by Raghu

A Win And A Trophy

We all need wins. They keep our engines chugging and our days interesting. Even better if the wins come with trophies.

When was the last time you had a win?

When we think of wins we automatically think of big wins. Like the big contract you snagged for a sports team photoshoot, or the bid you won to shoot the local fashion show, a sweet conclusion to weeks and months of work. But, look closer and you will find that the big wins are simply a culmination of small wins. You work toward a goal, make progress in small increments along the way, and when, at some point reach your goal, you call it the big win. But those small increments along the way — the minor milestones — are all wins too! It is important to recognize them as wins because — and, if you have worked on any sizeable project, you know this always happens — when hurdles frustrate and slow you down, it is the minor milestones that will motivate you to pick yourself up, dust off, and get back to work.

The trophy that accompanies a win is material proof of the win, a tangible testimony to your investment of blood, sweat, toil and tears. And if the trophy was earned by dint of honest, hard work, you can be rightfully proud of it. The trophy serves as a reminder of the glory days and inspires you to push further.

A word of caution, however. Although wins keep us motivated, chasing after them would be the wrong thing to do. The win should never become an end in itself. If anything, the chase should be — as is true of every enduring success story — after “do the work.” Keep working should be the mantra. As for the trophy, it is best to remember that there may or may not be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

The joy of seeing the light, getting to know the subject, and working within constraints make it all worthwhile for me. Those are my little wins. The trophies — on the rare occasions that I am fortunate enough to receive them — are my images that have all the elements in the right place, have great lighting, and burst with human emotion. My quest for more, and bigger, trophies keeps me motivated to go out and shoot more images.

And any time that I am able to go out and make images, I consider it a win.  If the muse tosses in a trophy, that would be the cherry on top! 

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 by Raghu

The Little Moments

Life happens in the little moments. In the moments of fleeting action — the brief smile, the here-we-go-again eyeroll, the painful grimace, the sharp look, the loving glance. It happens in the brief intervals when facades drop, when masks fall off, when gestures reveal true feelings. Life happens in the rare, short moments when we forget ourselves and become one with the scene unfolding in front of us. Those are the moments that defy vivid descriptions of how we felt, when our words fail to give color to what we witnessed. Indeed, it is in those little moments that we experience, in the most universal sense, love.

It is no surprise then that the photographs that most appeal to us, that pull us in for a second glance, that make us linger on the image a few seconds longer, are the ones that capture the little moments, moments that are at once utterly mundane and full of meaning and expression — laughter, love, violence, despair. And speaking of despair, what better image than Dorothea Lange’s iconic Migrant Mother image of the Depression era which perfectly captures the despair of folks eking out a living and trying to cope with the hardships. That image is by no means a ‘little moment’ image, encapsulating as it does the pain of an entire generation, but without the context of the Great Depression, it is a fine example of life’s little moment, a feeling, or rather, a state of being, all too routine for many a folk.

For most of us, pre-occupied as we are with the hurry and bustle of daily living, the little moments barely register in our awareness. But for the photographer those are the moments to be aware of. And he can only become aware when he is relaxed in mind and present in the moment. It is a gift to be present, to be able to see, to see deeply and with understanding. But it is also a skill that one can cultivate with patience and practice.

In this age of fast-everything, the photographer seeking to capture the little moments must begin by slowing down, by turning attention to the present moment. When you are on the prowl for a great shot, you might as well forget it. But when you are relaxed, when you are going with the flow of the present, the great shots will find you.

 

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 by Raghu

Inspired Living, Anyone?

Maybe it’s not something folks think too much about, but the question is certainly relevant: are you living an inspired life? And what exactly does inspired living mean? The answer is subjective but we could agree broadly, I suppose, that it means living, every day, to your fullest potential, spending the day doing what you love doing, and being just as excited to do it tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that. One could watch cat videos and troll whatsapp groups all day long but that is not what I am talking about, of course. I am talking about activities that engage your creative abilities, draw out your talents, and challenge your mind.

