1. Tell us about your background and journey.
I just graduated from Thapar University class of 2020 and I'm currently working at Amazon as a Software Development Engineer. I started photography back in my 10th grade when a small photography club was started in our school by the authorities and a few random clicks helped me see that I can click, moving on I joined a few photography clubs in Chandigarh.
They got me acquainted to the experienced crowd eventually make me dive deep into the technicalities involved in photography. When I entered college back in 2016, I got aware about doing photography in college festivals and also I started conducting photo walks for the students of the photography club I was leading back then in College.
In 2018, during the annual club proposal, while researching for ideas as to how can I help students with photography, I came across Scott Kelby's Worldwide Photo walk, which is an international photo walk in which on one single day the whole world participates, thus more than 50,000 photographers out there clicking on one theme. I luckily got to be the first in North India to host such.
With that event, I got the partnership of Tamron (a Japanese lens maker) to host photo walks with them where they'd give chance to attendees to use their lenses. As I understood more about photography and the business side of it, I started an initiative/media company, The Convex View. We used to host photo walks, conduct workshops and cover events all over north India!
As I entered my final year, I realised that being in tech, I should at least give it a shot and I got enrolled into very prestigious Google Summer of Code 2019, in which only 1200 students were selected all round the globe where the applications were in millions! Though I tried not to shut the company but soon due to added responsibilities, I had to close down the media company division but Convex View still conducted photo walks and we even got a Tribune Life+Style front page feature!
Eventually in College placements I was selected by Amazon and I decided to continue with tech industry. At first I wasn't that that happy, but i feel things happen for a reason and the current pandemic situation isn't really doing good to the photography industry and I'm planning to start my own series of photo walks and workshops soon!
2. How and when did you realise your passion for photography?
It all started in school mostly, when I clicked a flower and found the photo pleasing in general. I went out, clicked a few more and that's how the journey started. As I progressed more, I explored a very specific domain, Macro Photography, the type in which we capture minute things! Mostly bugs though, haha. So that was the moment it became my hobby, slowly my passion!
3. What are some tips you would like to share with amateur photographers?
When we start photography, we directly dive deep into understanding the technicalities and that is definitely overwhelming resulting in losing interest in the art. Foremost, one should work on developing an eye of a photographer. Without thinking about the settings or other things, turn to auto mode and just start clicking.
Look for photographs by experts, understand what are those slight differences which can really enhance your work! After a while, when you start feeling your instincts working, begin understanding the tech stuffs behind photography as then at every step of learning, at least you'll be able to apply those learnings and appreciate them as well.
4. What are the important skills one should have to be a successful photographer?
- Patience : Photography tests your patience to levels. I've stayed static in swamps to get that shot of a beautiful butterfly.
- Practice : Always remember that your first 1000 photographs are your worst, so keep on clicking!
- Regularity : Photography is an art and everyday you don't click or spend time, the artist in you dies slowly every day
- Appreciate others and indulge in discussions, understand nature and society to relate and define stories in your photos!
Photography provides a wide gamut of opportunities. Be it social, creative or commercial, one can jump into any of the fields! Start by understanding your interests. Start working in that field and lookout what professionals in that field do and how can one actually get a living out of it. Work with them, to build your portfolio and just stick. Remember, good things take time.
6. Which is your favourite book and why?
iBoy by Kevin Brooks. It's a story about how a boy gets hit with an iPhone and some part of it gets integrated to his brain and how he uses his powers to take revenge for the girl in her society who got abused by a group of people. The story and the way it was written was really gripping and actually made me picturise the whole scenario!
Interview By - Sonam
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