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When I first met Mohan Gidwani some ten years ago at a Rose Show in Chanakya Puri , I was surprised to see a sweet shop owner with his camera slung across his chest and a camera bag hanging from his shoulder. And, I wondered what he was up to! But, it didn’t take me long to realize his immense photographic talent.
A few minutes into our conversation, when he felt comfortable, he pulled out an envelope containing some of his 8”X10” prints and pushed it towards me.
I found Mohan eagerly watching me as I flipped through the pictures one by one. At the end of the exercise, he looked askance at me. With utmost humility, he asked me what I felt about his pictures. And, then, he asked me what he should do to improve his work. That floored me. Because, those were some of the most striking pictures I had seen in my life.
I tried to be honest with Mohan. I told him that his pictures were better than mine. That I had no advice to offer him because I could not find any flaw with his compositions, angles, lighting etc. All his pictures were crisp and in sharp focus. I told him that even if he maintained the quality of works he had already achieved, he was sure to become an excellent photographer. If he was able to improve upon the quality of his pictures, nothing like it. Experience reveals a whole lot of secrets. That is the way to learn. You can train a novice on the basics of photography. But, not someone like Mohan who had already achieved such a high degree of excellence in photography. He was past that stage. So, I insisted that he should tread his own path. That way, I felt, he would be able to maintain his originality.
Mohan was disappointed. He thought I was trying to sidestep his query. That,…I was not being helpful. If he were to ask me the same question today, my reply would be no different from what I told him ten years ago. But, I draw satisfaction from the fact that in all these years, Mohan Gidwani went on to bag over 500 acceptances in IIPC, PSA and FIP approved photographic salons. As a result, he picked up silver, gold and platinum grades in salons. It is no mean achievement. In recognition of his contribution to the field of photography, he was awarded the licentiateship (LIIPC) of the India International Photographic Council in 2002 and he won its associate membership (AIIPC) in 2007. In 2004, The Academy of Visual Media honoured him with an achievement award.
Mohan Gidwani won the first prize in Nature Contest organized by Green Vision at Kerala in 2005. His entry was listed for “Honourable Mention” at the United Nations Environment Programme (2005) in Japan. He picked up five awards in a photographic competition “Lights and Shades of Science” organized by Rashtriaya Vigyan Prodyogiki Sanchar Parishad (RVPSP). He was part of the Indian delegation for “Pingyao International Photographic Festival” (PIP) in China in 2005 as well as 2006.
Mohan Gidwani’s work was exhibited at the 8th International Festival of Artistic Photography organized by the “Hellenic Photographic Society” in Greece for two months from May 2006 to July 2006. At the photo competition organised as part of the BAF International Photo-art Exhibition at Thrissur, Kerala in 2006, Mohan Gidwani won two acceptances and he was awarded the honorary fellowship of BAF (HFBAF).
Born in 1959, Mohan took to photography in 1996 mainly to satisfy his creative urge. He is on his toes before the birds start chirping at dawn and he can be seen engrossed in some subject or the other when the Sun goes down. After so many years into photography, Mohan says: “Photography is no longer just a medium of art for me. It has become the soul of my very being. It has become a part and parcel of my life. It is my driving force. For me, it is a form of expression. It is my passion.”
“I look at photography as a window to the picturesque world…to the beautiful moments of life. I love to visit the beauty spots of nature. I love to nestle in the lap of nature…to be one with nature. I love interesting faces. I love soul-stirring music and captivating dance sequences. I love to freeze these precious moments forever…for posterity.”
Mohan is a shutterbug who wants to be everywhere. People say photography is a journey through the lens. But, Mohan feels it is journey through the soul. It is a journey where you capture everything—feelings, emotions, relations, love and so on and so forth.
Mohan confesses: “I always like simplicity in images. So, I keep my images simple. To me, photography is not just clicking pictures. It is about passion. It is about learning. It is a way of life. It means staying in harmony with life and nature.”
I have always believed that a good artist has to be a good human being. I can endorse this aspect of Mohan Gidwani without a second thought. And, I am sure his friends and fans would bear me out on this.
Mohan is an artist in the real sense of the word. He does not talk too much about his photographs. Not unless you force him to. He just clicks excellent pictures and let his works do the talking. I have no negative comment to make on his works. On the positive side, I have already said enough. So, I will leave you to feast your eyes on the incredible moments Mohan Gidwani has captured with his camera and judge them for yourselves.
