Pratibha Gihar

We have been taught to treat the camera like a mirror. We tilt our heads, hunt for our "good side," and hold our breath until the shutter clicks. But the result is often a "pretty" image that feels hollow—a snapshot that looks like everyone else’s. I have stopped posing for the camera. Instead, I’ve started designing for the frame. In this piece, I am breaking down how I used architectural thinking and internal narrative to create one of my favorite recent frames. If you want to move from "taking a photo" to "creating a mood," you have to stop looking at your face and start looking at the lines you create. 1. The Anchor & The Reach: Creating Kinetic Energy Every cinematic frame needs a story, and every story needs tension. I use a technique I call Anchor & Reach . The Anchor: This is your point of contact with the world. In my photo, my hand resting high on the metal slats is my anchor. It grounds me in the scene. Without it, I’m just ...

No one talks about the hours where nothing looks like work. The thinking. The waiting. The staring at something unfinished. That’s where most of the creative process actually lives. From the outside, creation looks active. Visible. Productive. People imagine movement — typing, shooting, designing, publishing. They imagine momentum. What they don’t see is the stillness that comes before all of that. The long stretches where there is no proof you’re doing anything at all. This is the part that feels lonely. Not because you’re physically alone — but because the work itself is invisible. There are days when nothing tangible comes out of the process. No drafts worth sharing. No images worth saving. No sentences that feel finished. Just fragments. Half-thoughts. Questions circling without landing. And yet, something is happening. Understanding is forming quietly, beneath the surface. But because there is nothing to show for it yet, this phase often gets misunderstood. By others, ...

  There are photographs that feel less like images and more like moments of recognition. A small doorway into a quieter version of ourselves — one we don’t often meet in the rush of daily life. This portrait began as nothing more than a self-photography experiment. A simple idea: a black backdrop, a black printed Anarkali suit, a traditional nath, and a moment alone with the camera. https://www.pexels.com/photo/elegant-black-and-white-portrait-of-indian-woman-34351520 But the moment the shutter clicked, something changed. Because self-portraiture is never really just a picture. It is an encounter. A conversation with yourself, without noise, without performance, without the world watching. In the frame, the woman stands in her black Anarkali — elegant, grounded, wrapped in soft fabric that nods to her roots. The outfit isn’t elaborate, yet it holds a certain story in its prints and folds, a gentle echo of tradition blending with modern self-expression. Her posture is assured but ca...

Self-photography or self filming has always been with us—artists, seekers, wanderers turning the gaze inward. But why are we drawn to make ourselves both the subject and the witness? Perhaps it is an ancient instinct: to preserve, to understand, to hold a mirror up not to vanity, but to existence itself. I have been creating self-portraits for years, almost searching for the answer in each frame. I can’t fully explain why I take them—only that something alchemical happens afterwards. The beginning, the process, the end—it feels like ritual: part therapy, part play, part proof that I belong to myself.  Maybe it’s just fun, maybe it’s creation for creation’s sake, a thing made by me, of me, for me—wholly mine. I was thirteen when it began. My first camera—a Yashica, a little Japanese brand—loaded with fragile Kodak reels where every shot felt precious, the weight of not wasting a single negative pressing down. Compared to that, life feels easy now. Since then, each picture has been a...

Want fantastic photos but don’t always have someone to click them for you? You’re not alone. With just your phone, a tripod, and a little creativity, you can capture professional-quality images right at home. Self-photography at home is not only convenient but also a fantastic way to experiment with your creativity and express your personality. In this blog, I’ll share **10 creative self-portrait ideas** you can try today without needing fancy equipment.     1. Use Natural Window Light One of the easiest ways to get beautiful portraits is to position yourself near a window. Natural light gives your skin a soft glow and reduces the need for editing. Experiment with:   * Facing the window directly for an even glow. * Turning sideways for dramatic shadows. * Using sheer curtains to diffuse harsh sunlight.   **Quick Tip:** Morning and late afternoon light is softer and more flattering than harsh noon light.   ---   2. Play with Mirrors Mirrors instantly make yo...