Shooting 2.1 people per minute

A talented photographer aiming to establish a new world record finds the challenge interesting as well as daunting but the numbers are still mindboggling.

So how did the idea to create a record originate?

Rajesh Kumar likes making people happy. He likes watching their faces light up when they see themselves caught on film and he,'lriog them say, "\Wow! That's fantastic!"

"It's intoxicating," he says enthusiastically.

Rajesh made over 1000 people happy at the lndia Australia Friendship Fair (AIFF) in Sydney Olympic Park on August 19

This 39-year-o ld Sydner resident set out to establish a new world record for the highest number of individual portraits taken in a single day. He managed to rake 1010 photographs within a space of 8 hours, shooting an average of 2.1 people per minuce. The world record is still in the process of being verified,

"I have been taking a lot of photographs, and wanted to do something different. I wanted to exhibit my unique ski.I.ls co the world and establish myself in the growing Indian community here in Australia," admits Rajesh.

The aim was to garner publicity for his wedding photography bus iness, and it has worked. He has received a few eoq u.iri es after the event.

To hit the ground running for the event, Rajesh started planning three months in advance, listing everythi ng he would need, from volunteers to light fixtures. "It would have been a far greater challenge without the support of my six volunteers and sponsors United Indian Association (UIA), and Dragon Image Australia who sponsored some of my equipment," he states.

One of Rajesh's first challenges was converting his minuscule 2.4sqm stall into a makeshift smdio. \Xlith the help of his voluntee rs, he got groups of people to come in and get their pictures taken. Most of them wanted co be photographed together, and had to be persuaded to have individual portraits shot instead. Persuasion i n Hindi, a language he does not speak, was also a challenge.

For Rajesh, chis was very different from his usual rela.xed smdio setting, as he had to have an eye on the clock and concentrate on shooting as fast as possible. But be still got complimented on the quality of his photographs, and on his ability to remain cool under so much pressure.

The worst period of the 8- hour day was the half hour when Prime l'vlinister Julia Gillard arrived at the event; Rajesh was only ab le to rake 12 photographs in that half hour. (Of course it would have been quite a coup if the PM herself could have sat for him, but sadly that did not seem possible!)

However, once the Prime M'i.nister left, he and his team were back to working with the crowds, persuading them co come ,rnd have their photographs taken Rajesh gallantly multi- tasked throughouc the 8-hour period, continuously snapping with his camera, monitoring the video, sending SMS updates to the organisers with every 100th milestone, updating his

Facebook stats and even being interviewed by a TV crew: There were a variety of partic ipants ranging from smaU children to senior citizens. "Relax", "Smile", "Pose" and "Thanks" were words Rajesh repeated constantly tlu:oughout the clay. He got participants to relax by cracking jokes, and tbe ones about actor Rajnikanth really got his audience smiling.

Rajesh'.s favourite photograph is of an Aboriginal man. " He had a didgeridoo with him bm I asked him do something differen t," be says He ended up with a shot that stands out in the collection. Rajesh also remembers a girl who came in as part of a dance troupe, raising her hands and asking him, "How should I pose?" but he had shot her before sbe had even stopped speaking.

Tbe collection of photographs will be composed into a montage and presented to LJIA to display in their office and at various art exhibitions. A time-lapse video of the event will also be available online. AU the individual pictures have been uploaded on Facebook, and about 200 people have seen tl1eir photographs so far Those who would like a bigh resolution picture can send Rajesh a request on Facebook, or email him.

1n spire of a sore neck and the immensely stressful experience, he says, "I en joyed tl1e event 110% , and all the people who came to get photographed also enjoyed it."

This is a man who seems to thrive under pressure. He works as an Emerging Technology Specialist b y day, and spends the rest of his time as a photographer. As the official photographer in Sydney for tl1e Australian Banking & Fi11anre magazine, Rajesh spends man y of his evenings at corporate evenrs. Weekends see him at weddings and birthday parries across the city. He is also invo lved in video production, covering weddings and corporate events. He has also shot a few community-based TV commercials that aired on SBS, TVS and some online channels.

Inspired by one of his colleagues at his office, Rajesh decided to turn photography into a business four years ago, and basn't looked bad, since. He bought his first SLR five years ago and currently uses a N ikon D90. He enjoys portrait photography because he gets co meet so many different peop le.

With no formal training in photography, Rajesh believes it is his hard work tl1at has brought him where be is today "I don't believe in luck too much, hard work yields profit, that's what l believe in," he says.

Rajesh's advice to budding photographers is to keep practic ing. "It's not just about the camera or the lens, its practice that makes a person perfect," he avers.

To view the photos online, visit www ra jesh.corn.au.