About the Event
DIVA pageants is a benchmark in the pageant category for married women. I was fortunate to be chosen as the photography partner for Mrs. India -Empress of the Nation 2019. The event was held at Hyatt Hotels, Pune. It was contested by 42 finalists from across the country.
DIVA pageants is the brain child of Anjana and Karl Mascarenhas.
The elite jury comprised of famous stars and personalities including Ashmit Patel – Actor, Mugdha Godse – Actress, Dr. Aditi Govitrikar – Actress, Dr. Rachna Sharma – MD : The Body Clinic, Dr. Gaurangi Shrawat – Mrs. India 2018, Simran Godhwani – International Classical Dancer, Kamal Sharma – Hyatt Pune and Karl Mascarenhas.
The host was Dilruba Pandey, internationally acclaimed anchor and singer. While the co-host was Farha Anwar.
Pre-event grooming
The contestants were groomed by DIVA on how to give their introductions, voice modulation, stage presence, and how to answer in the Q&A round. These pre-event training sessions were expertly guided by Anjana and Karl. DIVA also conducted grooming sessions with eminent trainers on all aspects from physical fitness to meditation.
The famous choreographer, Pooja Singh did a fabulous job of training the participants on how to walk, stand and present themselves. Posing tips and techniques were shared by Arjun Dixit.
Tips for photographers:
These pre-event sessions require photo coverage and most of it is candid. Taking these pictures while the contestants are in action requires movement, involvement in the proceedings and choosing the right positions and angles to shoot.
Ketan Gulhane, my co-photographer did a splendid job of covering these events.
Talent round
The talent round was held on the first day of the 4 day events. Participants showcased their talents on stage. There was dancing, singing, poetry and several other talents showcased.
Tips for photographers:
While shooting live performances, a photogrpaher has to be very alert and ready with the camera, so as to not miss a great shot. This requires a lot of anticipation of the performers next move. One has to keep a watch on the expression and eyes of the performer.
Fast movement in dances means that the hands could cover the face or eyes could be closed. Noticing this through the view finder can be extremely challenging. Keeping the Back button focusing configured on the camera helps to keep focusing and clicking actions separate. It allows for a faster response time.
Keeping a high shutter speed is advisable. Avoid using the flash as it will disturb the performers. Most of the time, the stage is dimly lit so a balance has to be maintained between shutter speed, aperture and ISO. I choose a fast lens to help with this!
Individual Photo shoot
The second day of the event was reserved for individual photoshoots for all 45 contestants. The makeup team (isas) started early to help get the contestants ready with makeup, hairstyles and dresses. As and when the contestants got ready, they proceeded to the photo shoot location.
Each contestant got a chance to pose and get pictures taken. The setup used was strobe lights with modifiers as deemed most suitable for the shot, such as Octa, Strip and reflectors.
Tips for photographers:
Photographers need to guide the models to pose and change the light setup based on the pose. Speaking with the model helps them to relax and pose with ease in front of the camera. Choose a variety of poses that flatter the dress, face and body of the contestant.
The Finale
The final event was a grand show with a backdrop of creative LED panels. There was a lot of movement and fanfare.
Tips for photographers:
When the camera is far away from the stage, a long lens is needed. I used two lenses namely 24-70 and 70-200, both f/2.8. My camera was setup at the far end of the hall, so there was no communication with the people on stage. It was all upto me not to miss a single moment.
Even when the stage is fully lit, keep the shutter speed high. The lights may increase or decrease in intensity based on the music. Quick adjustments are required to the aperture or shutter speed to compensate for the fluctuating light.
You may not have enough time to set an accurate exposure. Get the shot anyway so that the moment is captured and adjust in post processing.
Take a large number of pictures so as to not miss out on any of the poses or expressions.
Make sure you have plenty of charged batteries and spare SD cards handy.
In group pictures, it is difficult to get everyone looking at the camera. The contestants do not see the camera because of the focused spot lights. It is a good idea to ask the host to guide the contestants and guests on stage as to where to look.
Photography Team
This shoot was possible because of great team work. A lot of planning and team coordination is super important. Sit together to understand the sequence of events and plan your moves and responsibilities . Make sure your team sets the equipment up as per the needs since there is very little time to move things around later once the event starts. Planned and coordinated moves with good communication helps to make the team effort a success. A shout out to my awesome team of co-photographers!
And… a big thank you to DIVA for choosing me as their photography partner!
Arjun Dixit Photography 
As always, very interesting. Thank you.
On Mon, 7 Jun 2021, 11:53 am Arjun Dixit Photography, wrote:
> Arjun Dixit posted: ” About the Event DIVA pageants is a benchmark in the > pageant category for married women. I was fortunate to be chosen as the > photography partner for Mrs. India -Empress of the Nation 2019. The event > was held at Hyatt Hotels, Pune. It was contested by ” >
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Very informative and interesting tips Arjun
This one is my pick, since I’d not heard of it before. ”The contestants do not see the camera because of the focused spot lights. It is a good idea to ask the host to guide the contestants and guests on stage as to where to look.”
Thank you.
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