A man’s man, he knows how to bring sensuality out of his women well. From coquettish goddesses to Amazonian belles, he smooth-talks them as he captures a dream. Ankita Jain speaks to Atul Kasbekar, the man who made pin-ups a collector’s piece, on his hobby horse and his new corporate calendar
A few years ago photography was labelled as a ‘hobby’. Today it is seen as a lucrative career option. How did you feel back in those days when you decided to choose photography as a professionIJ
It all happened during my stint at UDCT Mumbai. I got enrolled with aspirations to become a chemical engineer but soon enough I realised that it was not something I wanted to pursue even though I had worked hard to score exceptionally good grades to get admission to the coveted institution. There came a lull when I searched for my heart..I wanted to know what is it I truly wantIJ And I got the answer with much soul-searching. I loved taking pictures and instantaneously I knew that this hobby of mine will end up being my profession.
Did you acquire any qualifications to excel in the fieldIJ What do you make of the myriad courses on photography doing the rounds todayIJ
Although it was never intended to but my dad insisted that I get some kind of formal education. He even took the trouble to pay for my course at the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California. And it was indeed a good decision on his part since my education ended up having a lot of depth and range. I’m thankful to him. I believe when it comes to an art college it really depends on what you put into it and what you take out of it. It’s all about the expectations you have at the time of admission and whether they have been fulfilled when you pass out. I knew my resources were limited, hence I worked extremely hard making every dollar put in worth it.
How important is it to train under a photographerIJ
It does help you but again it depends who you are training with. I did a three-year programme in photography and then worked for a year with well known professionals in los Angeles. That gave me a lot of exposure and widened my perspective as to what it really is like to be in this profession.
Most of us own a DSlR today which gives an opportunity to click a few good shots. Everybody is a photographer in that sense.
let alone DSlR or any professional lens, the fact that everybody has a camera on their phone has made the process of photography a lot more democratic. Add to that a deluge of filters and apps available to enhance your images. This is what is giving people the ability to create wonderful photographs. And what’s wrong in it if I ask youIJ If people like to do something, let them. All you need is a thinking mind. Be creative as much as you can. And click more and more, that’s the only way to learn. I actually love and recommend this process to everyone because I love the visual medium and the more wonderful visuals created the better it is.
The Kingfisher calendar shoot is always exciting and full of freshness. What can we expect this yearIJ
This year we have shot in the Greek island of Mykonos. It’s a bliss. I always wanted to shoot there and I was definitely not disappointed. I
loved every moment of it. It had an incredible natural light I have ever come across. Couple that with the cool breeze, the temperate weather, low humidity and a wonderful crew. It all made for a memorable shooting locale and an experience to take back home.
How do you define Kingfisher calendarIJ
It’s a talent pool. It’s given some great talent to the country far more than any beauty pageant in the recent past. From Katrina Kaif to Deepika Padukone, Yana Gupta, Esha Gupta, Angela Johnson, Saiyami Kher, Sarah Jane Dias,
Tina Desai and Nargis Fakhri..the list is long and distinguished. You don’t find such incredible women anywhere else. It is also quite easily the most visible print assignment in the country.
So what does one need to make it to the listIJ
The girls need to have a certain X-factor. You have to have that spark in you which makes me go like oh there she is! A head turner. I like the quirky looks as opposed to the conventional. It of course is a given that the girls be very fit. When I say fit, I mean athletic and never skinny. I am also a tad partial to dusky women but again that’s not a specific. It’s just something I like in my women. Dusky women look amazing under the sun and come out better on camera I believe.
You have been associated with the Kingfisher calendar since 2003. How’s the journey been so farIJ
The theme for Kingfisher has been the “King of Good Times.” To me the “good times” are defined by great travel, wonderful food in the company of friends. The imagery of this is often defined in the segments that we have been running on TV for years. I’ve always had the trust and faith of people at the United Spirits and they pretty much leave it on me to come up with pictures that define their brand story.
In an interview you mentioned that you relate to R Madhavan’s character in 3 idiots. He also gives up engineering to become a wildlife photographer which is similar to your life story.
I recently went to my alma mater, Campion in Bhopal, to deliver a lecture and the first thing I asked students to repeat after me was “I will never work a day in my life.” This for a moment left the teachers and principal aghast and all the young lads crackling with glee. The explanation to that is, if you love what you do it never feels like “you are working.” You are essentially having fun and there is no 9 to 5 involved. It never is a mundane day. If you love what you do then nobody needs to tell you to work hard because it comes naturally and when you become really good at it, success will follow.