Our Blog (42)
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Why AI Can’t Replace the Human Touch in Photography - Especially for Corporate Headshots
Written by Artriva Studios
In an age where Artificial Intelligence (Ai) can generate remarkably realistic portraits in seconds, it’s easy to assume professional photography might soon become obsolete. But if you’ve ever stood in front of a real camera — with the lights set perfectly and a photographer guiding you through the moment — you know it’s not the same.
Ai can replicate appearances.
It can create near-perfect skin, balanced lighting, and even believable smiles.
But what it cannot do is see you.
The Beauty of Imperfection
Real faces have stories. A slight asymmetry in your smile, the fine crinkle near your eyes when you’re genuinely amused, or that subtle shift in your lips & facial muscles when you think — these minute movements are what make us human.
It’s fascinating how our faces are in constant motion — even when we’re “still.” Tiny muscle groups around the eyes, mouth, and forehead are always adjusting to emotion, thought, and energy. These micro-expressions last fractions of a second, yet they’re powerful enough for another human to read them and instantly feel connection, comfort, or trust. A master photographer watches for these cues — the half-second before a smile, the slight breath before a laugh, the moment your shoulders relax. That’s when the camera clicks. Those are the frames that carry life.
Ai, on the other hand, doesn’t see motion; it renders patterns. It smooths out texture, equalises asymmetry, and “perfects” skin until it loses the very soul of expression. What Ai perceives as a flaw — a laugh line, a scar, a small unevenness — is actually what tells your story.
Real light interacts with real skin — it falls softly on pores, bounces off the fine texture, and shifts gently as you move. Today’s professional cameras pick up that nuance — the difference between light on living skin versus light on a simulation. Those microscopic gradients, those imperfect transitions, are what make a photograph breathe.
A perfect image might impress.
A real image connects.
& connection is what every great portrait is truly about.
When we as professional photographers capture you in your element — calm, focused, approachable, or driven — what we’re really capturing is your personality, exactly how another human perceives you.
Corporate Dressing Levels for Indian Women | Power to Casual
Written by Artriva Studios
Before you ever say a word, remember your clothes does the talking & you are in control of what to say (or even announce)
In the workplace, your outfit shapes how people perceive your confidence, credibility, leadership, and is an integral part of your personal brand.
As a photographer and personal branding specialist, I see this all the time:
- The right outfit can elevate a headshot, presentation, or client meeting.
- The wrong one can make you look unsure, unprepared, or less professional than you truly are.
Good news? You don’t need a giant wardrobe—you just need clarity on what to wear at what level of formality.
Let’s decode the 4 corporate dressing levels for Indian women, with both Indian and Western options with examples for colour, footwear, and where each style fits best.
Corporate Dressing Levels in India
| Level | Style | When to wear |
| 1 | Business Formals | C-Suite, Leadership, Client Pitches, Board Meetings |
| 2 | Business Casuals | Mid-Level Roles, Presentations, Internal Meetings |
| 3 | Smart Casuals | Creative Roles, Client Lunches, Casual Fridays |
| 4 | Work-Appropriate Casuals | Startups, WFH, Relaxed Offices |
Capturing Kids Naturally: A Photographer’s Guide to Fun, Stress-Free Photoshoots for Ages 1–7
Written by Sukla Chinnappa
Photographing toddlers and young children is one of the most rewarding things I do as a photographer—and also the most unpredictable. One moment they’re giggling, the next they’ve decided shoes are optional and they’re running in the opposite direction or crying uncontrollably !
But over the years, I’ve learned a simple truth:
Young children aren’t “misbehaving”… they’re discovering independence
A 2-year-old buckling their own shoe…
A 4-year-old insisting “I’ll do it!”…
A 6-year-old choosing which colour shirt to wear…
They’re learning new skills every day—and to them, every new ability means “I’m big now. I can decide.”
If we understand this, we stop trying to control the photoshoot and start designing it so the child feels in charge.
