RGPhoto Blog

Finding a project that spans a wide range of interests can make for a very inspiring and satisfying experience. Designing, developing and building a brand new website for Baseball Central LA brought me back to a time when I was a reporter/photographer covering all manner of sports for a community newspaper in BC. Unlike working for a daily or even a magazine, working in a smaller community allows you the privilege of getting to know your readers as family.

That was the feeling I wanted to evoke with baseballcentralla.com, a family-run training facility with a wealth of history and baseball talent. The design started with a simple idea ... creating individual baseball cards from portraits taken of the staff, done in a retro style and aged to convey the company's longevity and value in the community. The concept will be expanded in the future to print versions of the cards for staff and possibly even players attending summer camps, as a memento of their experience.

On the website, this community feeling is also conveyed through a monthly All-stars page, highlighting both the business's multi-talented patrons and staff. In addition to portraits, each monthly honoree has a small feature written about them, highlighting accomplishments in the sport, academics and community service.

Soon to come will be an alumni section which will monitor the successes of past Baseball Central players, whether on the diamond or in life.

Welcome to the new Rahoul Ghose Photography website and blog.

The blog will be a place for me to share images and experiences from my latest jobs as well as industry news, reviews on new equipment I am using, and general photography tips I have accrued over the years.

My love of photography started very close to home, as a small child looking at black and white photo albums of my relatives overseas in England and India. I marveled even then at the emotion and unspoken feeling a still photograph can capture and convey ... allowing you to see into a person's true being at that moment in time. Past editors, colleagues and more than a few mentors over the years helped me to develop that passion.

For me unposed candid photos hold the most power. As a newspaper and magazine photographer shooting hard news, features and sports, I always tried to go that one step further, looking for that special moment or expression in my subjects ... and more importantly trying not to impact the scene by my presence. My philosophy has always been that a photographer must be both a keen observer and even a psychologist of sorts to predict when a shutter release will produce a frame that's memorable and engaging. Playing the "ninja" while capturing a scene or person from a variety of angles increases your chance of that perfect shot as well. Make no mistake, skill is only part of the equation though ... experience has shown me that hard work and constant attention to your surroundings are also integral.

Photojournalism has served me well shooting events and even as an on-set stills photographer during television production, where blending seamlessly with film and sound crews while maximizing shooting angles can yield magical publicity images full of emotion and atmosphere.

Photography, like life, is an unpredicatable adventure. But that's why it fills me with passion. See you from the other side of a lens.

A friend and mentor of mine passed away quite recently after a long battle with cancer ... someone whose photographic talents and passion for life will be greatly missed by all who had the honor of meeting her.

I first met Bonny Makarewicz after being hired by the Whistler Question in the mid-90s as a sports reporter, assistant-photographer and darkroom tech, having relocated from a newspaper in Victoria, BC. Not having done regular darkroom work since journalism school, I was a bit nervous both about shooting and about developing film for an accomplished and multi-talented photographer. And as luck would have it my first shoot I ended up under-exposing my film. I'll always remember the calm way Bonny talked me through how to fix things ... she was always that way ... no nonsense but with a caring manner behind her smiles. Three months into my tenure, writing and shooting, I was still having doubts about the job -- her advice: "just put your nose to the ground and keep moving forward." I always remember and appreciate those words of advice whenever times get tough or a job isn't going the way I want.

Mostly I remember Bonny for her talents as a shooter, her ability to predict exactly when to release the shutter during world class ski and snowboard events, when you have to get the shot right the first time. This was back before shooters had the luxury of ultra-fast auto focus and auto exposure, and cameras that shoot 10 frames per second. That skill came from knowing and doing the sports herself ... shoot what you know they say. If she wasn't snowboarding with 100 pounds of camera gear on her back in the winter you'd find her on a mountain bike climbing hills with the grit of a competitve rider in the summer months.

The true key to her photographic success, though, was her ability to relate to people in the field, a manner which always put her subjects at ease ... and produced beautiful, touching images. Working with and around Bonny for close to four years made me a better photographer.

Ironically, the best image I ever had taken of myself was a headshot she did for me for the newspaper ... and I hate having my photo taken. You will truly be missed Bonny. Thank you for all you gave me in the time I knew you.

View some of Bonny's incredible work on her websites: bonmakphoto.com | picturewhistler.com