Vogue Empower Video is actually Derogatory to Women.

Empower, really?(A screenshot from the video 'My Choice')

I don't give a shit that the atrocious ' Vogue Empower' video was written and directed by a man. But mannnnn it is pretentious like fuckkkkk and not worth even 10 seconds of my time. All i saw was good black and white imagery and lighting. Im so glad im not the only one who found it to be full of shit. Pseudo feministic shit created to go viral and make some money.

Zero insights and genuine emotions in that one. ZERO.

Women who share this streotypical crap video and talk about feeling 'empowered', should really introspect into knowing what being truly empowered is.

Actually this is what happens when a magazine that makes its money out of objectifying women, attempts to pretend to be the voice of women. The video infact trivialises being a woman to being a male fantasy of a 'sex and the city' caricature. I'm not even taking into account that this video is purely about privileged women and has zero insights into being a woman from other strata - but even that isn't represented in an honest light with any genuine empathy or understanding. Thanks to some naive women who see this video as empowering today chivalry is also seen as chauvinism. It is women who will be fed warped perspectives of 'feminism' by videos like these that will grow up to have no idea of what being a woman is except the ideas that are instilled in them by media - women who look at men only as the enemy and in their own minds replace genuine chivalry and well intentioned concern also with chauvinism.

I'm seriously getting tired of pseudo feminism. I think i know what my video rant for 'straight talk' is going to be this week.

- Pushkaraj S Shirke

Fitness Photography 101: Seminar at BodyPower India

Pushkaraj S Shirke : Fitness Photography 101: Seminar at BodyPower Indi...:

I recently conducted a seminar on fitness posing, prepping and photography for all the contestants of BodyPower India's NEULIFE FIT FACTOR. It was a pleasure to be able to guide ,any people of all the pros and cons of the fast booming industry that they have chosen to represent. Nothing brings me more joy than to be able to help out people who genuinely could do with a few pointers that would help them go the distance - especially when they are working themselves off for it.

Fitness modelling and photography is nothing like glamour modelling and photography to begin with. So even when experienced models and photographers try to make the switch, they often fail - and miserably so. Though many of the rules remain the same in both fields, there are key points that are distinctly diverse - such as lighting, posing, what to highlight,how much photoshopping is ethical and more.

Below are a few practice shots, unmorphed btw, that we took while the practice posing and shooting demo. I'm sure the insights provided to the contestants, many of whom are first time models and fitness spokesperson aspirants, would make a world of a difference to their performance and confidence - at the finals, in the show and in the times they have ahead in this amazing field.

A Reason to Write

I need to write. I need to create.
But i dont want to write for the people out there. I dont want to create for the masses. I want to write and create only for someone. Only for one particular person. I want to keep it real. I want it to be personal. That's the only way i can do anything.

My blogs used to be letters to myself, my books used to be written for particular friends, my paintings were my notes on my people.i used to write poems for people and tear them off after having been read. I never bothered publishing them. I need to get back to doing just that. If the random internet universe and others like it too, great. If not, i dont give a shit.

They say you shouldn't make work personal. But hey, i'm not much of a guy to give a shit about 'they' anyway. Its time to make things personal again. Everytime i use my time to create something, its time i ask myself who is it for. Beginning with this note. This, is for myself, lest i ever again forget what i create for.

-Pushkaraj S Shirke

Ashamed to be an Indian today I STRAIGHT TALK: 'INDIA'S DAUGHTER' OPENS INDIA'S MISOGYNISTIC CLOSETS

So, 'india's daughter', a documentary that showcases the unrepentant mindset of a rapist/rape enabler IS BANNED in India by a court order. While movies without a story line featuring half naked women parading their bodies for viewership to enable commoditization of women is encouraged.

So let me put it as it is, we INDIANS encourage rape and exploitation in every way we can - whether its by banning or by releasing.
I am so ashamed of being an Indian today that i have no words to express it. This is India's so called 'Acchey Din'. The death of free speech. The death of human rights. And a glorious face first dive into regressionism.