As a parent of two sons, I am obviously biased. So, if you were to ask me what makes them special, I am going to give you a litany of things that they say or do that is SO them. Take my son, Rohan, for example. I know he is at a stage when he is heavily into sports. I can't think of a weekend when he missed a NFL game. (GO PATRIOTS!) He an an uncanny ability to remember statistics, like the scores from last year's games. But his brother, Ketan, could care less. At least, right now. They both, however, love tossing the football around the house. Constantly.
This evening, I drove Rohan to the Pinewood Derby weigh-in. The race, hosted by the Cub Scouts, is scheduled for tomorrow and yes, Rohan has a car all ready to race. He was pretty excited that his car came in just shy of the 5 oz. requirement. On the way back, Rohan insisted on playing his favorite iPhone video game: Angry Birds. As a dad with a gahzillion things to do, the first reaction out of me probably was, "Gee, what a waste of time." But in the image below, just take a look at the intensity and focus this guy has for such a simple (though not easy) game.
Is your daughter or son particular about doing something in her/his own way? Is there a sport or any other activity that they are, well, nuts about right now? It could be simply reading a book or doing gymnastics. It could be playing a team sport like t-ball or soccer. Do you take a moment while they are immersed in that activity to just watch them and see their natural expressions come through? How are you going to remember those moments?
I have lots more questions than answers. Perhaps you can help me figure this out. Or, better, yet, we can figure this out together. What do you say? How do YOU celebrate your kid's personality?
It can be shooting hoops from downtown, baking a cake, playing a difficult video game, strumming a guitar or singing like Patsy Cline.
If your child has a hidden or expressed talent - creative or athletic - and she or he lives in Avon, Canton, Simsbury, Farmington, West Hartford or Granby, Connecticut, I would like to hear from you.
I am looking to photograph children in the 2 to 10 year age group, actively pursuing their talent. So, less posing. More active images that show kids being kids.
Take this little fella, for example, who is one amazing guitarist!
I hope to hear from you. Simply use the contact form on this site and I'll fill you in all the details.
Which town among those listed do you think has the most talent? Let's find out together. If you have stumbled across this post, please spread the word through Twitter and Facebook. Thank you!
And you haven't even seen his layups on our back deck's impromptu basketball court. Ha! This kid amazes me at how many sports he wants to get involved in.
Here he is leading the charge. Notice the number of girls chasing him? [grin]
Couple of days back, I photographed Rohan's soccer meetup. This is more at the "clinic" level where he is learning to advance the ball. As a six-year old he is still tempted to catch the ball as it approaches him but his coach Eric Bohmier has been great about guiding him and his teammates this season.
The games are usually played at Fisher Meadows and on any Saturday or Sunday, the fields are packed with children from Avon and surrounding towns. It's a colorful and festive time. A photographer's dream, of course!
If your kids are out there playing their heart out and you want me to photograph her or him, please contact me. I would love to help!
We all spend a great amount of time these days in front of our machines - laptops, desktops or smart phones. Sure we connect with people on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, but there's no beating the face-to-face meeting with your friends, colleagues, business partners and even potential clients.
Ed Kuryluk of Right Mind Marketing in Fairfield, Connecticut and I sent each other messages wondering whether it was high time to reconnect with all of our friends online and invite new ones to join us at a centrally located venue that would be easy to access by everyone.
Well, we've decided to do just that on Friday, June 17th in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. Please consider this your invitation to ConnectUP. All the details you will need are here - http://twtvite.com/connect_UP. We do ask that you RSVP so that we have a good sense of how much space we will need for the event. If you still have questions about what this event is about (yes it is FREE), please contact me.
I would be terribly amiss if I did not acknowledge Suzi Craig of Fathom for originally spearheading these gatherings in Connecticut. They were first known as "TweetUp" and then "TweetCrawl". So, thank you, Suzi for inspiring us to do this.
The dress is casual, the atmosphere is very relaxed. But do bring your business cards with you. Each person who personally gives me a business card is entered into a drawing for a complimentary family photography session (valued at over $500). Winner announced that very night. So, you do have to be present to win. The session, in July, will be for 2 hours in or around Avon, Connecticut. If you win, but can't commit to a date in July, you are free to transfer the offer to one of your friends or family.
Come hang out with us and unwind a bit. Talk shop if you must but think of it as the un-business networking event of the month. You may know us online but it would be great to connect with you offline too!
Playing Baseball Is a Rite Of Passage For Every Kid
Our son, Rohan is turning out to be quite an athlete already. He just turned 6 and it's amazing to see his interest in basketball, soccer, tennis, swimming, football and baseball. The kid is a sponge for all kinds of stats. Sure, he can't quite seem to stick to one favorite team yet (even if his old man is nudging him towards the Patriots or Red Sox), but he knows all the key players in the business. A future at ESPN? Perhaps.
So, it's Spring and it's T-ball season here in Avon, Connecticut. It's great to see him play, socialize with other kids and have so much fun. When I was growing up in India, I certainly didn't have such an organized activity. We just took our cricket bats, stumps and gloves out to the nearest field and started playing. Things are different now and I would say better.
