Using different sets of camera lenses, he is always ready to capture the right expressions and body movements of sportspersons & celebrities at different events. But, to capture the objects in his camera lenses, he really doesn’t need a famous person. His object could be anyone from among the spectators or even an umpire or a security person. In fact, he gives that special look to every object that he clicks. Always sporting a smile on his face, he obliges one and all , during any event, wherever he is present. If there is no event, you will find him around Shivaji Park ground or sea face, clicking photos of people, especially morning walkers, who have all become his friends.
Prasad Naik
The person I am talking about is Prasad Naik, a popular Mumbaikar & table tennis player turned photographer. And, this piece of article is written by me, without informing him, as I want to surprise him, in the same way, as he takes your photos, catching you totally unaware. I know Prasad for almost past 35 years, ever since as a junior he played the game of Table Tennis, representing his club Shivaji Park Nagrik Sangh, in the Mumbai Inter Club league matches. While playing this game with total dedication, he had developed extra ordinary skills to cut the ball with his defensive style far away from the table and the very next moment spin the ball coming closer to the table, to confuse his opponent.
Prasad playing TT
Later, during 90s Prasad turned to coaching and trained many youngsters at Matunga Gymkhana and MLWB, Dadar. Soon, he developed interest in photography and started clicking photos of his trainees during important tournaments and also took their match videos to show them their mistakes. So, without any training in photography, he mastered the technique of this new hobby with lots of reading and studying the use of different lenses. Every photograph he clicked in every TT event that followed thereafter, produced excellent results. Prasad received special acclaim from many top TT players all over the world and also their coach. One particular photo clicked by Prasad which I saw, clearly showed the logo of manufacturer on the 40mm TT ball , that too in an action photo of a player, while tossing the ball up, during the service. This was really amazing.
Prasad with Milind Soman
When I met him three years ago at NSCI, during World level Junior TT Championship, he told me that he was personal photographer of model & actor Milind Soman and even toured along with him for his events. Watching his progress, two years ago, I offered him an assignment to take photographs of Marathi television channel hosted entertainment n award function. Prasad must have clicked about 500 to 600 photos during that 4 hour long event and even after the event without having a sip of water.
Actress Pooja clicked by Prasad
So, one can imagine his dedication and the speed of clicking photos and that too with perfection. Even the organizers were confused about selection of photos for display on their website. It was a biggest compliment for Prasad, who later became friend of almost all the Marathi artistes. He is very popular today among the young artistes and most of the television reporters. Prasad has not even spared the technical crew and has clicked even their photos during different events. Watching his work, some Bollywood PRO’s have also started inviting Prasad for their events.
Only few days back, I met him at the Mumbai Super League Table Tennis Championship and once again I was witness to some of this creative work, while capturing action during important matches. His passion for photography was clearly noticed during this four day event. After every session, he used to come and show me those photos captured by him. One particular photo caught my attention and that was the close up of a cadet boys’ player’s mother, after her son had won a crucial match for his team. So, one can imagine his presence of mind, to shift his camera from the match to an equally important spectator’s reaction. In spite of his rising popularity as a photographer, Prasad does not say ‘No’ to any important TT coaching assignments.
Prasad Naik click
Last year, he was in US for almost 2 months training the students there in an academy run by NRI. In coming August too, he will be in Chicago, for a short TT Coaching assignment. This shows his commitment to both the fields, in which he is gifted with unlimited creativity. But, whenever he is in town, he takes good care of his dear mother. Otherwise, being a bachelor, he finds a lot of time for his sports and photography. I only wish that in days to come, he becomes a top action photographer in films and sports field.