The secret to a successful photoshoot?
Make it feel like the child’s idea.
Here’s how we do that—step by step.
Kantara: Chapter 1, Nature, Dharma, and the Forgotten Balance
Written by Sukla ChinnappaThere are films that entertain, and then there are those that remind — of what we’ve forgotten, or perhaps what we’ve chosen to ignore. Kantara: Chapter 1 belongs to the latter.
Beneath its earthy visuals and mythic intensity lies a meditation on our fading relationship with nature and the dharmic balance that once governed human life. It’s not merely a story of gods and men, but a mirror to how civilisation has drifted — from living with the land to living off it, from reverence to ownership, from justice to exploitation.
When asked to (re)Create the iconic Steve Job's portrait by Albert Watson
Written by Artriva Studios-
Have you explored getting headshots in Bengaluru and found the results disappointing?
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What sets apart a great headshot from a mundane one?
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How can most service providers mess up something that appears so straightforward?
Think of headshots as a specialization where all the skills and tools of a photographer are tested in what looks like a remarkably simple task.
Corporate lifestyle photography – What is it & How to plan for it ?
Written by Artriva Studios
Corporate lifestyle photography is all about capturing real, unscripted moments that showcase your brand’s personality — and, more importantly, the people who bring it to life. It humanises your company, offering a glimpse into everyday moments — team huddles, client meetings, creative brainstorms — while preserving those spontaneous, genuine expressions that define your culture.
Why It Matters
In today’s world of visual communication, corporate lifestyle photography is no longer optional — it’s essential. The right imagery helps you:
- Build a consistent and authentic brand library for your social media.
- Create a cohesive visual language across your website, LinkedIn, and other online platforms.
- Enhance recruitment campaigns by showcasing your culture and workplace.
- Build a personal connect in client proposals and presentations.
- Strengthen public relations through real, relatable visuals.
To achieve all this, thoughtful planning before the shoot is key.
Capturing Jupiter through my Canon R5 mk2
Written by Artriva Studios
New Year's is now a ritual with my friends who were instrumental in me developing Photography as an serious hobby which later transformed into my current profession. This also is a rare opportunity to share & practice our hobbies amongst ourselves, spouses and our kids.
This year we picked a picturesque traditionally styled event space / house amist the Hesserghatta Grasslands for our yearly get-together / new-year's party, yes - yes it was not all hobby serious event but rather one filled with games like cricket, football, some swimming, board games, bonfire, yummy food and much more.
Valentine's Day Special: Capture Your Love Story at Artriva Studios
Written by Artriva Studios
As Valentine's Day approaches, love is in the air, and what better way to celebrate than capturing your unique love story with a Couple's Photography Session at Artriva Studios?
Whether it's your first Valentine's together or your fiftieth, we are here to immortalize your moments with your loved one in a way that reflects your unique bond.
Fraud Alert : (Featured on - Amazon/Flipcart/Hopscotch/IKFW(India Kids Fashion Week)/Myntra) Casting for Children
Written by Artriva StudiosPLEASE NOTE:
As a Rental space provider there are few things that we can enforce such as Issuing GST Invoices (for both record keeping & having money trail as to who made the booking & was paid by whom etc), Clients are only comfortable with providing generic information such as E-Commerce shoot, Jewellery, Fashion/Portfolio etc before making a booking. This creates a scenario where we are unable to fully verify a client up until we have given a confirmed booking. When in doubt we do ask ask for an e-mail listing the scope of work / promises to end client etc.
Over the last year(s), we have come across several parents having fallen for a paid activity where their kids are featured on the sites of some of the "brand names" mentioned in the title. Our (and many other studios of photographers in Bangalore) are mentioned as the venue for these activities.
Intention of this article is to avoid Brand Names / Trademarks from being misused -
Now coming to the topic of "Sham Portfolio Shoots for Kids", wherein many dubious entities have been collecting various sums of monies from gullible parents in the name of "Featuring their children on popular E-Commerce Sites (& other opportunities)".
