Ronny Sequeira is a photographer from Bombay and has been in the industry for a little over a decade. Ever enthusiastic as he sounds he talks to Fotoflock about his early days and his love for B&W photography.

How did you start photography?
I started photography just like any professional photographer would. It initially started as a hobby with me. In that phase I was shooting everything from sunsets to flowers to friends & family – even my pet dog way back in the beginning when I used my dad’s viewfinder camera with my first ever B&W roll.

When did you take up photography professionally?
After finishing my course in Fergusson College in Pune I moved to Bombay to do a year’s course in film and production. After I finished that I started with assisting Atul Kasbekar from 1995 to 1998. I decided to go solo in 1998 and there has been no looking back since then.

Have you had any formal education in the field?
I have done an evening course at Fergusson College which taught just the basics but one did learn a bit of stuff like high key lighting, printing and the usual shutter / aperture controls on an SLR camera. It didn’t really teach any professional stuff but it did get me on the right track. It was good for a start.

When was your first big break and what did you learn from it?
There was no such “Big Break” but one of my early shoots for Pepsi with Cyrus Brochua had impressed the Art Director and he offered me one more shoot. I had to shoot with Harbhajan and Laxman and it does qualify as a big shoot as it was pretty early in my career – in fact in the first year of my starting out. I gave it my 110% and I guess that is one thing that I do with all my shoots till date, irrespective of the stature or “Excitement” factor in the shoot. The art director likes to shoot with me till date.

What has been the one moment when shooting that convinced you of being on the right track?
I still don’t know that I am on right track! I want to grow up and be a paraglider!

How do you compose your photos or what is it that catches your eye in an image?
It’s almost instinctive now in fashion photography but for commercial work it is largely dictated by the existing layout. Many years as an advanced amateur and later as a rookie professional lot of rules of composition were diligently tried out when one was doing experimental work – rule of thirds, patterns, balance, perspective and points of view.

Out of all the genres you work in which one remains close to your heart?
Portraits of any form – fashion, children , interesting faces , animals etc etc.

Which photographers have inspired you?
Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton and recently Mario Testino.

Your personal work is mostly B&W and otherwise a very interesting scheme of colours is seen. Could you share your thoughts on your work?
B&W photography will always be close to my heart because that’s what I cut my teeth on right from a portrait of my dog shot when I must have been about 10 or so, till when I spent hours printing B&W photos in my kitchen in Bombay where I shared my flat with four others and could only print late at night after dinner was done.

Cross process (Where slide film – E6 film was processed in negative processing – C41) was something I did a lot when I was shooting film especially for my fashion and personal work. The colours would go super saturated and contrast would kick in quite a bit. These days I use a software called Alien Skin to get these effects and many more.

What is Ronny doing when not shooting?
Lots – motor-biking , paragliding, aeromodelling etc.

What camera are you using currently?
The Contax 645 and Canon 5D Mark II.

What are your thoughts on printing in photography?
In context of fine art the higher quality printing Epson printers are the best and whenever I need to do “ART” printing I go for these. They have a wide range of papers like rag, satin and even canvas.

Which printer are you using currently?
Don’t have a personal printer for my photography work (we don’t end up doing so much of printing) though all our work goes to MAZDA as and when required.

Quick Five:

Your favorite camera –
Contax 645

Your favorite printer –
EPSON

Your favorite shoot –
Many but more recently a shoot with Liza for M Magazine.

Your preferred location –
Any place where the light is good – could be my backyard or some exotic foreign location!

Your ideal day is like... –
Any day in Goa!

Photos by Ronny Sequeira | Fotosocial