General Reading (24)
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.
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.
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 ?
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.
More...
With the spread of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns across the globe virtual meetings and gatherings have become the new norm, resulting in a huge surge in demand for webcams and prices several times the MRP/MSRP. With the lockdown also brought much of our photography business to a standstill, the biggest pinch we felt was the lack of a webcam (i do remember having a decades-old, low-resolution webcam somewhere with the broken mount - hence the "somewhere bit")
We did manage a while with workarounds using 3rd party software and a screen-capture of onscreen live-view video from my cameras(DSLRs)
All this changed by this awesome announcement by Cannon
- Using Canon dSLR as a Webcam
- dSLR as Webcam
- dSLR webcam
- SLR webcam
- Mirrorless as webcam
- Mirrorles camera as webcam
- How to use dSLR with zoom
- dSLR camera with ZOOM
- dslr with Microsoft Teams
- Using dSLR with Microsoft Teams
- dslr for Zoom
- dSLR for Microsoft Teams
- dSLR as camera for ZOOM
- dSLR as webcam for Microsoft Teams
- dSLR as webcam for Google Meet
- use my dSLR as a webcam
- how to convert dSLR into webcam
- connect dSLR to Zoom
- connect dSLR to Microsoft Teams
- connect dSLR to google Meet
- dSLR as webcam on MacOS
- dSLR as webcam in Catalina
- dSLR as Webcam in Mojave
- dSLR as Webcam in High Sierra
- dslr for skype
- ddslr for adobe Character Animator
Organising and executing your own studio session is affordable !!
It is one of the best ways to take your photographic skills to the next level.
The primary advantage of shooting in a studio is the ability to control and shape the quality of light. Shooting under studio lighting also allows even low end / cropped sensor cameras to render sharp, well-detailed images. All of this control and quality means having access to a sufficiently large space and all the equipment that goes with it, usually a fairly hefty price to own & maintain. Thereby making renting a studio space is a great way to gain experience without the financial pain of buying your own equipment.
Effective ways to get over Camera Shyness
Written by Artriva StudiosIf the thought of being in front of a camera makes you anxious — you’re not alone. Many professionals, even experienced speakers, struggle to feel natural when the lens is pointed at them. The good news is that camera confidence is not something you’re born with — it’s a skill you can easily develop with the right approach. Here are a few practical ways to get comfortable and start looking (and feeling) like your authentic self on camera.
What to check before booking a Photo Studio for your next project
Written by Artriva Studios
Chances are that you are a budding photographer, business owner or a marketer trying to get an idea what to expect in a photo studio for your upcoming shoot. Typically a photographer would arrange this for you, but most often they offer you their own studio, even if sometimes their studio might not the right fit for the scope of the project.
Some planning and a well-equipped studio can greatly simplify your logistics and can mitigate most hiccups related to your project. As not all studios are created equal as the available ones vary from makeshift spaces to custom purpose-built spaces & everything in between. Some studios may also be better suited for a particular genre/style of photography than others hence the importance to select the right studio for your needs.
