Photogenic Group Meet and Discussion on Photography (Held at Abanindra Sabhagriha on June 6, 2015)

So, the members of Photogenic photography community gathered at Abanindra Sabhagriha near Nandan on Saturday, June 6, 2015. The occasion was the 2nd meet of Photogenic group and it was scheduled to discuss photography compositions and viewing and discussion of some selected photographs clicked by the members of the group.

The meet started sharp at 5 pm in the evening. The inaugural speech was delivered by Mr. Asok Samaddar, one of the admins of the group. He talked about the significance of organizing such meets and photography workshops for our group. Subsequently, some selected snaps of renowned photographers like Steve McCurry were shown on slide show. I had the opportunity to see the photograph which made McCurry famous and it is none other than the "Afghan Girl", originally shot in 1984. This photo was featured in the National Geographic magazine and has remained an icon since then. Mr. Samaddar also stressed on viewing photos from famous websites besides clicking them and increased participation in various photo contests.

Two mentors of our group, Mr. Goutam Mitra and Mr. Sanat Kumar Das, both members of prestigious photography associations of Eastern India, were present and they discussed about some of the exquisite photographs they captured during different periods. After this, the members were given the opportunity to showcase their works and talk a few words about their creations. Photographs of 20 participants were shown via projector. Both the mentors adeptly pointed out the positives and negatives of each photo and discussed how they could have been represented in a better way. We also enjoyed the snacks break in between the slide show of the members' photographs. At around 8 pm in the evening, the meet came to an end with the concluding speech by Mr. Samaddar regarding the forthcoming events organized by the group. I really enjoyed this meet and would look forward to more such meets by Photogenic in the future which would give me the real opportunity to learn the nuances of digital photography.

The photo album link of the meet is given below.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.986980324667659.1073741884.672990912733270&type=1

Photogenic Group Meet on April 19, 2015

April 19, 2015 is another day which will be etched into my mind forever. On this day, I attended the group meet of Photogenic, a photography group on Facebook with around 1,130 members. This was their second meet and I attended it for the first time. I only joined the group few days back and was overwhelmed by its warm, friendly and welcoming attitude towards the members.

19th was a Sunday and it was an idle afternoon for me. So, I decided to walk out and join the meet with my trusted companion 1100D. The venue was fixed at Rabindra Sadan and I reached there at around 4:15 pm.

Everything evolves with time and photography is no exception. Previously, photography was mostly meant for documenting some crucial events. However, the meaning of photography has changed. Photography is not only a means of documenting events, but also one of the most popular hobbies in the world. However, it still has to go a long way to get the status of other forms of art such as films, painting and sculpture. However, avid photographers like us can make a huge contribution towards turning photography into one of the best prevailing art forms in the world. In fact, we can work as indispensable elements in this noble endeavor.

As time passes by, we are gradually becoming inhabitants of a virtual world. With the advent of mobile photography and Internet, the trend of capturing photos has somewhat changed. We can't swim against the tide. However, our objective is to see photos, take photos, and discuss about photos. A number of practical aspects associated with photography were discussed at the meet and the outline of the discussion is given below:

1) Bi-monthly meetups: The group has the plan of arranging meetups after every two months at a venue convenient to all the members. Experienced photographers will be invited to share their valuable thoughts.

2) Photo-walks: Members are independent to go for photo walks. They just have to mention it on the group wall. No specific permission is required for this outing.

3) Photography exhibition: Photogenic also intends to organize a photography exhibition in January/February 2016 at The Academy of Fine Arts or Gaganendra Chitra Pradarshanshala. The idea is to get a sponsor. If no sponsor is found, members will make small personal contributions to make it successful.

4) Awarding members/photographers: Photogenic has the idea of awarding the best photographers of the group. Authors of the three best photos of the year will get this award. The award will be something which will help them advance into their domain of work.

5) World Photography Day: We all know that World Photography Day is on 19th August. The group has the plan of celebrating the day in a special manner, if possible.

6) Book publication in 2017 Kolkata Book Fair: If all these efforts become successful, the group also has the plan of bringing out a book with a compilation of photos clicked by all the members in Kolkata Book Fair 2017. People who are interested in photography will know more about our group through this initiative.

7) Registering the group: If everything goes fine, the group can also be registered in 2017. There are multiple advantages of this, especially in areas where special permission is required for photography.

Photo album link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.958160767549615.1073741880.672990912733270&type=1