XPOSURE 2019, the ongoing photography festival, is a unique and enabling platform that acts as a converging ground for photographers from around the world to showcase their works and share their expertise with their aspiring counterparts.

What sets XPOSURE apart, from other photography festivals across the region, is the amount of learning that is facilitated and the professional knowledge that is shared and exchanged. Workshops, seminars, talks, and discussions abound in magnitude at the four-day event that touches upon various aspects of photography, with valuable idea-exchange and training.

Focus groups at XPOSURE look into technicalities of cameras and other photography equipment along with allowing participants to supplement their knowledge of the skill, by learning directly from the experts.

Considering the soft-skills required to master the art of photography, a session by Xavier Portela, titled ‘Focus on emotion’ talked about the importance of having emotionally stirring pictures.

“In this focus group, I share the techniques that I use to create compelling photographs, even if the outside factors like location, sound disturbance, or unclear lighting are at their peak and not very supportive. It is important to recognise the story behind every picture. The session aimed to let people think out of the box and try finding a narrative in their pictures. It is about playing with the colour and framing to get to the story you want to tell,” he said.

One of the most well-attended focus groups was that of two-times Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Essdras M. Suarez. The session titled ‘You aren’t close enough’ examined how street photography has the potential to create substantial story-telling pictures.

Saurez said, “People tend to keep a comfortable distance with their subjects when they click pictures. The session is about why it is important to break that comfortable distance to create extraordinary photos.”

Another focus group with Ira Block named ‘Working with Foreign Cultures’ discusses the skill of creating a photo essay that delves into traditional cultures in foreign lands. The session explores how to research and connect with the right people and traditions that can help one create a meaningful set of images that communicate an effective and impactful story.

Acclaimed American photographer, Block, provides a snapshot of the importance of inter-human connectivity through this session. He talks about how working with people and learning about cultures is a critical ingredient in becoming a successful photographer.

“It’s all about connecting with people. No matter how good you are as a photographer, it does not matter if you cannot get access to something. It doesn’t matter if you have a great sense of composition while taking pictures if you can’t get the subject to feel comfortable and trust you,” he said.

He added, “There is a lot of  hard work in photography. There is much preparation, logistics, and photographers need to have tremendous patience.”

In his session What is the Future of Photography?, Prof. J Tomas Lopez talks about the profession and practice of photography in an interactive manner. The focus group seeks to provide in-depth answers to individual questions on how to grow as a professional photographer. In this session, Prof. Lopez talks about the photographic theory, which includes modernist and post-modernist approaches; the professional practices and the process of seeing and perceiving images to develop an understanding of this art.

“The session provides a realistic insight into how photographers can find sustainable employment in the workforce. There was a time the National Geographic Magazine sent a photographer to the Amazon for six months. Now, they need pictures in three days,” he said.

He added, “As an educator, I always tell my students that still photography alone is not enough. You need to study video as well to earn a sustainable income if you choose to work in this industry.”