Amateur shutterbugs go trigger happy with DSLRs

PUNE: Eleven-year-old Dhwani Parekh was over the moon when her parents surprised her with a digital SLR camera. Soon, she was handling the new camera with remarkable ease, capturing nature, creating digital portraits of herself and her family.
Dhwani belongs to the growing breed of amateur photographers who carry their cameras everywhere, from family weddings to roadside restaurants, ever-ready to capture special or even mundane moments.Easy access to high-end cameras coupled with the click-upload-share phenomenon brought on by the proliferation of smartphones and social networking sites has given a boost to photography.
Encouraged by the spurt in sales, companies are even customizing products, making cameras simpler to operate, with keys and buttons that are easier to set but promise the DSLR quality, keeping in mind the amateur photographer.
The art of photography has changed completely with technology going digital, explained Vishwajeet Naik, a city-based wildlife and nature photographer, who also conducts workshops for amateur photographers. "There is definitely a rise in the number of first-time photographers investing in DSLRs. One reason is that there is no cost of printing and developing the photographs as they
can be seen instantly and even uploaded online," he said. Thus, people now click everything from the food they are eating to a new place visited.
He added that optimum utilization of the DSLR requires technical knowledge. While some learn by experimenting, many enroll for training workshops.
Owning a DSLR camera is more than a fashion statement as it allows users to use their imagination and creativity, said Alok Bharadwaj, executive vice-president of a camera company. "A good quality camera allows its owners to find their expression. A good camera is a status symbol that denotes not just an interest in the good things in life, but also exudes a positive and creative energy about the owner.
Photography is a popular, high-involvement indulgence today that engages all age groups. For many, entertainment is no longer about movies and food courts, but pursuing an interesting hobby and this change in perception is fuelling the camera market," he said.
The sale of DSLR cameras has almost doubled, pointed out Nilesh Kothari, regional customer service manager of Vijay Sales in Pune. "Young working professionals and those from the IT industry make up the chunk of buyers. Reduction in the price of entry-level models has definitely increased their accessibility. People travelling abroad also insist on purchasing DSLRs," he said.
Professional photographer Sameer Belvalkar, however, believes that possessing a photographer's eye is more important than the equipment. "I see an enormous change in the perception and applications of photography. Amateurs and hobbyists are getting into it to please themselves and nurture their own creativity. But having a digital camera makes you a 'DSLR owner', not a 'photographer'. I feel people need to work more on the skill than the equipment. The trained eye sees the picture before the camera can capture. If you can see the picture, capturing it is no big deal," he said.
Probably explains why Dhwani's parents decided to indulge their daughter. "My daughter has an artistic bent of mind and we are encouraging her to pursue her hobby. I am sure this investment will pay off as she grows up as photography can help her in any creative profession that she chooses to pursue," said Hema Parekh, Dhwani's mother.
Till that happens, Dhwani is happy to stick those photographs in her scrap book.