A Paradigm Shift of Wedding Photography: A vision of Subodh Bajpai

Subodh Bajpai Photography has retained colors, emotions, and happiness in its work by redefining it innovatively. Photography is playing a major role in letting people record their candid moments in numerous ways. Specifically, in the context of wedding photography, digital cameras and vision for technology-enabled photography setup have brought a revolution in this stream. Budding photographers are becoming cyber-savvy and using high-end technology for shooting weddings or any other candid moments. However, there are certain limitations which can only be done away with if industry-wise knowledge is understood. This is where wedding photographers are filling the gap to redefine moments. He is the mastermind behind Subodh Bajpai Photography, a Lucknow based venture. Subodh Bajpai Excerpts from the interview: BV: What inspired you to be a photographer and Why? Subodh: I developed a keen interest in photography when I was in 10th standard. I used to click wonderful, candid and impressive pictures. I was often appreciated by my friends and near & dear ones for my photography skills. I practiced clicking images and shooting videos, thereafter and decided to pursue it as a career. From the very beginning, I wanted to mend the loopholes which modern photographers are struggling with. With this vision, I analyzed photography which was being addressed for personal and professional aspects. After a critical analysis, I came up with Subodh Bajpai Photography which is currently, heading towards a paradigm shift. As a team, we are redefining photography trends and identifying the scope of improvement in this sector. BV: Why did you choose wedding photography, particularly? Do you undertake other photography services as well? Subodh: The need to connect with masses is what we appreciate before executing a photography project. Weddings include an elaborate gala of ceremonies where smiling faces can be found. Besides, lots of emotions, drama and a completely new genre of photography are the elements which we can relate with. As a wedding photographer, I have captured candid moments in weddings while retaining precision in images and videos. With such a great scope to explore the world of emotions, I find this stream suitable for me. Subodh Bajpai Photography has retained colors, emotions, and happiness in its work by redefining it innovatively. We have always focused on wedding and related shoots as the genre have become our forte. We also cover pre-wedding ceremonies apart from wedding photography. BV: How do you feel when you/ your venture was awarded by the Govt. of India? Subodh: Awards have always been a gesture to appreciate the hard work of a person or group. In our case, I associate myself with the team of passionate photographers and post-photography editing team. The credit goes to my team and not just me. We have always turned wedding moments into a vivid replica of the event by maintaining high-resolution in photos and videos. We feel proud when our work gets recognition by Govt. of India. There are many awards which Subodh Bajpai Photography has been bestowed with, but, the constant knack of innovation is still persistent. All the awards motivate and appreciate us to perform even better. We are looking forward to receiving more recognition and love from users/customers.  BV: How is technology helping the Photography Industry? What are your thoughts or reflection on this aspect? Subodh: In this world of digital work-sphere, the consistent transitions in photography have empowered photographers. Technology has played a vital role in binding various aspects while eliminating accessories of cameras. Every manual camera has to be accompanied by the lens, ISO, tripod and other basic tools/accessories to attain the best wedding photography. This has been entirely changed with the emergence of technology-enabled photography services. In fact, technology has drastically changed the perception of photographers. We are really thankful to technological innovation for contributing to the success of operations. With the involvement of technology in our venture, we have seen the use of a compact camera is worthwhile. It is saving our time and turnaround time to complete wedding photography projects is also reduced considerably. For instance, two years ago, DSLR cameras created a buzz in the market due to their significance. At present, tech-savvy cameras, mobile cameras, and other similar devices are improving the final outcome of wedding photography. BV: Is there any role of marketing and advertising in photography Industry? How would you address the marketing of wedding photography at this level? Subodh: Primary thing is to click images and marketing is like icing on the cake. I would rather like to add marketing as the major source of spreading a word about our services. Physical marketing and advertising are not something we are presently relying on. In this age of digital photography, we believe in reaching out to the masses in a lucrative and innovative manner. Social Media has been our major marketing platform to drive traffic. We get a very good response to our posts when pictures or videos of Subodh Bajpai Photography are uploaded on social media platforms. For instance, if we post 10 photographs on Instagram, over 6 out of them get 1000 likes on them. We have been witnessing successful conversion with the help of digital marketing. We use social media to grab the attention of prospective customers, users, and visitors of the website. BV: Would you like to highlight the trends in the Photography industry? Subodh: One particular trend in photography is candid. People want to tell a story through a single picture. This is quite an unrealistic thought which needs a wedding photographer to intervene. We weave a story by capturing wedding moments which are full of emotions. These emotions have been recorded through candid photo sessions by our team. Since it is tough for a layman to redefine the candidness of the moment in his photography; we see candid photography as the next big thing in photography. We are implementing on the aesthetics of this genre absolutely. Besides, you have to be technically sound, intelligent enough to understand photography. 360 ° photography is also an upcoming trend which people are able to relate with. In this type of photography, all the sides of the background are covered to offer the fabulous quality of picture or video. This is already being practiced in the West and in the next few years, India will also witness its growth in the photography sector.   BV: Please highlight something about your journey on finding the first 5 potential customers? What are the challenges in this space and how did you overcome them? Subodh: Initially, in our journey to find the first 5 potential customers, we came across various challenges. Allocation and identification of resources reflected the budget of over 6-7 Lakhs. We had to use 35 Lakh to cover one wedding. This was impossible for me to strategize single-handedly. The next step was to build a team, wherein, several hindrances were experienced. It was a challenging task to build a team involving like-minded professionals. In addition, lots of research (R&D) was done by my team to find the business prospects, acquiring projects and sending out a brand message. Word of mouth was the first marketing tool. Over three months, I struggled to find a good job and used to attend carnivals to exhibit my talent. It was a time when I was interested in capturing expressions and did not classify my core strength. When I explored wedding photography as my prime interest, it was the very day when a vision of Subodh Bajpai Photography was incepted. Finally, I got a chance to showcase my talent through my venture. The rest of the journey of customer acquisition gradually became a legacy. BV: Which regions have shown a good response to your services? Please highlight services which you got a good response for? Subodh: We have been getting lots of work from Punjab, Rajasthan, UP and Delhi NCR, particularly for candid photography. 360 ° photography, candid and wedding photography services are also in demand. We are heading towards expansion by meeting the needs of customers with the optimum use of technology. This will help us in reaching out to people nation-wide. BV: What are your future plans with your venture? Subodh: I have a strong vision to empower the photography industry and bring a revolution with my approach. My concept of merging Artificial Intelligence with photography is unique and will be a very beneficial change in the industry. This technology will change the entire scenario of photography by making every process compatible with each background. AIl enabled cameras are in vision, but, we are planning to appoint 2 engineers from the US to work on this model. BV: Please share a valuable piece of advice for the young photography aspirants Subodh: Buying the camera should not be the first thing, people should understand the dynamics of the industry and learn to develop an understanding of the same. The best part of today’s photography is huge and 10 years’ down the line, the future of photography seems to be phone cameras. Lightning system and ISO range are altogether managed easily. With a digital camera, Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity options are making the work of photographers easier as well as efficient. Aspiring photographers can experience a very bright future in this industry if they utilize technology and basic knowledge of photography tactfully. Subodh Bajpai Photography seems to be a very inspiring and pragmatic venture. It is surely marching ahead on its way to bring a transformation in the sphere of photography. To know more such Indian personalities, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Download our magazine Spunky Indian for exclusive stories.