Pranav Siddharth, coordinator of the Department of Photography (DoPy) for Oasis 2018, sat down to discuss the functions of the department for the fest.

For this Oasis, apart from taking pictures and handing out hard copies, DoPy will set up a photo booth where people where people can use props, which the department designs. This year, they also have a sponsor for the props, which will give them the chance to make bigger and better props as compared to earlier iterations of the fest.

The department has also overseen merchandising since last Oasis, which constitutes of handling the merch stall—next to the photo booth—along with some ideation work for designing. Pranav comments that they have been handling merchandise for only one years and aim to make it a more consolidated and hassle-free process this year, to ensure that people have a better experience. DoPy intends to focus more on the merchandise stall this year, as it tends to draw out more people and hence generates more revenue.

Last Oasis saw the introduction of ‘light painting’, a method of taking portraits wherein the camera operates at an extremely low shutter speed; and by arranging lights in the background, a stable high exposure photo is made. This produces an effect much better than bokeh and presents a fun experience for those looking to get a unique memento of their Oasis. It also encourages people who don’t prefer snaps to come to the photo booth. This new format of photography was tried out on an experimental basis last year, and members are working hard to ensure that they can execute a better version in this Oasis.

When asked about how DoPy has changed through the years, Pranav said that the department has become more focused over the past few years and has acquired a ‘get stuff done’ attitude. But, they have ensured that this doesn’t take away from the enthusiasm of the freshers and the fun they have together.

Pranav also praised the dedication of the StuCCA in making sure that the fest goes on smoothly and dealing with anything that goes wrong, mentioning that they’ve been very cooperative whenever the department ran into any hurdle and worked hard to fix them.

As a closing note, he mentioned that freshers should attend as many events as they can, have fun throughout the 96 hours and to look out for DoPy snaps.