Captivating clicks

Those moments froze in time serving the document of performances that created history. Nineteen years that witnessed the amount of talent being showcased at Pune Festival did not just remain a faint memory, lost in the clutches of the transition of time.

Glimpses of Pune Festival 8211; a photography exhibition by Santosh Potdar revived the memory of the remarkable performances Pune Festival has witnessed so far

Those moments froze in time serving the document of performances that created history. Nineteen years that witnessed the amount of talent being showcased at Pune Festival did not just remain a faint memory, lost in the clutches of the transition of time. Thanks to the efforts of Santosh Potdar, who since last 19 years clicked tirelessly to capture every single moment of the festival. The moments which when put together provided the art lovers with a visual treat.

And now those frozen moments graced the wall of the photography exhibition that Potdar had put up this Pune Festival. Glimpses of Pune Festival had 220 photographes of the event under three galleries 8212; Summary, Mahilautsava and Celebrity.

The exhibition spanned across years, reviving the memory of various cultural performances that graced the festival. 8221; Hema Malini in these 19 years has performed more than 15 times and has performed 14 different ballets. I have clicked her pictures every year thus in a way documenting each and every move of it,8221; shares Potdar. For Potdar, photographing artistes is an art form he is completely dedicated to. 8220;A photographer is one who is thoroughly familiar with his or her subject. When you are photographing a performer you must have the knowledge of what he or she is performing,8221; elaborates Potdar. According to Potdar one gets a perfect frame when a particular segment ends. 8220;When a stanza ends the performer pauses for a second and that is when you get a perfect frame,8221; elaborates Potdar.

An expert in capturing just the right moment, Potdar feels use of flash during a performance can mar the quality of the composition to a great extent. Potdar who himself has clicked maximum number of photos without a flash, advices, 8220;It8217;s very important for a photographer to know when to use a flash and when not to. To preserve the originality of an artiste8217;s expression it is important that the flash is turned off otherwise it will divert the attention of the artiste causing him or her to miss out on one bhaav or the other.8221;

From celebrities to budding talents who performed at Ugawate Tare, Potdar in his photochemical masterpieces preserves a storehouse of talent that can be showcased to revive the memory of the festival. 220 photographes hung at the exhibition to provide the testimony of the talent that Pune Festival has not only showcased but also churned out since last 19 years.