Dumbbells and Drama

It’s 7:00AM on a working Wednesday. Avinash steps in to the lobby at Hyatt Regency Pune and calmly waits for the boy and me to arrive. It’s 7:30 by the time we find ourselves by the indoor pool. Avinash does a quick reiki while we change into our swim suits.

2 minutes after we’re out of our changing rooms we hear Avinash say “How do you feel about pushing him in the pool?” The boy gets a twinkle in his eye, I look at the water and pray to God that it isn’t too cold, and push him into the pool.

“Done. Great shot” we hear Avinash say 10 seconds into our shoot. This is when we knew this shoot was going to be a baller one. Ladies and gentlemen, it brings me great pleasure to introduce to you Mr. Avinash Kotekar, the rockstar behind this shoot:

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(It was a temperature controlled pool that I had pushed the boy into, in case you were worried)

Was photography always the dream?

My dream was to be an artist, someone who could show the world all those things that often go unnoticed. I wanted to highlight those who deserved recognition. I believe I am an artist today as I capture the rare essence of a moment and help create picture perfect memories. I also sketch and play the guitar.

How did you stumble upon photography?

I love seeing moments frozen in time. There is a certain power that lies in the hands of those who can make it happen. That magic drew me to this field, this challenging art attracted me. A picture is worth a thousand words, and I wanted to share stories through my clicks.

What about photography excites you?

Everything. It’s always been a fascinating field for me, and now that I’m a part of it I can’t help but be excited about new developments and new moments. It’s  hobby that I slowly turned into a profession. I did it because it excited me.

Are you undergoing training in this field?

I believe in learning from every moment. Life has a lot to teach us, you just have to observe. I look for ideas and experiments every day. I assist a renowned photographer and am learning a lot under him. I’ve learnt how photography isn’t about shooting the same old styles. It’s about experimenting and showing the world something they’ve never seen.

How is the Pune market treating you?

I’d like to call Pune my home. Even though I hail from Karnataka, it’s Pune that has given me my bread and butter. I’ve made friends here, these friends have now turned into family. I’ve carved a niche for myself in my professional circle. Pune is treating me great, and I’m sure it’s set to get better.

One model you’d like to work with?

I’d love to work with the super gorgeous Gisele Caroline Bündchen, a Brazilian supermodel and actress.

(I love her too!)

One place you’d love to visit?

I’d want to travel to the beautiful Himalayas. There is so much beauty to capture there! There are so many who’re clicking this beautiful land, but I want to have my own story to share too.

What next?

I see myself going forward, that’s all that I am sure of right now. I’m with the right people, I’m doing what I love, and it’s seen in the way people react to my work. It’s overwhelming, but it’s great. I want to get busy with projects and assignments (preferably from fashion houses and music gigs)

What has been your most challenging project till date?

Everything is a challenge in its own way. But if you ask me to name one, I’d say the time I had to work with my college mates who were novices in the world of photography and had no idea of the basics too. Monitoring them and teaching them was a great challenge (that I enjoyed!)

Also, there was a project I did with poor lighting. I experimented with a 60watt bulb to get the perfect light setting! But it was all good at the end.

Leaving you with the shots from this shoot (in case you haven’t checked out my Instagram already) You can view his work on his website and Instagram.. For bookings, you can contact him on his email id –  bassistavi@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTOqUGFlhk3/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTS1IV0ll7A/

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