Rising Stars: Meet Ashok Muthumanickam

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashok Muthumanickam. 

Hi Ashok, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m from the southern part of India here doing my master’s program. I was interested in doing cinematography, using this visual form to tell a story, so I started watching lots of movies to understand the theme and ideology behind that. After a while, I understood that I have to start with basic knowledge of handling the camera and the technical aspect of them to tell a story because telling a story through a 2D form is a little difficult when compared to cinematography. I decided to understand the whole aspect of using cameras, so with a lot of struggle, I bought my camera and started taking pictures. I learned everything by watching YouTube videos and reading blogs from some photographers. I started taking inspiration from movies and from other photographers. I struggled a lot at the starting stages that I could not get the images that I had in my mind, then I took things seriously and decided to do a diploma course in Photography. After coming to the USA, I started exploring different genres like portraits, landscapes, events, and action photography. At first, I didn’t know how to promote my work or how to reach clients, but I got lots of support from my friends, they spread my work through word of mouth. I did lots of free work on campus with students just to get the experience and meet some random people show them my previous works and offer them a free portrait session. Then when I gained confidence, I started developing my work into a business, I took many projects and assisted other photographers during their shoots to learn how they handle their clients and real-time experiences. Portraits are one of my favorite genres, where it allows me to get lots of experience from developing the theme for the shoot, look-book, location scouting, using props and directing the other person and explaining the poses, conveying my ideas to the client, these things excite me. These photoshoots gave me an experience of how to run a business and satisfy the client experience. Then I got an offer as a Photographer from The Reflector The Student News Paper of Mississippi State University. I was really excited by this offer which gave me a chance to meet photographers from different styles and work on journalist perspectives like taking pictures for specific articles which pushes me out of the box and think differently. I gained lots of experience working with my fellow photographers from The Reflector. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I was from a rural part of my country, even paying my school fees was a big nightmare for my family. I finished my schooling with a government scholarship. I was saving money from my work to get a camera, my mother noticed I have a huge passion for photography. She gave me her savings to buy a good professional camera, buying my first camera was like dream come true for me at that time. I started taking many street photographs, worked with my friends, and covered public events, I spent my savings to travel those places. I struggled in meeting the officials to get permission to cover the events. It was very tough at starting working a full-time job and focusing on improving my photography skills. I started learning photography with no financial support. I was a very shy and introverted person I didn’t know how to reach people and didn’t know how much to charge for my work. I faced all these problems during my starting stages. I overcome everything with a strong determination to reach my target. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I work on multiple genres like street, portrait, couple, weddings, birthday events, landscape, architecture, sports, documentary, and Photojournalism. I feel proud of covering one of the SEC Football games and a couple of Volleyball games at Mississippi state university. Portraits are one of my favorite genres, I like the whole process of developing the theme for the shoot, look-books, location scouting, costumes, using props, controlling lights and directing the other person, and explaining the poses, conveying my ideas to the client, these things excite me, portraits give me opportunity work with a different set of people and various themes. I do lots of preparation before the photoshoot like writing scripts or developing some storyboard to show my client what type of style I’m looking for the shoot. 

What are your plans for the future?
In the future, I’m looking to develop a photography business and set up a studio to do my own projects like fashion photography and studio portraits. To expand my business to reach more people and do more wedding events and work on other genres, then to start a video production like shooting music videos and cinematic wedding videos. 

Pricing:

• Portraits $150 for entire session
• Other events $250 no time limits

Contact Info:

• Email: amphotostories@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a.m_photostories/

Image Credits
Izzy lemming
Meagan Leanne
Mr&Mrs. Praveen
AJ Williams