This post has been long pending but words were flirting with the keyboard and playing peek a boo . Finally with a determination to crystallize the memories of a certain revelation 4 months back I started …

As I walked into the venue where the photography workshop was scheduled, I saw this dusky tall girl with her hair all permed up moving around in a white dress . A shy but inquisitive gossip monger by nature, I hung around other participants. I figured out that she was a model who will also be a part of the show .

Satarupa is generally very talkative by nature, quite contrary to the act she was in.

Pikturenama in Fine Art Photography workshop in Kolkata model satarupa has her leaps sealed

Satarupa had her lips sealed

Her first entry was in an off shoulder dress made of shining aluminum foil and very characteristically, her mouth was sealed with a large foil . She is a professional and one of the busiest models from Kolkata. This was evident from the way she entered and started moving around on the stage . She knew how to make the light her best pal to an advantage .

This was not so easy as the set up was different from the usual modelling assignments. We had an award winning art director Sukant Panigrahy who was already creating magic on stage and Satarupa added on to that mystery.

She did not speak any words but spoke very subtly through her eyes and her body. The light painted pictures on her body and the reflection dazzled the view finder .  She moved around the stage between light and dark and kept on creating a surreal mystery, which my camera failed to solve. I couldn’t understand what she tried to convey till such time when I again saw the pictures . Did she want to say that freedom of speech can no longer be barred ? Did she want to say that in spite of ages of history of violence against women, the society hasn’t allowed them to become vocal for their own benefit ? Here are my few personal favourite pictures of her .

Pikturenama in Fine Art Photography workshop in Kolkata model satarupa has her face concealed in a face

Satarupa conceals her face within a face

Pikturenama in Fine Art Photography workshop in Kolkata model satarupa with intense look

Satarupa with her intense look

Pikturenama in Fine Art Photography workshop in Kolkata model satarupa lights on her face

Lights and painting on face

Pikturenama in Fine Art Photography workshop in Kolkata model satarupa lights through her body

Lights on her body

Pikturenama in Fine Art Photography workshop in Kolkata model satarupa transition from darkness to light

Satarupa travels from darkness to light

In the second half she came back in a short black dress . If last time she represented mystery of a woman in dilemma, who didn’t know whether she should come out in light or not, this time she came back bolder and stronger . She broke all conventions by entering the auditorium from the back door and not from the wings of the stage . Its was as if she had the spotlight as her shadow when she moved around. She walked around , sat , looked and compelled us to look into the bigger picture where when I saw her through the lens in the large auditorium it was a different picture altogether . She was fascinating and no wonder she has a busy schedule .

Pikturenama in Fine Art Photography workshop in Kolkata model satarupa emerging as a winner

Satarupa comes out in light

Pikturenama in Fine Art Photography workshop in Kolkata model satarupa close up

The look of a victorious woman

Pikturenama in Fine Art Photography workshop in Kolkata model satarupa contemplates

In a contemplating mood

Thanks Agnimirh Basu and everyone involved in the shoot and organising the Fine art Photography workshop . One workshop like this in a year is almost like catharsis . Satarupa has been so busy that she did not get the time to send me answers about herself  however that leaves us with look for the answers ….

My other experiences in Fine Art Photography workshop are as follows –

Fine Art photography I. Dristi the butterfly who transforms into a firefly

Fine Art Photography II . Momii – silent, surreal and sensuous

Fine Art photography – III. Ishita , her mask and alter ego