Coach Lee Fitting keeps them all focused (on the day he wasn't there, the kids sure took advantage of us parents and so we totally appreciate what Lee is doing for our kids) and teaches them all the skills they can absorb at this stage of their lives like keeping that bat up high when taking a swing or staying in position when fielding. Every kid is encouraged, which again is something they need at this point and time of their lives.
Rohan is on the J. Foster Ice Cream T-ball team and I think they head out to the Avon or Simsbury location after a few games to get a treat. As a dad, I can't be more proud of my son getting so involved in the community through a sport that he enjoys a lot. Below you'll find images of him doing his thing.
If you would like to commission me to photograph your child enjoying a sport of their choice, please contact me.
I was honored to be asked to photograph Heidi & Ken LaRocque, to commemorate their 20th wedding anniversary on the Avon Old Farms School campus. Access wasn't an issue because Ken LaRocque is the historic school's Headmaster.
This is what Heidi had to say about my work:
"Seshu's professionalism combined with his relaxed demeanor set the tone and the pace for the photo shoot in our home. Having been photographed many times in our main living room, we knew that getting the lighting right is challenging for any photographer. Also, we requested a variety of poses and places within the room, adding another degree of challenge to the photo shoot. Seshu worked patiently and with good humor meeting all of our requests. The photos came out so beautiful; we had difficulty deciding on a favorite."
I wanted to make you are aware that while I am developing this website, I have launched Connecticut Headshots, a website for actors, business leaders, dancers and models seeking to have quality portraits made of themselves.
Signing up is super easy. Please take a moment to look through the slideshow as well to get an idea of my approach relaxed, fun portraiture that always has your comfort in mind.
Here is what one recent business executive from Anthem had to say about my work:
"I recently had my Professional Headshots done at Seshu's home studio. I must say that I was extremely impressed with a variety of factors. First, I was able to get a last minute appointment with was amazing. Second Seshu's work is of the highest quality and the prices are so modest for the quality of work he produces. I found it very easy to work with Seshu and he made me feel extremely comfortable considering I am not a fan of the camera. I highly recommend Seshu for all of your photography needs. He is courteous, professional and a gentleman. He was even able to have my finished product in 24 hours. Thanks again Seshu!" - Jeremy Boz
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I tend to book up quickly through the week and want to be sure you aren't disappointed.
If you are an actor, real estate agent, mortgage broker, attorney, business executive, aspiring model or even a dancer who needs a professional headshot portrait, contact me via this site or Connecticut Headshots.
Given that I work out of my home studio in Avon, Connecticut, I am within easy access to those in Farmington, Simsbury, West Hartford, Granby, Hartford, Glastonbury and Rocky Hill. Fact is, I have had clients come out to have their portrait taken as far away as Fairfield county. So, I do serve all of Connecticut!
I love Indian classical music; Hindustani or Carnatic. I can't say that I know much about it from the technical aspects of it, but I will sit and listen to it in rapt attention now.
That wasn't the case when I was growing up in India. I recall my parents instructing me to sit and listen. As a child who couldn't make sense of the long 'alap' that most Indian musicians start their 'ragas' with, I remember becoming restless, fidgety and somewhat frustrated by what my untrained ear was hearing. All that has changed now and I am glad that my parents did what they did back then.
I have long been intrigued by musicians. Not so much about who they are on stage, as they are at home or in their favorite neighborhood, or even right before they go on to perform. What are they like? What rituals do they perform? Who are they really?
I assume that their on-stage persona is most definitely different. Would you agree? So, after thinking about what I wanted to see and document, I broached the subject to my parents who now live in Chennai. They put me in touch with Akila Ganeshan, who is married to a highly regarded violinist named Shriram. He, in turn, made it possible for me to speak with a few of the stalwarts in the music business.
On this recent trip to India, I met with and photographed Mr. T. N. Krishnan. He is a classically trained Carnatic musician. He is one of the greats. No doubt about that. He often plays with his daughter Viji (whom I didn't get to meet on this last trip). He also has a son out on the West coast, named Shriram, who also plays the violin. I had the opportunity some time back when I was a student in Chico, California, to hear all three of them play. What a treat that was.
So, when I called Mr. T. N. Krishnan, he made some time for us to meet at his home. I told him of my interest and of my personal project and he graciously complied, allowing me to spend about 20 minutes photographing him practicing on the violin. I asked him what raga he was playing. "Kharaharapriya," he shot back assuming in some surprise that I knew it. I didn't. This one frame above is my favorite of Mr. T. N. Krishnan's. He didn't particularly feel comfortable playing outdoors, where his neighbors may ask pesky questions. We stayed in and I circled around where he was sitting, watching and waiting for the right moment in the right kind of light.
And, so, starts Mavens of Music, a portrait project of Indian musicians doing what they love and being who they are. Next up is Mrs. Anuradha Shriram, an amazing vocalist. I have also contacted Padma Vibushan winner Umayalapuram Shivaraman and the saxophone player, Kadari Gopalnath. I am also looking forward to meeting Mr. T.M. Krishna in Boston when he visits in March for a lecture-demonstration on the MIT campus, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
By the way, my father-in-law, Dr. Krishna Raghavendra, is a master of the South Indian stringed instrument called the Veena. Based in Boston, he regularly travels to India to record and perform. It's really sweet to be in such great company.
Post your comments below. What do you think of this personal portrait project? Are you a photographer also working on something special? Let me know.
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