Shutterbugs who shoot pictures with mobile phones

Interested in photography, but cannot afford an expensive camera? Then, the Phonographer's Club might just be the avenue to showcase your photography skills. The group, which was founded by a former telecom professional and chartered accountant Ashish Tiwari, is a platform to bring together all the aspiring photographers in the city, who do not own a professional camera. The group that was started in 2014, today, comprises 115 members, who share a common passion for photography, albeit on their cellphones. "The telecom firm that I was part of had started a similar club that brought together phonographers (people who take photographers on mobile phones) from across the world. That's when I thought, ''why not venture into the same with aspiring photographers in Coimbatore and nurture their passion?' There are not many instagrammers in Coimbatore when compared to other cities, but the talent pool here is huge. Today, majority of the youngsters own a smartphone and mobile photography is catching up in a big way," says Ashish, who adds that the best part about mobile photography is that you do not have to carry an extra gadget with you all the time. "There are many platforms that support mobile photography and one can get pictures of good quality," adds Ashish. Irene Monica, one of the active members of the group, tells us, "We come across so many beautiful things every day and they are so inspiring that it would be unfair to not capture their beauty. It's not possible to carry the professional camera everywhere and that's when your mobile phones come in handy. They are easy to handle and light in weight." Manish Tiwari, co-founder of the group, informs that the idea is to put the smartphones to good use. "Not everyone can afford a professional camera, but why should that deter them from pursuing their passion? The only conditions we have set forth for becoming the member of the club is that one should be a photo enthusiast, should capture photos using their phones and should be available for photo walks at least once a month." Irene adds, "When someone expresses interest in joining the group, we run a background check to confirm if they are indeed interested in phonography. Passion for photography (phonography) is a pre-requisite for becoming the member of the group." The members also share tips on editing and better photography. "Every week we pick a theme and ask phonographers to click and share pictures on the same. Our themes included flowers, sky works, bouquets, cars, insects, natures and colours. We want to show that pictures taken on a cell phone can be as good as the one on a professional camera. We discuss a picture and talk about how it can be shot better. This helps the members evolve as a photographer," concludes Manish.
Source: Shutterbugs who shoot pictures with mobile phones