An IT professional by night and a pet photographer by day, nobody enjoys taking photos of doggies as much as Ashok Chintala. “I have always had a soft corner for animals. Photographing them is similar to photographing probably young children; the reactions and expressions are very honest. There are no fake or forced emotions.”
Hailing from Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, the pet photographer who has made Bengaluru his home, is officially the man behind the camera for most of the adoption photos we see on social media. “From Precious Paws Foundation to Bangalore Opts to Adopt, I’ve tied up with a lot of organisations in the city. My motive is to encourage people to adopt and tell success stories through my pictures.”
A passionate traveller, Ashok used to click a lot of photos and upload them on his blog. “Soon, I was travelling for the sole purpose of taking pictures. That is how my stint with photography took off.” What led him to pet photography was more personal. “I had adopted two dogs from CUPA. It was only a matter of time before I discovered I loved taking their pictures. With time, I was clicking photos of the animals in the shelters I volunteer in. These shelters rehabilitate and re-home dogs. I focussed my skill on taking pictures of dogs that needed homes for adoption camps and social media. My only aim was to show that all animals, irrespective of breed and age, are all capable of love and show it in their own way. When a dog finds his or her forever home because of my pictures, it gives me a special kind of happiness.”
Why pet photography? Ashok replies: “Pets are the unsung heroes in my perspective. They are always there with us through our good times and bad and I wanted to give pet parents a chance to hold on to the memory of their loved furry baby forever.”
While he owes his inspiration to his pets Lucky, Bruno, Jazz and Luffy, Ashok tells aspiring shutterbugs that pet photography requires a lot of patience.
“Every dog has a different personality. Most of my photographs are candid shots capturing the dog’s true expressions. In fact, I often shoot in Cubbon Park. The dogs relax in their natural environment and the true bond between pets and their parents comes out. Nothing beats capturing that moment of bonding.”
He goes on to say that animals, in general, are unpredictable. “There is beauty in capturing them at their uninhibited best.”
The finest part of his job, he says, is when he gets a picture worth hanging on the wall. “I have been told quite a few times that the photo has brought their furry baby closer to their hearts.
“While I am not selective about which animals I photograph, I am against breeding, buying and selling of animals. I have rejected clients, who have wanted me to take pictures of puppies they want to sell. I will never choose money over doing something that I don’t endorse. If you wish to bring a pet into your family, do consider adoption.”
Check his work on the Facebook page @Pawsforapicturebyashok, or www.pawsforapicture.in or call 9381842030 or write to him on Pawsforapicturebyashok
@gmail.com
