‘Selfie’ trend hurting photo studios

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Feb 1:  The digital age has brought convenience into hands, but it has also made some unhappy like Dhiren Kalita, a photo studio owner in Guwahati.

Kalita, who owns Spshot Studio at Six Mile area of the city, recollected memories of earlier occasions of Saraswati Puja. Spshot Studio, set up in 1986, was one of the favorite studios of music maestro Bhupen Hazarika. The studio is now running primarily depending upon sps of passport size photos.

“Phones with camera and with excellent features took studios’ place. Earlier, on the days of Saraswati puja we hardly got time to have lunch. I took up to 1000 sps per day now it has reduced to 300 or less. One can instantly see the photo after clicking by a phone. Earlier, in the desire of having a perfect photo the whole role got into use. The ratio can be adjudged to 60:40,” Kalita said.

Bappi Routh of Maya Studio, set up in 1992, has the same story to tell.

“Footfall in studios has reduced drastically. Everybody has a phone with a camera facility. I clicked up to 800 sps on the occasion of sarawswati puja in the studio. The number of sps taken came down 100,” Routh said.

The easy availability of cheap, digital cameras, besides the camera-phones, have surely hit business, he said.

“No one bothered about the quality now. Light effects are not necessary now- a- days. People have been unemployed as no extra hand work like washing films is necessary in the studio,” Routh added.

Routh charges rupees 40 per sp. There are around 300 studios in Guwahati.