Commercial Photographer

Dinesh Khanna, Photography & Photographing In India

November 21, 2014 by Seshu | Editor & Publisher

Dinesh Khanna and I passed each other at a Dayanita Singh lecture, in New Delhi. It was, as you might have expected it, quite a crowded space and I don't believe we traded more than a few courtesies. Sephi Bergerson, made the introductions because I nudged him to.

So, that's sort of the background on where and how we met. It was a hurried meeting but it left in me an indelible mark because of the sheer humility Dinesh projected. I was gasping to come up with something remarkable or flattering to say, but he slid right past all that and started to ask me about how I was using social media and what I thought would stick. I was just getting started on Twitter at that time. At that point he or I may have even talked about doing a workshop for Indian photographers about social media, but like all good plans that get shelved, this one too hit the deck.

Fast forward a few years ago when I noticed Dinesh on Facebook and connected with him there and we began “talking” again, engaging with photographs and thoughts we shared online. I finally had to ask him to come on Tiffincast (I really should start referring to it as TiffinboxTV, eh?) because I had so many questions about his background, his ideas of where things were going with photography and what photographing in India really meant. Plus, I heard he was deeply involved with Prashant Panjiar in creating the Delhi Photo Festival (yes, if you are in India and don't go, well, I have to wonder about you).

So here we are just chilling out and talking shop. It's a longish video chat, but one that will reveal quite a bit about Dinesh, his passion for teaching photography and of course his now famous chair project.

For a quick glimpse of Dinesh's work, check these lovely images out:

Do also take a moment to take a look at Nazar Foundation – also an organization that Dinesh and Prashant Panjiar have co-founded.

Dinesh has also published a few books, Bazaar and Living Faith among them, that take the viewer on an immersive journey of punchy colors and quaint Indian nooks, places you and I most likely will only dream of visiting in this lifetime.

If you value this and other interviews, I ask that you subscribe to TiffinboxTV and tell your friends about it using one of the social media tools you see on this page. Thank you!

Why A Commercial Photographer Decided To Do More

October 17, 2013 by Pascal Depuhl

“Why?” That question still rings in my ear, as one of my client told his boss: “Pascal is going to Afghanistan, to film a documentary.”

Since late 2011, I still get that a lot. To be perfectly honest, those who ask “Why?” aren’t that far off – I mean what business does a commercial photographer from Miami have in the mountains of Afghanistan? After all I live at sea level for crying out loud. On top of that I’ve never made a documentary before, come to think of it, I’ve only been producing videos for my clients for six months at that point. Why on earth would I want to do this?

Why? Well, because I believe I have a gift. No, I’m not special, you do to. We all have and I’m not just talking about photographers. Accountants have a gift for numbers, teachers have a gift for teaching, nurses have a gift for caring. I’m talking about an ability your born with, a God-given gift, that innate talent you did not earn, acquire, purchase, but that you’re just good at. In my case that gift is the ability to communicate visually. Now I’ve honed that skill, trained my eye, learned my craft, but that underlying something is still there and I believe that something requires us to give back.

Please understand, I do that for my kids PTA, my church, local community groups with Pro Bono work, but in the summer of 2011 I had this little voice in my head that told me I should do more with my videos, than just make money – like helping my college buddy let others experience what he does for a living. The only catch: Daniel flies relief work in Afghanistan. For the past 14 years.

Anyway, I hear this little voice say: Do more and immediately I think ‘That’s too dangerous.’ About a week later, same little voice: Do more, like helping Daniel let others experience what he does for a living.

‘Yeah right. I’ve never done something like that before, it’s gonna be to complicated.’ Next week. Same voice. Do more … I’m thinking ‘Too expensive.’ Following week, same voice. Do more. And I think of another excuse, why I should not do this. You get the picture. This literally goes on for a month and a half ‘They don’t need a movie.’ ‘I don’t know how.’ '25 below zero – are you serious?’ ‘Don’t think my equipment can handle that.’ Always that same voice: Do more.

Finally I write an email to Daniel “I have this crazy idea …” (Seriously that’s what I titled the email) fully expecting at the very best a fully qualified maybe as an answer. ‘Maybe, but too dangerous, too complicated, too expensive, too unnecessary, too inexperienced, too cold.’ What I got was “Sure, we’d love to have you. It would be fun. Actually we need a movie, one of our major sponsors requires us to produce videos, so sure. Go ahead put together some numbers and let’s talk.” As I receive Daniel’s answer and read it, I’m thinking more along the lines of “What did I get myself into?” and then I remember: Do More. (Full disclosure they paid for my expenses, my time – that’s the two weeks filming and the year editing the video was pro bono.)

There’s also a second reason I’m thinking of going. First of all I wanted to tell Daniel’s story. Those guys do some amazing work and it deserves to be told. Secondly I see this as a great opportunity for me to learn a new skill. I don’t know about you, but I learn best and fastest under pressure.

And filming in a country like Afghanistan, with it’s impenetrable terrain, extreme weather conditions, with a culture I don’t know and a language I don’t speak; creating a movie that is not scripted or storyboarded, but where you have to find the story as you go, flying around that country in small planes recording air to air from a chase plane, getting dropped off in remote (as in 40 day hike remote) landing strips in the Wakhan corridor and watching your ride take off and disappearing from sight, while you get ready to film take off and landings, kinda qualifies for pressure. Don’t you think?

To make a long story short, six months after that email, I found myself kneeling on a snow covered runway filming a small plane buzzing four feet over my head in Lal, Afghanistan, situated at 9,200 feet elevation. The temperature was about -25ºC. That was by far my favorite day at work.

Why did I go? To do more. To help others. To learn. To hone my craft. To learn a new skill. Was it worth it? What do you think? How far have you gone to do more? What risk have you taken to honor your gift?

Commercial & Wedding Photographer Jane Shauck, On Sound Financial Planning

May 15, 2013 by Seshu | Editor & Publisher

Jane Shauck is a West Hartford, Connecticut based wedding and commercial photographer. I first met Jane at a Pictage User Group meeting that she hosted. We subsequently saw each other at trade shows and conferences like Mystic Seminars or Inspire Photo Seminars (both in or near Connecticut by the way). Before her husband, Mike, joined her business as a second-shooter, I assisted Jane at a wedding. I was always impressed by how organized she was and how very calm she appeared to be during the entire day.

We met again recently at the Inspire Photo Seminars, in Sturbridge, Massachusetts and her presentation literally caused my jaw to drop. Her no-nonsense approach to the photography business was refreshing because I feel way too many people sugar coat the experience of being a professional photographer. Yes, we must be passionate about what we do, but I learned (and am learning the hard way) that having financial control of your business is paramount to being in business and staying in business. Her presentation that winter day warmed me up to the idea and the steps I needed to take to be a lot more strategic about my time, about how I plan my year and especially what kinds of photography I needed to pursue to meet my financial goals.

Her advice is general for a reason – each of us has different goals and we need to carefully assess what it is that we need to be each making to meet or exceed those goals. I welcome you to take a listen to our conversation below. I would urge you to also visit and bookmark Jane's new blog for photographers called Photo Career.

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