Fotograf Mohammed Aadil

—Først og fremmest - hvem kan du navngive som den bedste fotograf i Chennai, Indien? :)

—I believe that nobody can define oneself better than another person can. Any photographer who can bring out a couple’s story in the most artistic form, and captures the values and traditions of marriage, is in my opinion the best at what they do.

—Er du fotogen?

—I am shy whenever I find myself in front of the camera. I’m more of a ‘behind the lens’ kinda guy.

—Hvordan blev du en del af fotografiindustrien?

—Photography has always been what makes me get out of bed in the morning. I was always that kid who spent more time with cameras growing up. I feel an adrenaline rush when I work with them. During one of my travels, I found an opportunity in a friend’s wedding, and have been in this business ever since. Crafting fine memories for real people started giving me a happiness, one that I haven’t found anywhere else.

—Hvad er de vigtigste komponenter i et godt billede efter din mening?

—Understanding what you are going to capture is the key first step. As a wedding photographer, we have access to knowing what couples actually want, in addition to knowing specific locations, venues, décor themes, and style choices. Knowing all this, we gain a clear understanding of what type of lighting is going to be available to us. Preparing in advance then becomes a crucial phase. We also need to stay inspired throughout. Composition techniques also play a significant role, as well as how you implement lighting and shadows. At the end of it all, an emotional element surely needs to be present. The final album will then contain photos that speak for themselves.

—Elsker du at rejse?

—I adore travelling. I feel that it removes ‘creative blocks’, at least for me anyway. Travelling makes me feel light, and fills my soul with Nature and Humanity.

—Hvad kan du bedst lide ved dit fag?

—Plenty of factors have made me fall in love with my work, starting with how it allows me to create memories for newlyweds. These memories also serve and benefit their family and any children that they plan to have in future. Entire families cherish what we create, and that makes me feel enormously responsible because I’m given the special task of serving memories to generations. Most weddings in India are large-scale compared to anywhere else in the world. Amidst even the largest gatherings, us wedding photographers hold a powerful place owing to what we are capturing for posterity on behalf of couples. And when they appreciate what we do, it all comes home to me, and makes me feel warm and happy. They treat us like family or friends, and that is something all the money in the world cannot buy.

—Hvad synes du mindre godt om ved dit fag?

—Sometimes it becomes rather difficult to deal with certain wedding guests. They prove challenging mainly because of differences in their backgrounds and personal perspectives. Some such people fail to understand the value of what we as wedding photographers bring to the event. Misunderstandings that arise from such parties make me feel low and uncomfortable, but my team and I do come prepared to diplomatically resolve such matters before they get out of hand.

—Hvordan ser fremtiden ud for fotografering?

—This business has come a long way from its purely traditional roots. Modernity has given us fresher ways to freeze moments and capture smiles. I place credit on Photobooks, and their unerring ability to make people relive the memories we captured for them. Quality Photobooks are, in their own right, a major portion of the future of photography.

—Hvad er der specielt ved den fotografigenre, du specialiserer dig i?

—I feel I come under the category of ‘fine art photography’ wherein we capture emotions and moments, familial celebrations, friendships, and more.

—Hvordan håndterer du kritik?

—I look forward to it, actually. If my work is being critiqued, I believe it opens my mind and heart to further improvement. It evolves my work and style, to be honest.

—Er der nogen tendenser inden for fotografering?

—In the wedding photography field, there are indeed several trends worth appreciating. Storytelling through pictures has fast become a major stylistic trend in this field. It is no longer about random photo-captures but rather choosing how to capture each photo so that it tells a story in a flow that doesn’t require words to explain them.

—Hvad bør kriterierne være for en kunde, der skal vælge en fotograf?

—The first question they need to ask is, Does the photographer suit the style requirements that they, as a customer, absolutely want. Genre and Quality are two other factors to consider when choosing a photographer. A conversation must follow, one where everyone is clear on what is needed for a wedding shoot, and how best to provide it.

—Hvilke ting er slet ikke tilladt under fotograferingen?

—Anything that disturbs the setting at the location/venue must be avoided or resolved as soon as possible. Be presentable, Kurtas recommended, and especially clothes that do not slip or appear sloppy to viewers looking at the stage and watching some of the photography team members working to capture memories. Nobody should feel uncomfortable at a wedding.

—Hvilke detaljer, der som regel går ubemærket hen, vil en fotograf bemærke?

—Memories. Some of the best moments can go unnoticed by the untrained eye.

—Hvad påvirker værdien af et foto? Hvilke elementer indeholder det?

—The couple and both their families. Wedding photos are nothing without them in it.

—Hvilken person kan være symbolet på det 21. århundrede efter din mening?

—No comments

—Hvem vil du gerne fotografere?

