Jan 2004. We reached dehradun. It was very colder for any Bombay person who never witness winter. Mukesh wanted to finish the city part of the film first. We met the artists. Soon we all become friends. Most of the artist's been very new to the camera and feel very nervous when camera comes really close.
The first shot of the film was when Neelam is taking her father to the hospital. Suraj is studying in the lobby and offers his help. Suryakant dhasmana gave the clap for the muhurat shot and every one clapped.
In the evening we shot the wedding sequence. All the guests became the participants of the wedding ceremony. In 15 days shoot we completed the city part of the film. The second part of the shoot was at paunda. Here in the farm house we have to shoot the interiors of the village. This kind of shoot is possible only when one has worked well on the script. The kitchen and bed room of the Suraj was finished in next week's time.
Rauto ki beli is on the way to thatood. It is a small village on the main road. I have come here earlier for the education department's film. But that time it was monsoon and not winter. This is winter. We can see the snow on the way and the nearby hill. Just after the sunset winds becomes very cool. Here we have to work only with the sun, so nights here like Paunda and Dehradun. We shot whole day then come back to check the days shoot on the monitor. We were working very strictly on a feature film format. This simply means lots of retakes and no compromise with the artists. This whole film is very new experience for me. I have already worked as a still photographer with Shyam Benegal in `hari bhari' and `samar', I have also done it partly with `netaji- the last hero', but this is the first time I am helping and as an additional cinematographer and direction too.
Rajneesh, this letter is becoming too long. I wanted to write a lot of tit bits about the shoot. I wished to share the experiences of the friendship and the human bondage, I felt during the shoot. I wish to share the moments of cold weather and week's of no bath stories, the difficult romantic scenes between neelam and suraj, the dance director hidden in mukesh dhasmana. The tremendous organizing talent of manish parthsarathi. Absolute dedication of dheeraj raout, who played the father of suraj. Ratan singh raout, the actor of timing and emotions.
And shanti…..nivedita baunthiayal. We use to call her mother india. If you watch nivedita in her day to day costume you could hardly believe that she can be a shanti. This is a sheer transformation. This is the one artist who was the most easy to work with. She always knew her lines. The most comfortable in front of camera.
Why some actors create magic on screen and others don't? Says Japanese film director akira kurusova. This lies in the aura of the artist. Any who can act with the aura mesmerize the audience. Some call it screen presence. And nivediata is having it. Pinky raout have it.
Pradeep working with mother is having it. This screen chemistry works wonder, when there is no star system. When everyone sits and eat on the same floor. Sings and dance together.
We completed the shoot in 60 days. Next 60 days went to the post production. Editor raj singh was surprised with the beautiful location. Every one wishes to join us in the next shoot.
Now the film has gone for the censor. This process is tedious. I dream of the day when we become really free of these censors. Many people come to watch the film. They will decide that we are not hurting anybody. That is the so called social norm. All this is ok. But the film has to go with the process.
Every body who will come to see the film will feel nostalgic about the Himalaya and their mother. But this making process gave me a chance to evolve further, as a friend, an artist, as and as a human being. Please do write to me and forward this mail to every one interested in uttaranchal, garhwal, and meri pyaari boi……

Love and regards…….
Ravi Shekhar
ravi1shekhar@gmail.com
shekharravi@yahoo.com
91 9322 646742
photo credit-ravi shekhar
(ravi shekhar is a freelance painter, photographer and film maker)
meri pyaari boi is a full length feature film in garhwali language.
releasing in Uttaranchal in September2004

Courtesy : Ami Kothari and uttaranchal.ws





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hal, uttarka

indian art photography

indian art photography

indian art

hi!
this is ravi shekhar from mumbai, india.

i am a person with a camera, intrested in art photography and film making. i made a film on new media artist Baiju Parthan.
the name of the film is- 'BLUR-THE BAIJU PARTHAN SHOW'
Baiju is a new media artist and we were working together in The Illustrated Weekly of India. he was working there as an illustrater and i was a photo-journalist. that was more than 10 years ago. during his show named-BLUR, i oofer him to do an interview on video. he agreed and it took two long year to finish the work as a video film. the film was the part of the film festival at the Hacienda art gallery in 2004. it was a very unique kind of film festival, rare for india where films on visual art were screened. the film was recieved well by the audience. because it was the oly film which broke the boundries of monotonous style of indian documentries. the result made be intrested in making more films.
it took me a year to do my next film. Name of my next film is- 'HIMMAT SHAH-MESSENGER OF THE FREE ZONE'
Himmat Shah, now 73, is a sculptor. he was based in delhi and now moved to jaipur.
he has done work in terracotta and bronze. the film has art criticic Geeta kapoor and ace photographer Raghu Rai talking about the life and practice of Himmat.
my third film is also on Himmat. this is rather more experimental. name of the film is 'CLAY'. it is the film showing more than 50 terracotta work of the artist which was so delicate to handle. the film provides a rare chance to view the work at one time.
i wish to continue writing about the art practices and my personal account of wilnessing the ever growing art scene in india.
please feel free to write to me or just say hello...
enjoy