Don’t be surprised if you see Kanakakkunnu Palace grounds taken over by shutterbugs on the weekend of February 26. Thiruvananthapuram is in for a rare treat as Fotografia Q8 (FQ8), a group of five photographers, holds The Royal Travancore Fotographia, a workshop from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to help hobbyists and travellers hone their skills with the camera, free of cost.
Shamon MagicHands, Kiran Mithra, Riyas Moodady, Bishara Mustafa, and Haris Aydeed, the FQ8 team based in Kuwait and Kerala-based Varun Thottathil will cover the basics of photography, fine art, blue hour shoots, time lapse and nightscape, fast action shots, behind the scene shots, copyright in photography, cost of doing business, HDR & long exposure and perception of photographers. The event is held in association with online travellers’ community Sanchari, of which the FQ8 photographers are members and Shamon is one of the administrators.
Speaking from Kuwait over phone, Shamon and Kiran say the event has been a dream come true for FQ8 ever since their workshop, The Grand Malabar Fotografia at Kappad, Kozhikode in 2015. “We were challenged by the sponsor, saying we would not have more than 70-80 participants but 300 people attended,” Kiran recalls. This was fresh from the team’s first workshop in Kuwait in the same year after FQ8 was formally launched. The event was a resounding success. The team has since held workshops and seminars in Bahrain, UAE and Philippines. “Before most workshops, we talk to every applicant to see if they have a genuine interest as people tend to register simply because it is at no cost.”
Shamon says FQ8 is headed to the capital city to change a perception. “When something is offered for free, the general assumption is that it will be mediocre. That’s what we want to prove wrong.” In 2011, a love for photography brought the men together along with two other friends. But with no one to mentor them and equipment being costly, they decided to teach themselves. “We set apart every Friday morning for shoots, reviewing each other’s photos before posting them on Facebook. Bishara, Riyas and Haris joined in. There were people calling to know how they could learn too. That is when we thought it was our chance to give back to society. Now we have around 200 members. FQ8 was Bishara’s idea. We decided to do the same in Kerala as well, share what we learnt,” he explains.
“All five of us work in Kuwait of which only two are professional photographers. Our workshops touch all aspects of photography and each of us has a specialisation,” says Shamon, an architect, as FQ8’s USP.
Now, FQ8 has a road map at the start of the year. “We manage to meet 80 per cent of those goals,” Kiran says. “Working abroad means we have only so many days of leave each year,” adds Kiran, an IT professional who made a trip to the Kumbh Mela last year, led by his camera. “FQ8 plans to hold an event called Reshoot Kuwait, an attempt to look at the country with a fresh perspective. Besides, the bird migration season is also coming.”
Shamon makes sure the name of the event is usually inspired by the heritage of the host city. “The workshop in Kappad was called Grand Malabar Fotografia because it was held in north Kerala and its links with Vasco da Gama. Thiruvananthapuram is known as the base for the royal family of erstwhile Travancore, hence the name of the workshop. We wanted a venue that befitted the theme so it is an honour to have the workshop at Kanakakkunnu Palace.”
Thiruvananthapuram-based members of Sanchari have been laying the groundwork for February 26 over the last few months. Prashobh I L, one of the organisers, says registrations have crossed 450 so far.
“Enquiries are pouring in every day. The biggest challenge now will be accommodating them at the venue. We are working on arrangements to make sure everyone benefits. Sanchari promotes eco-friendly travel so we will also see to it that the venue is treated with respect and littering is avoided.”
Kiran speaks for his team when he says, “The most gratifying part is when a participant understands what you are teaching and it shows in their work. We did not have anyone to help us that way. I am hoping people say the workshop was worth their time. If you are one of those people who come back from travels and pore over your shots thinking it could have been done better, then this is the place for you.”
