After completing a Master's degree in Computer Science at IIT Mumbai, I started my professional career with a Global IT major. As a part of my job, I lived and worked in US, UK, Holland, Australia, Dubai and Singapore for over 15 years. In 2010, I founded MIRAGE FILM INSTITUTE in Chennai. It offers part-time training classes for Film making, Photography and Media.

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I had a keen interest in photography during my college days. I was also fascinated with the creative side of Film making.  While working overseas, I developed my passion for photography and filmmaking. At first, my interest in photography was Landscape and I shot mountains, forests, lakes and beaches. Gradually my interest shifted to portraits and fashion. I had participated in group photography exhibitions, in New York and Atlanta . I held 5 solo photography exhibitions at Art galleries in Singapore, Thailand and India. They were well received by the critics, press, and the general public.

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BOOK:   ENVIRONMENTAL DANCEENV

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Since I always loved watching dance performances, I developed a keen interest in dance photography. Capturing an image of a moving dancer is tough even for professional photographers. With persistence, I learned this elusive skill and shot countless dance performances. Though I shot excellent dance images that were loved by the public and the dancers, I lost interest in photographing dancers on stage or in my studio.

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In 2010, I started a photography project, ENVIRONMENTAL DANCE, combining my passions – Nature and Dance. I photograph­ed dancers in graceful movements in outdoor locations such as forests, mountains, parks, temples and monuments. Taking them away from their comfort zone of the stage or studio, I asked the dancers to react to the outdoor environment. Though it felt strange initially, the dancers quickly reacted to nature and enjoyed the shoots. They said it was a deeply satisfying experience for them!  

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I worked with 18 international dancers from Holland, US, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and India. The images were captured in exotic locations in India, Bali, Thailand and Singapore, over a period of 10 years.

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In February 2021, I published a photography book ENVIRONMENTAL DANCE. The coffee-table book consists of 126 pages of photographs of 18 dancers shot in Nature. The paperback and e-book versions are available on Amazon sites around the world. It has mostly 5-star reviews from global buyers. It recently ranked #5 Best seller in the Photography Books category.  

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 My Upcoming Books:                                                              

Photography    

    ENVIRONMENTAL ODISSY

    HOW TO CAPTURE A DYNAMIC DANCE IMAGE

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Film making     

    HOW TO MAKE AN IMPACTFUL SHORT FILM

    HOW TO MAKE A POWERFUL DOCUMENTARY

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To connect with me, follow me on Instagram: 

          https://www.instagram.com/samkumarphotography/

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For details on ONLINE Training classes at Mirage Film Institute:

         https://www.instagram.com/mirage.film.institute/