—I would love to shoot an Elopement Wedding. Don’t get me wrong, I am not endorsing running away and tying the knot without one’s family knowing. But there is something genuinely romantic and passionate about two people so desperate to be together that they are willing to say yes to one another and only later worry about parental consent. Also, I have always dreamed of shooting a tropical wedding, a woodland one, and one atop a mountain.

—Har du nogen professionelle tabuemner?

—I am unsure how to answer this, but I can offer an opinion that may fit the question. I personally believe that not everyone can be a professional photographer just because they own a high-end camera. I get miffed when someone says otherwise. It takes a lot of training and experience, thought and hands-on learning, time and energy, to become a professional photographer. Not something that happens overnight. Newbies cannot therefore claim to be professionals, not just yet anyway.

—Hvem ville du gerne fotografere sammen med?

—Any photographer who has a keen eye for Art. They should be proficient in varied compositions, aside from the regular ones. They need to think out of the box, and be quite patient.

—Hvad bekymrer du dig om, og hvorfor?

—Indian Weddings and Time are not always a great match, and are a main source of worry for me. No mater how much planning has gone into the wedding, there is always the element of time-limits. Running short of time has always been a nagging worry for me, despite the fact that we cover all our events on time. Strangely ironic, I admit.

—Hvad har været det mest imponerende øjeblik i dit liv?

—Two moments come to mind.
First: when someone trusts me to handle their Big Day and doesn’t control every step of the process, but allows me to do it my way even though I have only a few years under my belt. Second: When the same client calls me to their home and tells me that my team and I did a fabulous job. Such appreciation is what photographers like me live for, to know that we literally made their day.

—Hvis du var en animeret figur, en fiktiv person eller en person i en film, hvem ville du så være, og hvorfor?

—I would prefer to fly or be invisible. Any character with the ability to fly or turn invisible makes me want to be them. I think flight will help me achieve more with my photography, especially where angles are concerned. I can’t believe I said that so seriously.

—Hvem inspirerer dig i dit liv, og hvorfor?

—Budding photographers actually inspire me in more ways than one. They bring a heightened sense of dedication and effort to what they do and learn. Couples and their love stories also inspire me. Their families, and the bond they share, also inspire me in several ways. I see so much trust placed in me, and it makes me push myself to give my best.

—Hvordan definerer du succes? Hvordan måler du det?

—Completing a project and still being able to hold the same level of love and respect with that client is, to me, a prime example of success. I measure success with the happiness and satisfaction of my clientele.

—Foretrækker du, at folk kan lide dig, eller at de respekterer dig?

—Liked. Because respect follows after.

—Hvad er den største fejl, du nogensinde har begået i dit arbejde?

—I wanted to shoot a beautiful picture of the bride’s lehenga; a traditional bridal outfit. I couldn’t find an ideal spot to hang the outfit for the shot. All I could find was a water sprinkler nozzle-head, and as bad luck had it, the sprinkler came on and almost ruined the dress. But I managed to salvage the situation, thanks in large part to the hotel where the wedding was taking place. It was one of the finest hotels in India, and I offer all due credit to their laundry services. In my attempts to take the best shot possible of this lehenga, I made a rookie mistake, one which taught me a valuable professional lesson.

—Når du skal rejse, hvad tager du så med dig, og hvorfor?

—I carry all my equipment, as many as possible. You never know what you might need and when. I keep my destination contact(s) at hand, ready to contact in case of aid or information.

—Er der noget, du ville ønske, du ikke havde købt blandt de tingester, som du ejer? Hvorfor?

—I explore all the gadgets I possess, and find the best ways to use them. So nothing is truly wasted with my team and me.

—Hvordan uddanner du dig selv til at tage bedre billeder?

—I pursue cross-inspirations, meaning I gain inspiration from movies, architecture photographers, generic business styles in photography, and try to implement the best elements into my wedding photography field. Photography is all about ‘lines’, so I tend to focus on those elements from my cross-inspirations. I also definitely study the work of other photographers. I like to try out various styles, actually practically try them out. I feel I’ve learned a lot through this approach.

—Hvis arbejde har haft størst indflydelse på dig som fotograf?

—I keep track of the work of varied photographers. Most especially, a sense of ‘fearless photography’ most captures my interest.

—Hvad er det eneste, du ville ønske, du vidste, da du begyndte at tage billeder?

—I wish I knew what ‘K’ meant, namely Kelvin, which is essentially increasing/decreasing the warmth in a picture. Technically, this could have saved me a lot of effort early on.

—Hvad vil du gerne fortælle med dine fotografier?

—I wish to craft the finest memories for both the couple and their families.

—Hvad motiverer dig til at fortsætte med at tage billeder?

