Frame The Star 2022 by Mercedes-Benz, in partnership with Better Photography and OVERDRIVE magazines, saw a total of 16 photographers spend eight days shooting in three cities.
Into the Magnifying Glass
After a rain-soaked first leg of the Frame The Star Challenge Face-off round in Mumbai, we flagged off the second leg of the unique photographic challenge in Chennai and Pondicherry. Each participant had the freedom to take the car anywhere within the city to capture the interaction between the cars and the cities. Their main objective – to capture the Mercedes-Benz A-Class Limousine and the GLA as they interacted with the culture-rich landscapes of the two cities.
You can read all about the initial online phase of the challenge and the Mumbai leg of the Face-off here.
Participants at Frame The Star Photography Challenge face-off
The Gateway of South India
Leg 2 of the face-off challenge saw 8 new photographers competing in the culturally rich cities of Chennai (22nd and 23rd July) and Pondicherry (25th and 26th July). They rode through roads, both old and new, to creatively showcase the uniqueness of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class Limousine and Mercedes-Benz GLA and how they fit in various urban terrains.
While the busy streets of Chennai had Ashima Raizada, Rishika Brahma, Mahesh Kumar, and Pranav Prabhakar clamouring to come up with creative visions in seconds, the narrow lanes of Pondicherry and no-car zones, challenged Chenthil Mohan, Jerin Joseph George, Indrajit Khambe and Taha Ahmad to get more innovative with their photography.
Art and conceptual photographer Ashima Raizada (28) felt that “The process of exploring a new city with the perspective of shooting a car was a unique and fascinating experience. Both the A-Class limousine and GLA exuded comfort and quality, and adjusted quite well within the urban landscape of the city of Chennai.”
A Collision of City Lines
Wedding photographer Rishika Brahma (31) had quite a few cherished experiences as she captured the cars interacting with the checkered streets of Chennai. “I am used to capturing candid emotions in a single frame, and Frame the Star gave me the opportunity to do that, albeit in a different manner. I got to shoot cars, a subject that I have not worked with before, and understand how they blend in or contrast with the urbanscapes of Chennai.”
An Ode to the Sea
Finalist and travel photographer Pranav Prabhakar (26) was charmed by the people of Chennai and the metropolitan vistas of the city, “It was amazing to observe how the city and its citizens interacted with the cars. I had some fun conversations with the locals while taking these photographs, and these conversations motivated me to take more unique shots.”
Gazing at the Urban Graffiti
With a bird’s eye view of the city-car interaction, finalist and travel photographer Mahesh Kumar (35), also got motivation from the conversations. “The city Is a hub of interactions – between people, streets, buildings, colours and even nature. It is like an orchestra, and I am glad to experience it from the comforts of two luxurious cars – A-Class and GLA.”
Romancing the City of Dawn – Pondicherry
After two days of intense shooting and surprise showers at the cultural capital of South India, the face-off challenge moved to its final stop – the city of dawn, Pondicherry.
Against the Silhouette of Nature
As per automobile photographer Jerin Joseph George (22), “Discovering the different terrains of Pondicherry was one of the highlights of the competition. I was able to witness how the cars interacted with the interiors and exteriors of the city, and capture the different perspectives live on camera.”
Against the Silhouette of Nature
Documentary photographer Indrajit Khambe (41) started the challenge with a blank slate. New to the city, he wanted to marvel at its offerings without any bias. “For me, it was a bit of an unlearning process, and while fun, it did challenge me. I enjoyed roaming around the rural and urban parts of Pondicherry. The GLA, as well as A-Class, blended well with both the backdrops. The quaintness of the city only enhanced the artistic features of the cars.”
A Candid ‘Smile Please!’
For sports photographer and photojournalist Chenthil Mohan (42), Pondicherry is like a second home, yet it was a discovery as he drove through the city in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and GLA. “These modern cars blended with the aesthetics of this quaint coastal town steeped in history and culture. The design language of the cars worked brilliantly with the unique architecture of Pondicherry.”
Varied Shades of Dawn
Documentary photographer Taha Ahmad (27) was also inspired by the subtle charm of the scenic city. “The city itself was very serene and seamlessly merged together different cultures and heritages. It was a joy to bring out these culture essences through the A-Class limousine and GLA.”
With the unique Frame the Star 2022 challenge now concluded, we move on to the final phase of the competition – judging! Our judges have quite a tough job ahead of selecting the best from amongst these talented photographers.
Stay tuned for the results! The winner will get the chance to go on an all-expense-paid trip to the AMG Winter Drive Experience in Europe and will be a part of a video assignment from Mercedes-Benz India. And there’s more… The two runner-ups will get to work on a photography/video content assignment for one of the key products of the year for Mercedes-Benz India.
Happy driving!