Nowadays, when you visit any tourist spot, apart from the fact that the vast majority of the population is also there - you now see a profusion of cameras. Almost everyone is shooting pics - either from a camera on their mobile or from a 5D Mark III. The Arien is an amateur photographer and enjoys the entire process of taking snaps - the perfect light, the amazing shot, the twist in the pic, the shadow, etc etc.
While we have great snaps of each of us individually, we wanted to have one of all three of us. So, we decided that the three of us should have a well-shot snap. We decided to go to a studio and get it done the old fashioned way. We did not do proper research on the G K Vale studio but went with brand image and the family portrait displayed near the entrance. BIG MISTAKE!
Firstly, getting all of us (kuku, his parents, and his grandparents) together was an achievement. We managed that. Secondly, we all were a bit worried 'bout lil kuku's reaction but he behaved very well for most part. After 40 mts, kuku was fed up and threw a tantrum. But, that was nothing compared to the reaction that the Arien had when we saw our snaps.
The photographer was shooting non-stop - sometimes when we were looking away. Apart from a few standard poses and a prop to place Kuku on - he shot as if the goal was to shoot more than 50 snaps in less than 30 mts. The Arien, was shocked at the callous way we were being photographed. A set of 10 pics where one grandparent was standing stiffly to attention and looked like he had been added into the photo using photoshop was a very glaring goof. The Arien felt that that was unacceptable. You know that snap is useless so you immediately make the change. So, either the photographer did not see the pic or did not care. Both are shocking. Glasses produce glare because of the extra studio lights - he caught a few but some existed in the ones we chose. He said he would fix it - it did not get fixed even in the final copy that was printed. In some of the snaps, the rest of us appear a bit blurred because the focus is on one person only. I would like to believe that that was an effect and it could have been one if it was lil Kuku who was the object of the focus, and he was not. The Arien also discussed the format being used - which he said was not the best when you want to edit the picture later. All this was accepted in very bad grace.
We were left with a very bad taste after that experience with G K Vale. I doubt I will ever contact them again. Do not get fooled by the snaps you see on their display wall or behind the payment area. Those snaps have clearly been taken by professionals. By professionals, I do not mean the photographers whom they have employed now. There are a few very local studio type displays on the wall to the right of the payment area and I think those are the portrait shots taken by the photographers in the branch. Unfortunate experience and expensive at that.
I would like to think that if you are not into photography much, you may still like what they do here but if you are looking for great professional snaps - AVOID GK VALE. End of Rant!
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