—The love and trust from families and couples makes me feel responsible to the fullest, which in turn motivates me to keep getting better and giving better.

—Burde dine forældre have været mere eller mindre strikse?

—One of the best gifts I have in this lifetime are my parents. They never once complained about my career choice. I wouldn’t be where I am without their continued support. This was true even when I lost several cameras, and they still supported me with new ones. I learned trust early on through my parents, and learned to value said trust, a trait that I still carry onto my work and clients.

—Hvis du kunne gå tilbage i tiden, hvad ville du så gøre anderledes?

—I would have liked to keep a steady record of the timeline and pattern of my work progress from day-one. I have learned a lot over the course of several years, but was too busy doing the work to maintain any sort of ‘personal diary’.

—Hvad med liv på andre planeter?

—I am quite reliant on what Elon Musk and his Space-X initiative is going to discover, which I believe will happen in my lifetime. I would like a grab a ticket for myself once space exploration options are open to the public. Who knows what we’ll find.

—Hvem er dine helte?

—My family, and whoever has ardently supported me and been with me all my life, through thick and thin.

—Hvem har du ingen respekt for?

—Anyone who misuses opportunities to create photographs for couples, and harbours the sole aim of self-promotion with no regard for taking emotionally relevant pictures for the customer. I am not a fan of those who intentionally refuse to see the difference between intimate and vulgar in photography.

—Hvad laver du i din fritid?

—I explore forests or national parks to pursue my passion for wildlife photography.

—Hvilken side af dig viser du aldrig offentligt?

—I shall openly admit that all my clients, and by extension the public, do not see the amount of post-processing / post-production work that goes into each of their photographs.

—Hvornår er du helt tilfreds med dit arbejde?

—I feel completely satisfied only when I have achieved a pre-determined output quality for each photo I capture. I will only truly be happy once I have captured the result I’d visualised in my mind.

—Tror du på de traditionelle mande- og kvinderoller?

—I deeply believe in this, actually. No matter how far modernity takes us, I will always be that one photographer who enjoys capturing traditional moments as they were always intended to be. Every tradition followed in a wedding has powerful value, especially for future generations who may be looking back at these moments and memories from, say, thirty years in the future. Traditions are gradually vanishing, I feel, and photographers are one of the few professionals working to ‘chronicle’ such traditions.

—Har du let ved at få nye venner?

—I believe I do, because I still call most of my clients my friends.

—Hvor vil du gerne bo?

—A forest setting, among Nature. Or a hilltop.

—Hvad er det dummeste, du nogensinde har indvilget i at gøre?

—No comment.

—Er der liv efter ægteskabet?

—Most definitely. There are several small blooming beginnings after marriage. It will be interesting to note how each couple discovers this for themselves.

—Har du en yndlingsvittighed? Fortæl den til os.

—Not really.

—Kan du lide hunde eller katte?

—I own a cat called Kittu and I love her very much.

—Hvem eller hvad hader du?

—I hate fakery in people.

—Det bedste ved livet er:

—To be born, or to be living, in this generation where technology is booming.

—Det mest irriterende ved livet er:

—The new methodological twists that some people are choosing in the wedding industry.

—Er der nogen ting rundt omkring, som du gerne vil ændre?

—I would like to encourage people to hold on to the traditions specific to every wedding. Traditions are important and powerful, and carry ancient wisdom in them.

—Hvad vil du gerne ændre ved dig selv?

—I would love to change my over-thinking, which is a nasty habit that harms only one’s own self. I would also like to learn not to feel disappointed at the end of the day if/when couples do not grant my team and I more time to get the job done.

—Hvad vil du gerne ændre i verden?

—I think I am the wrong person to be asking this, because I am more inclined toward changing my own little world in my own personal life. If each one does that, I believe the world at large will change for the best. That’s why I prefer praying for better human beings, and humanity.

—Kan du give et par råd til de fotografer, som lige er startet?

—Do not assume the camera is all that matters. It is not about the sort of technology or tools you own. How much time you spend with that camera or tool, how much you learn about it, how much you can ‘ask’ your camera to ‘work’ for you, these are all important thoughts for any budding photographer to meditate upon. Do what you think you need to do to get the perfect output instead of following the ‘default recommends’ in a camera. Lights, shadows, reflections, lines… Look for these in every frame. Keep practicing every day. You can also rent gear instead of actually buying it when you aren’t ready.

—Hvis nogle rumvæsner kom til jorden, og du var den første person, de mødte, hvad ville du så sige til dem?

—Do you need a photoshoot? I might make myself their official photographer.

—Hvis du bliver spurgt, om du vil indspille en film, hvilken genre vil det så være?

—I would enjoy shooting a film about travel.

—I morgen tager jeg ud og...

—Create something inspiring.