When I think about human connections and bonds I realize that it is a very complicated concept. But art is simple, and the bond between art and human emotion is eternal. I met my wife Komal online and she is a painter. It was like the traditional form of art meets its modern self. So, when it came to talking about visual art it was like meeting an old friend. We used to talk for hours over the phone and our love for each other grew gradually. I’m not saying that art was the only thing that united us, but yes, it played a major role in it. Ultimately, in 2015, we got married and I know that the artists within us will keep this love eternal.
Komal was always inclined towards photography and she found herself a teacher in me. After I taught her photography, she started working with me and we created a company called Once Upon a Time - Wedding Tales in 2016. It is normal for a couple to have quarrels, but when it comes to artistic choices it is as if we are made for each other. We would always find ourselves agreeing with what the significant other is thinking of and I feel very lucky to find a partner like Komal in my personal and professional life.
My father loved clicking pictures and we had many cameras at home. I picked up one of his cameras when I was in 12th standard and I owe it to him for influencing me to do photography. After passing my 12th, I wanted to go to a dental school but after a few months, I realized that this is not something that I would want to do for the rest of my life. My hobby of clicking pictures took over the steering wheels. I started with learning graphic designing and then got a bachelor's in visual media as well as a master's degree in photography. After completing my studies, I was fortunate to do an internship with Vikram Bawa which helped me understand the industry a lot better. When I started out, I did almost every genre and settled with fashion, architecture, and fine arts photography. My journey as an amateur photographer started in 2000 and in 2007 I entered the industry as a solo professional photographer.
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While I was doing fashion and architecture photography, I got an opportunity to shoot at a wedding in 2013. My friend requested me to shoot portraits of her at a wedding and after that shoot, I realized that I love doing wedding shoots. After working for 3 years, I finally decided in 2016 to make things more organized and started Once Upon a Time - Wedding Tales. Our company has even gone overseas to countries like Thailand, Greece and Oman. Our clientele in Nairobi & Kenya has given us so much love and we get so much work from there that it has become like a second home to us.
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Things took a drastic turn for our company during the pandemic. We could not travel anywhere so business was less than usual. Luck did not favor us during the pandemic but things are getting better for us now.Â
I was quite a good student in college and I even topped in Anna University during my graduation. My habit of learning new things never went away after college. I have explored things like alternative photographic processes, tintype, chemical processes, and photogenic drawings. This has helped me to keep evolving as a photographer. After completing one year as a professional photographer, I took part in the Fujifilm Supersix Photographer of The Year award. I think winning that and being in the top six out of several talented photographers is the greatest achievement to date. It encouraged me a lot to continue my journey as a photographer.
After Komal came into my life it completed me as a person. When we started our company, we had to negotiate with clients a lot. I was a little amateur at negotiating with clients, but Komal was quick to fill that gap for me. Furthermore, whenever I made a creative choice I was sure that it would work when Komal agreed with it. For the last two years, she has taken a break from photography to take care of our newborn daughter. I can’t wait to tell our daughter about the journey of her parents becoming professional photographers. Hopefully, she shares the same thrill and excitement in visual arts as Komal and me.
- Prateek & Komal Singhi