Contrary to what folks boast on their resumes and job profiles, for many, their work is not their real passion, and I suspect many would admit in confidence to just that, and additionally, to not living an inspired life. Theirs is a life of quiet desperation; there is a vague unease, a restlessness the source of which they can’t quite lay a finger on. And there is a desire to make daily living more meaningful. Yet, most never break free.

But the recipe itself is simple — take actions every day, however small, towards that thing you dream of doing all day long, every day for the rest of your life. Easier said than done, but the determined mind always finds a way out.

So, for someone that loves to make images with a camera what does it mean to live an inspired life? The simplistic answer, going by our earlier definition, is to be engaged all day, every day, making images with the camera. But it is more than merely pressing the shutter button all day long, of course. Making images is a creative endeavor, and the more varied your experiences the better your creative output. And while making images regularly will keep you inspired, seeking out and learning from other creative endeavors such as music, architecture, sculpture, dancing, and so on, will give it wings.

To those who are photographically inclined there are many ways to keep engaged with the whole process of making images. Try new lighting techniques, start a personal project, study the work of master photographers, shoot a different genre. But also throw in the occasional trip to artist galleries, to musical concerts, to museums, and you will be on your way to greater motivation, and certainly, better images. Spend even a small part of every week doing those things and you will soon be living an inspired life. Or, at least, you will discover the life you prefer to live!

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 by Raghu

Talk To Your Fears

What’s the one big thing that holds us back from living up to our full potential? Fear.

It is not the only thing, of course; ill health, lack of resources, toxic work culture, to name a few, hold us back as well. But for most of us, nothing tops fear: fear of failure, fear of society, fear of rejection. Fear numbs and paralyzes us. Fear stops us from taking action. Fear drains us of energy and initiative. And in the extreme scenario, while we are searching for answers, fear does not even register in our awareness!

If we wish to live up to our potential there is no way around our fears: we must take them head-on, talk to them, have a dialog, and then decide if the room they take up in our minds is justified. Sometimes we are aware of our fears, but often they remain hidden in the layers of our minds and need to be wrung out. Identifying them is the first step, and a reliable way to get there is through introspection and questioning.

 

But for most of us, nothing tops fear: fear of failure, fear of society, fear of rejection. Fear numbs and paralyzes us. Fear stops us from taking action. Fear drains us of energy and initiative.

We begin our introspection by taking a pause and looking within. We delve into battles past, recall our victories and our defeats, and examine what roles fear played, and how we handled fear. We question our worldview, our place in this world, our biases, and our habits. We ask the hard questions, questions that make us uncomfortable, questions that we would rather give away our firstborn than answer. And we answer as objectively as we can, without rationalization, without defense, and in the answers will be identified our fears, ones we know, and, if we are fortunate enough, ones that we were not aware of.

Our questions might yield simple answers. Or, they might shake up our core, reveal our true selves, and guide us to change in profound ways. Either way, once the fears are identified we take baby steps to break them, and with each step that we take, the fears recede and we emerge stronger.

My own introspection has revealed my many fears, big and small. As a photographer, my biggest fear — and I suspect every photographer has this fear — is that my images are dull and uninspiring. Unfortunately, there exist no “inject life” filters that could breathe life into images and, therefore, the only option I am left with is to talk to that fear and go make images. My approach is to apply lessons learned, to visualize more, and to be present. So, as I am making the images I remind myself to not worry about the results but, instead, to focus on the moment. The internal dialog calms me down, keeps fear at bay, and allows me to pour all my energies into making the images.

 

Our questions might yield simple answers. Or, they might shake up our core, reveal our true selves, and guide us to change in profound ways. Either way, once the fears are identified we take baby steps to break them, and with each step that we take, the fears recede and we emerge stronger.

It is unlikely that I will ever be free from my fears, but having identified them, I am able talk to them when they rear their heads, and know that I am in control. As long as the fears do not overwhelm, I come out ahead! And that is all that matters.

Go ahead, give it a try. Talk to your fears today! You might benefit too.

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