Every Time I Turned My Head He Was Behind Me

Every Time I Turned My Head He Was Behind Me, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

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I did not have to climb bus stops , I did not have to monkey around with gravity climb electric poles or lamp posts and I wondered would that have really got me better pictures.

I had nothing on my person just Rs 150 ..An ordinary 4 year old mobile phone a single camera a single lens I was barefeet no water bottle no snack box I drank my first cup of tea at Byculla.

I was caught at several places in a stampede people walked over me but spared my camera and I shot mostly from ground level..I could not be as acrobatic as Girish Mistrys students I thought living was more important than dying for a picture.

Before you shoot an event of this enormity you should know the ground rules bravado or trying to be one up does not help, as a student its better to have another student covering you ass shooting alone is not the temperament for this kind of shoot.

Losing your life or your belongings or your limbs or your camera which is an essential limb is not photography at all.

I have shot Moharam the Shia mourning flagellating rituals and sword matam during Ashura and Chehlum I have cut my head with a sword and than bleeding photographed others around me so I know death I know danger I have shot Cobras a whisker away from my face at Battis Shirala I have shot 18 feet rods piercing human cheeks at the Maryamma feast and I was going to pierce my cheeks too but the pujari told me I have to keep a fast and prepare for the ritual so I will do it next year hopefully, I have shot the bullock cart races at Alibagh Murud , but I can assure you shooting Lalbagh Chya Raja at ground level is a real tough assignment.

But he is there and protects you provided you take the necessary precautions too.

I feel sorry for the girl student who lost her high end camera in the stampede.

Such events you use your normal digital SLR unless you are a Pro Reuters or any other Press agency.

And the only one that enjoyed this journey of the Lord documenting with a passion was the new breed of Mobile camera phone photographers ... and this is one insect like specie like mosquitoes that will always be part of events like this no pesticide can ever get rid of them.

So in short Live and Let Live..