After my tenth grade, I developed a strong interest in photography, possibly due to my friend Balaji. He needed a cameraman, and it was through him that I became deeply attracted to photography. I decided to pursue this passion, even though it led me to discontinue my B.Com degree midway. I found myself constantly thinking about lighting and experimenting with various photography techniques. My parents encouraged me to complete my degree, but I couldn’t focus on anything other than photography. I carried a camera with me everywhere and immersed myself in the world of photography.
LEARNING THROUGH PRACTICE AND EXPERIMENTATION
I worked as a camera assistant for director KS Prakash’s film and also assisted in K. Raghavendra Rao’s films, such as ‘Janaki Ramudu’ and ‘Akhari Poratam.’ My goal was to learn about photography, not to earn money as an assistant cameraman. Some people looked at me strangely because I was the son of the legendary Rao Gopal Rao, wondering why I needed to work as a cameraman. Even director YVS Chowdhary asked me, “Why do you want to work like this, Ramesh?” But my thoughts were different—I wanted to expand my knowledge and learn new things in photography. During my time in college, I spent countless hours at the British Library, reading books on photography. I took photographs in nature and also conducted many experiments to refine my skills.
The Advertising Agency I Never Started
I learned a lot about photography by always carrying my camera and walking around on the roads or in different places. I was particularly interested in advertising photography, so I went to Bengaluru to pursue it. My younger brother was studying there and I shared a room with one of his friends while attending classes. I also worked as a photography assistant at an ad agency and did industrial photography for several major industries. Although I had aspirations of starting my own advertising agency, it never materialised. While working at the ad agency and in the film industry, I was offered money for my work, but I never accepted it. My focus was not on the commercial side of things, and I always declined the payment, explaining that I wanted to learn as a student. I watched movies primarily to study photography, observing how color patterns, lighting and other elements were used. I was a great admirer of cinematographer Ashok Mehta and his films like Utsav, Trikaal, and Mandi. I also admired Radhu Karmakar, who worked on many films for Raj Kumar, as well as Marcus Bartley and Ravikanth Nagayich. My life has been smooth, as I continue with my photography, enjoy watching movies and cherish my friendships.
