The teacher said at school: "This girl can do anything under the sun". So, the teacher said, So, the girl did. Farzana Contractor has been a national-level athlete,
hockey and basketball player. The woman has single-handedly restored and re-designed the quaint Afternoon House. Somewhere in-between she has become the successful CEO for Afternoon Despatch and Courier and has also - successfully - launched Upper Crust, the amazing food, wine and style magazine of which she is the God: Publisher, Editor and Chief photographer. In this issue, Faces talks about Farzana - the amazing picture-person. Somebody believe us - this unusually charming girl can shoot.

Q.First things first - how did you step into photography?

Ans.When Shekar Suman on his show 'Movers & Shakers' asked me what would I be if I weren't being the hot-shot CEO (his words, not mine) of a newspaper, I retorted, ' A hot-shot photographer!' That was barely months before we launched Upper Crust and I didn't have an inkling that my words would take a meaning.
To come back to your question, well, I always loved shooting pictures, and as far back as I can remember, I always possessed a camera. The earliest was a beige-and-cream leather-bound Kodak box camera with which I struggled and struggled to get all of this huge Buddha in a cave in Ajanta. That was a school tour and I was in Class III A. And no, that picture didn't happen.

Q.So, what happened?

Ans. Many things. Subsequently, I traveled a lot and shot a lot. The usual - mountains and streams, trees and flowers, friends and family. Whether it was a trek, a ski trip, a school tour, family holidays, hockey tournaments, a cruise - whatever, wherever, I would always carry a camera. But the more serious part came later on.
It happened that more than 50 per cent of pictures in close friend Dilip De's special album of his favorite photographs happened to be the ones shot by me. That's when my talent started getting noticed by people who knew their visuals. So, it was all by default; and probably the germ of what is now a major part of my life first got laid there.

Q.But how did you get down to actually taking over as the chief photographer for your magazine, which is quality stuff?

Ans.I became the chief photographer for Upper Crust again quite by default. For our first issue in January 2000, we had com-missioned shoots to quite a few photographers, at not very insubstantial costs. The output was not just mediocre, but it involved a lot of wasted emotions. And time. A heavy price to pay. So, Behram (as in Contractor, editor Afternoon, consultant Upper Crust and most importantly, Farzana's loving husband) urged and-begged me on to go it myself. And I did.
My first shoot was at Palki restaurant where my in-house photographer shot a whole film and I took just 4-5 frames and those 4-5 were the best. So then, I took the second issue, and the third I just ended up doing. I went over taking the reins in a very gradual and thought-out manner. I overcame my shyness at first, then the other intimidating and daunting factors. I self-taught technicalities, read manuals, and through sheer determination, and plenty of trials and even more errors, managed to bring out four successful issues of Upper Crust to date.
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Q.You do mostly shoot food. How did you get into that?

Ans.Tell you what - initially I used to shoot people at parties. I dunno how, but I just knew how to press the damn trigger. So I started off with people; however, I had often heard that shooting food is very difficult and sure, when I saw the equipment photographers used, I said - well, I'll never be able to do that. I shoot with an ordinary camera and flash. I predominantly like natural light but if I can't, I manage just about somehow. Don't ask how.. .but it just happens. Initially, food photography was quite new to me. I've heard it said that it is the trickiest of the lot. Fortunately for me, clicking food came very naturally. I find I do not labor too much on angles or composition. I find it just happens. Just like that. In fact, I also do not advocate to the thought of food stylists; I'm styling my food when I'm shooting...somehow I just know when there needs to be variation. Call it gut-feel. Or, call it knowing what matters. First it was people, and now its food - and all suddenly at that.

Q.There's a feeling here that we guys will be out-of-work pretty soon, with CEOs and Editors taking to shooting pictures! Are we to think so?

Ans.No, never. It just means we, as publishers and editors are saving ourselves a huge sum of money. That's all - no malice, promise.

Q.So, do you feel in your case particularly, the visual and writing skills helped?

Ans.Yes, in fact, it's like cohesion, a certain togetherness. That's why it's seeming so successful.

Q.Farzana, honestly now, what do you like being best? CEO? writer? Or, a photographer?

Ans.A photographer, most definitely! And most unhesitatingly. I like being a CEO last - it is such a pain. I now realize about so many wasted opportunities.

Q.What then is a good photograph for you?

Ans. People, expressions, emotions -candid shots, basically. Also, travel pictures associated with people is what I like.

Q.A writer and a photographer. Does the combination look good to you?

Ans. Awesome is the word for it. I'll explain. The writer in you understands the visual for you and the photographer inside, the writer that's thought-out the overall concept. It's like cinema, where it is great if the director, the cameraman and the writer have a bit of one-another in themselves. It makes the whole understanding - and the vision - so smooth and easy, unlike the situation where different people think different visuals and finally execute a film that turns out to be quite different from what was initially conceptualized.
As a photographer-writer, one can understand much better what a writer wants.

Q.What camera do you use, Farzana?

Ans. I have a Nikon F100. Before, I owned an Olympus mJu-1.

Q.Being more of candid photographer rather than a deliberate
one - if you know what I mean -do you prefer natural light or are you good with studio conditions?

Ans. I've used studio lights but am not very confident. Yes, I prefer natural light any day. Studio light isn't really my forte...! am yet to understand it.

Q.So, what do you attribute your fairly reasonable success in photography to, along with your other field?

Ans.I guess my strength lies in my pace. I am very quick, and I just know when it is the right time. I am quick at capturing that moment of life. Since I am a people photographer, I guess I'll elaborate on that more.
During and before shoot, I talk a lot and make people feel easy. I just say don't give me grief -chill out! I guess I am good with people. As for food styling - it just comes naturally. As a person too, I am very natural. It might sound immodest, but even since I was a kid, I could always do what I wanted to do-and that means anything. I have been a very proficient sports person, I've learnt skiing on the second day, I've played basketball and hockey at a high level
I know I can just do it. I apply myself and am very determined.

Q.Since you are good, would you then like to take it as a commercial trade?

Ans. I'm enjoying photography thoroughly; I am getting a big kick, a big high - It gives a real sense of relief and satisfaction. I'll stay with that for the moment. Later, who knows.

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