The Importance of a Good Corporate Headshot
Written by Artriva Studios
Every successful professional has optimised a way to make clients comfortable with their business or organisation in seconds. It’s those important first impressions — in this new age of LinkedIn, company websites, and virtual meetings on Zoom, Skype, or Teams — that can make or break what might have been a long, mutually beneficial business engagement.
The first human vibe communicated when a prospective client sees a sales executive, service professional, or even a business owner can either put them at ease or make them cautious.
Research on first impressions shows that facial expressions and micro-emotions play a crucial role in how we judge trustworthiness and competence — often within milliseconds. (Reference: Cognitive Emotion Study, 2012)
That’s precisely why, during our corporate headshot sessions in Bengaluru, we place special emphasis on guiding expression, posture, and intent — to bring out the real you at your most confident and approachable.
More...
Understanding Pricing Photography Services
Written by Sukla Chinnappa
"Pricing Photography Services" is a topic little understood by my many new age freelance & even some professional photographers. A consequence of poor financial planning has its effects on deliverables to clients, a reason for non-photographers (Clients) to read this article too.
Photography looks easy, Lots of cameras are available, even phones have over 100MP resolutions these days.
- Then why a photographer?
- Premium pricing for photography?
- Do I lose out on anything when I hire a photographer who charges less?
Quick guide for getting noticed on Matrimonial Websites & Dating Apps
Written by Sukla Chinnappa
If there is that one major factor that guarantees your chance of getting noticed online matrimony profile, it is your profile photograph, a well-shot headshot. Your headshot is your first impression and the deciding factor for you to get noticed or ignored. Once a first impression is made, it is very hard to change that perception of you. A good set of profile pictures communicates a lot about your personality and your seriousness in a relationship.
Psychologists say it takes about a tenth of a second to form an impression about the person we meet!
No wonder First Impression is the Best Impression
Most people are put off by poor quality photos that are
- low in resolution
- grainy/noisy and taken in dull light.
- having very old photographs in your profile.
- not having enough variations in your pictures used in your profile
- photos that don’t really represent who you are (your intro text says something which does not match your picture portfolio)
Read on to know more on how to go about creating an online profile that gets you the most responses from people you are most compatible with.
- Matrimonial
- Matrimonial Profile
- Pro Tips
- First Impression
- dating
- dating profile
- shaadi
- matrimony
- tinder
- How to get noticed on Dating Apps ?
- How to get noticed on Matrimonial Sites ?
- How to get noticed on Matrimonial Apps ?
- How to find a date ?
- How to find a Wife ?
- How to get noticed on Dating Sites ?
We have been receiving regular enquiries for "Photo Print & Framing", and we have been unable to service these requests with almost all commercial printers out of operation most people are reaching dead-ends. Desperation is such that I have now given away the frames that I had to use as photography props for my photoshoots.
This post is an announcement of limited printing services at our Studio & a collection of links to some printers that are operational.
NOTE: Printing is NOT OUR CORE BUSINESS, and our printing capability/capacity has just been to validate our workflow for colour matching. This post will be continuously updated with more links (if traffic is more) and updates if any to our printing Capacities.
Quality E-Commerce Photography at Affordable Prices
Written by Sukla Chinnappa
With the dominance of major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart and the ease at which brands can go online with their own website and start selling online there is serious competition for brick & mortar stores in terms of scalability os sales by reaching out to a larger base of potential customers.
The biggest challenge that is seen in this route of building a Brand / Sales through the online route is the "Cost". Many expect e-commerce to work magic but the truth of the matter is "E-commerce does have its costs which match up to/be higher than the cost of a physical store". while the previous statement is true what one needs to realise that at the same price it also allows one to reach out to a larger client base which in turn can be converted to a higher sales volume & better margins.
