Avail of the Photographic Opportunity “Now”

 

By Subhash Sapru

 

The ace photographer Heneri Cartier-Bresson, popularly known as “The King of Now” had once said, “In photography, you’ve got to be quick, quick, quick, quick. Like an animal and a prey”. This golden advise of the legendary photographer is very inspiring and will continue to inspire not only the photojournalists, but also those who take interest in other branches of photography.

By ignoring a right moment or delaying an opportunity, one may miss the decisive moment of taking a stunning or awe-inspiring photograph, may that be of nature, photojournalism or any other category. Although most of us are aware of this vital aspect of photography yet at times it may become a little difficult to follow this advise and converge all our faculties  to capture the fleeting reality. Hence, one may miss the best photograph.

There is no doubt that the success achieved in quickly availing of the fleeting moment may result in such a photograph that would touch one’s heart. But while remembering the word “now” and being quick, there is a world of caution. One need not jostle or be nervous while taking the photograph at an opportune time. The excitement which one experiences while pressing the shutter at a decisive moment should not make one so nervous that it would result in camera shake or confuse in fixing the correct exposure.

The golden advice of being quick also implies for taking photographs during vagaries of a seasons. There are several areas in the world, which do not receive snow fall and most of the inhabitants  of such areas visit  snow bound areas as tourists to enjoy the nature’s wonder.

For years I have kept waiting to visit the nearby hill station, Shimla, when the snow would fall so that I take photographs of the different kind. Although I have been to this hill station, situated at a distance of about 115 kilometer from my place, several times yet never could I coincide my visit with snow fall thus missing photographs of snow covered areas. As it does not snow at my place, Chandigarh in India, the desire to visit this near by hill station and areas beyond it during snow fall kept growing stronger over the years.

It was during the winter of 2008 that the hill station of Shimla and areas beyond it received a massive snow fall in the first fortnight of February. It kept snowing intermittently for about six days. The golden advise of Heneri Cartier-Bresson to be quick and act like an animal and prey kept me alert for taking photographs of snow bound areas and I decided not to miss the opportunity this time. The snow fall was so intense that  it broke its record of last 15 years. As a result of it,  normal life was paralyzed, many roads were blocked, drinking water had frozen in pipes and so were frozen many water falls and brooks in the hills. When finally it stopped snowing, I tried to be amongst the first few to reach beyond the popular hill station of Shimla and capture some frozen moments before these melt and shatter my hopes for some unusual photographs.

          The picturesque Shimla, located at an altitude of 2130 metres, used to be the Summer Capital of India during the days of the British rule. Now it is the Capital of Himachal Pradesh State of India and is a popular hill station. My target was to cross Shimla and go upto next prominent hill station, Narkanda provided I get the National Highway-22, which is also known as Hindustan-Tibet road, open to traffic.

With the news channels breaking the news that snow fall has finally stopped in that area and my late night inquiries revealed that the National Highway-22, which leads to the hill station of Shimla and areas beyond it, has been reopened up to Shimla, I quickly left my place to avail of this photographic opportunity before the snow melts.

With the curiosity to avail of the opportunity to take photographs on this massive snow fall being always on my mind, I left for Shimla by road before the day could break and on reaching there, I sought the help of a local person, who had experience in driving in snow bound areas so that I may concentrate more on photography. As we crossed Shimla, there were a number of tourists at the next hill station “Kufri”. Although the snow had been removed from the road to pave the way for the vehicles, the road still being slippery, I found some vehicles skidding thus jamming traffic. Therefore, fearing accidents which could make vehicles skid deep in gorges thus proving fatal, most of the tourists opted to return their vehicles. But turning back was also not easy due to snow which had been pushed on both sides of the road while making passage for vehicles and a thin layer of hardened snow  on the road was making it more difficult for inexperienced drivers.

Generally, a drive on the Hindustan-Tibet road treats one to a spectacular bird’s eye view of apple orchards and valleys as the road turns from one spur to another, but during this winter the massive snow fall had made the area look like a white desert. There was snow and snow all around. On hills, in valleys, on house tops, in terraced fields and there were vehicles abandoned on road side and buried under the snow. I could see a white sheet of snow all around and machines of the Government engaged in cleaning roads and making way for vehicles. A few stretches of this strategic highway still had a thin layer of hardened snow and those maintaining the National Highway had put coarse sand on it to avoid skidding of vehicles. At a spot, a young boy walked deep into the thick layer of snow on a roadside thus enabling me to fathom the thickness of snow on ground.

As the day was sunny, the bright sun had made the snow start melting slowly thus making roads more slippery. Whenever I had to take a photograph, I had to step out of the car gently and  walk cautiously and slowly so that I may not slip. On one side of the highway there were hills and on the other valley. As about one to two feet deep snow was on both sides of the road, it had become more narrow. Whenever I had to come out of the car to take a  photograph, we would have to first move the car in the middle of the road to make space for opening the door. And while taking photographs, it is advisable not to walk in snow on sides of the road  as in such a situation one does not know what lies buried under the  snow, a pit or a stone.

There were areas where the machines were still busy cleaning the National Highway. The biting cold had made most of the people to remain inside their homes, but at Narkanda I could see some people either basking in Sun or walking on roads despite the biting cold. As the snow had started melting due to sunny day, the droplets falling from roof tops had made formations similar to stalactites. I also saw frozen water falls and brooks.

Apart from availing of this photographic opportunity, this visit also helped me in learning the skill of driving on slippery roads. Drive slowly, carefully and apply brakes, if required, very gently.

By the same evening we reached Narkanda, which is situated at an altitude of 2780 meters. The road being very slippery at a spot, our car skidded and for a moment my heart missed a beat. The gentleman, who was driving the car, did not apply brake as he felt that would  have made skidding faster. Instead, he quickly moved the steering wheel  to let  the car go towards the hills and the snow accumulated  by cleaning the road acted as a cushion.

Had he not acted quickly to divert the car towards the hills, it might have skidded on the other side hundreds of feet down in the valley. And had I not pounced upon the opportunity like “an animal and prey”, I would have missed such a life time opportunity.

***