“A Viewfinder’s Journey†is a twofold metaphor, that traces such a route. It recounts and documents Praful C. Patel’s journey as a zealous photographer, discovering sights and sites that are telling, either to capture a poignant moment or an historical instant-or for sheer piquant delight of the happening or maybe even for merely the graphic content. There are not many tools that express the philosophy of their user so clearly as the viewfinder of a camera. Any photographer will aequiesce the regard and respect that this little pane calls. “A Viewfinder’s Journey†is Praful C. Patel’s repertoire of images that span the amplitude of his career. It is a photo composition in series, an interesting montage that actually landmarks his lifework as photographer, spread over a little more than half a century. It is a visual anthology that illustrates not just chronologically the progress of his photographing journey but it also provides through black-and white a multitude of hues that in turn express a manner of seeing and the enthusiasm behind the entire activity. Above all, it offers a slice of social history, images of a changing topography, glimpses of protean lifestyles and urban methods. While Praful Patel is on his journey, he pauses, and rightly so. Because at 75 years, it becomes naturally imperative to reminisce, to muse and to commemorate. One has known him with and since the institution of the entre for Photography as an Art-Form, at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in 1986, where he works as Senior Assistant Director, with characteristic energy and a preserving sense intentioned, photographic essay. In the progression of his imagery an interesting journey is traced, that begins more than five decades ago and includes varied assignment he has undertaken. Praful Patel has worked with a dynamism that has stayed with him throughout since 1945 when he first took up photography. He began by working at Windsor Studio with 10â€x12†glass plate negatives and progressed on to the present day digital paradigm. What is most interesting is this viewfinder’s trek over an important terrain that features the development of photography in the country.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Praful C. Patel
Born in 1925 in Gondal, Saurashtra, Praful C. Patel came to Mumbai in 1945, when the country was in the momentous throes of the "Quit India" movement. "A Viewfinder's Journey" really begins when Praful Patel studied Still and Cine Photography at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai in 1946 under the well known photography teacher Mr. M. Desai, He then worked for a while with Continental Photo Stores, which was managed by Nagindas J. Nalawalla, an acclaimed pictorialist. This photographic establishment was a popular meeting place, almost a Mecca, for many well known photographers then, from Mumbai and from all over the country. While at Continental Photo Stores, he met with such notable master photographers as R.R. Bhardwaj, Jehangir Unwalla and many other leading professional and pictorialists of the time. In 1949, Praful Patel aequired Windsor Studio. At the same time, he began his career as a photojournalist and authored several poignant moments in the history of India's freedom struggle. Serendipitous acquaintance with many notables were inspirational. It was the long term assignments beginning in 1952 as Chief Photographer for a Ford Foundation Pilot Project on changes occurring in rural India that began a rich and prolific career. This assignment took the young photographer throughout the country documenting the changes in rural India. After this project, Praful Patel worked on another major assignment for Canada India Reactor-a project that importantly and engagingly documents the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre at Trombay. 'Presence of Siva' with Dr. Stella Kramrisch in 1976, and then later 'Manifestation of Siva' a traveling show in museums in America in 1981, the large scale photo-mural at the International Exhibition Pavilion in London, soon followed in 1983 by an assignment to photograph and document the heritage buildings at Alkhobar, Saudi Arabia. Praful Patel's years with Mitter Bedi, etc, as the eminence of working on major projects like the Manifestation of Siva, with renowned Dr. Stell Kramrisch, Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA have had their lasting influence and prestige. Currently he is working as Senior Assistant Director for the Centre for Photography as an Art-Form, at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai.
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