CAS Blog: Kalakriti Event Photography

Shooting Kalakriti was one of the most exciting and demanding experiences that I have ever had. As an event photographer, I was mandated to catch all the essence of the performances, crowd energy, and to shoot pictures at minute details that would make this event special and nothing less than usual. What seemed on the face of it, and even for me, an easy responsibility, turned out to be a learning experience through which my skills were challenged and everyone knew how to push me to grow.

LO1: Identifying Strengths and Areas for Growth
With this experience, I was to come to realize my strengths and areas to grow. One of the things I excelled in was being focused on getting the shot even when the environment was frantic. I found myself able to hold the concentration and remain calm, yet sometimes making very quick decisions. Though I could improve with time management-one of my weaknesses. Sometimes, I spent too much time trying to get one perfect picture that most moments of the action slipped through my fingers. It really made me realise when I pay attention to the minute details, flexibility and efficiency are just as important in event photography.

LO2: Demonstrating Challenges Undertaken and Developing New Skills

Capturing photography at a live event such as Kalakriti poses unique challenges. The performances meant constant alertness to the right moment when key movements could be captured. It was an internal battle to find one’s way through people, ensure appropriate lighting, or just get that perfect shot at the right moment. With this, I learned new skills on event photography that would require much time to practice, such as adjusting camera settings quick changes in the environment to be able to uniquely frame shots even in chaotic conditions. But beyond the technical challenge was telling a story in images and catching emotions and the spirit of the event.

LO3: Initiate and plan a CAS experience

Before Kalakriti started, I had taken an initiative to plan all the details of my role as photographer. I knew that to capture every decisive moment, I would require a clear strategy. I met with the event organizers in advance so that I could understand what the schedule was and which were the key performances they wanted photographed. From there, I created a shot list of the moments I would need to record-from candid shots of the audience to behind the scenes of the performing artists right before the show. Lastly, I mapped the venue to determine the best angles for the various stages and performance areas. That pre-planning ensured I was adequately prepared for the fast-paced nature of the event; this would let me proceed easily from one location to another, missing nothing essential.

LO5: Demonstrating Skills and Benefits of Working Collaboratively

I found that photography could be one of those tasks that looks like an activity only done alone, but actually collaborative input really helped me achieve success. The coordinators of the event gave me quite a bit of input on where the program was most fluid and where the most crucial moments were that they wanted captured. This communication was necessary to ensure that nothing important went uncollected. I also had to coordinate with other photographers to ensure we covered different aspects without overlapping. The teamwork therefore made us all much more efficient and ensured every part of Kalakriti was well documented.

LO4:Showing Perseverance and Commitment in CAS Experience

The long hours and constant movement were pretty physically and mentally exhausting. There were moments when holding the camera was a burden for too long and at moments when the energy was already draining in for hours of shooting. However, I made it a point to not forget where I was and what I was supposed to do-to the end. Delivering a collection of photos that would be true reflections of Kalakriti’s vibrancy demanded perseverance. I now look back with pride at how I pushed through the state of exhaustion while remaining extremely committed to my role and fulfilling my responsibility.

In conclusion, photographing Kalakriti was not just a snap with the lens but something more: learning how to handle pressure, effective group work, and pushing myself into an extent that I never thought I could. Sharpening my photography skills was added in, as well as personal growth, and these lessons will bleed into other projects.