Behind the lens

Some find their work a calling, an art, some even a passion…others consider their work merely a means of paying their bills. Unfortunately, not many find themselves in the first situation. Luckily enough for one young man though, he's managed to find himself work that drives him with a passion like no other.

Having been in the business for just two years now, Dhanush De Costa's ever expanding portfolio of wedding photography, wildlife, nature, sports, celebrity interview, commercial and abstract (arty) shoots is rather impressive! Not quite as impressive though, as the sheer quality of his work. His passion for photography is more than apparent in the end product. The knack for photography runs (quite literally) in his veins, as his father too has been in the same business now for a long time. However, the father and son seemed to have developed quite unique and contrasting styles of their own and rarely share similar techniques.

Visitors to his recently launched website www.dhanushdecosta.com will be able to observe first hand the immense creativity and innovativeness of his work. The official launch of his site cum exhibition of his photography will be held in March. If ever you were to find him on his own, he'd be sitting somewhere or walking around almost randomly, thoroughly engrossed in his favourite pastime and completely oblivious to the rest of the world! You'd only hear the familiar click, click, click of his camera in the aura encircling him.

Having worked as a creative person, in the advertising industry from the time he left school, he had managed to pick up quite a few handy skills that have since proven to be quite beneficial to him, says Dhanush. "Although most people claim that you have to have a certain eye for taking pictures, that on it's own is not enough. You have to know how best to use it," he added. Also, his experience working in the world of advertising has trained him to cater to various different clients and their diverse tastes. Even skills such as making proper layouts, cropping, colour balancing, brushing up etc., he developed whilst working in advertising, he added.

"Firstly, making the subjects of my shoot comfortable with me and having a good rapport with them is very important to me. It's almost like unwritten policy I abide by very strongly, as only then can you get perfectly natural shots" says Dhanush knowingly. Having an easy going nature anyway, putting people at ease instantaneously, happens almost effortlessly. His accommodative temperament extends even to special requests made by his various clients such as time constraints, specific preferences or dislikes etc.,

Especially when on wildlife/nature shoots, even though it's a lot to do with your luck, you have to be ever prepared to just jump at the opportunity and be able to make a split-second decision, or else you could very easily miss out on that perfect picture, he adds.

No matter what type of high tech equipment you have, at the end of the day, they are merely enhancers, because you have to be able to make the most of the equipment you have, otherwise it's no point, he says. It's not just about taking the picture, it's also about knowing how to get the best out of a picture.

"No two shoots are ever the same; even weddings. I don't have one set pattern or procedure that I follow. I adjust on the spur of the moment, depending on the client (couple), location, situation etc.," he elaborates.

"For instance when covering a wedding, all I do is select the most picturesque area within the location we're already at, and simply hand the reins over to the couple, to do as they please. All I do is just click away," he said with a smile. "I love to work with clients who are a bit adventurous and willing to experiment. Of course for that, they need to have implicit trust in me," he said with a grin.

Dhanush hadn't been much of a fan of wedding photography at first, because he thought it was quite standard and posed. However, now he follows a certain style, (commonly used in the West), known as the 'Storybook-Type' which is more like a story unfolding rather than an album itself, he explained.

"When using this format, the main this is not to Main thing is not to clutter the page; one image should stand out whilst the rest of the images tell the story. It must also be very soothing and easy on the eyes," he added enthusiastically.

"My main support system has always been my family, my wife and my friends, who have always encouraged me and virtually made me set up this site. I wouldn't have done half of what I've done so far, without their constant love and support," says Dhanush very appreciatively.

Dhanush can be contacted via www.dhanushdecosta.com for bookings or to make purchases of his photography, which would make ideal gifts or even priceless additions to any private collector's gallery. An image bank (primarily for the advertising industry) is also accessible via the site.