1. Tell us about your background and journey.
I come from Karad, a small town in Satara District of Maharashtra, India. I
completed my school and junior college from there and when it was an important
phase of my life
to decide my career and chose a path, I came to Mumbai for
the first time with lot of dreams. It was always a challenge to get used to the
ways of this big city and I adopted it soon.
I was studious in school, good at other activities, sports, etc. I am Karate
Black Belt too.
I love to sing, cook, wander, plant, trek and pet !
My parents were sure of me pursuing MBBS or something and excel in the field of
medical, but it was never too difficult to convince them to let me pursue the
things I love.
I have always been lucky that there were no any difficulties for me to make my
life choices by myself. But when you do that, there is always a burden of not
letting down
the expectations of your parents. This only made me stronger
after I came to Mumbai and then I never looked back. I lived alone, I cooked
for myself. I earned money for my expenses
by doing small projects part time. The hunger to deliver my
best was always there. I won many national and international awards for
photography and soon people started to recognise me
because of my work and that is how I started acquiring bigger clients to work
with.
2. How and when did you realize your passion for photography?
Back to the times when I was in class 6, my Dad gave me a
basic point and shoot film camera. It was Kodak Croma and It was literally a
toy!
I used to have it with me wherever I would go out and click very random
pictures. At that age, freezing smiles, actions, setting suns was all like
magic for me.
I used to get amazed after looking at the developed pictures from the lab.
While I was in class 11, I entered one of my images in which a boy is diving
into the water
to a national level competition, just for fun. My image
secured 1st position in India which won me an all expenses paid Trip to Nepal
for 12 Days!
The days spent in Nepal were something I cant put into words. It was a
fascinating experience! I talked to myself that if a single image could bring
you so much
of happiness and strength, what would it be like spending
your lifetime making more of these! This was the turning point in my life and
inspite of being a scholar
in my academics, where people and my parents thought that I could make a good doctor or an engineer one day, I chose to dive into Photography and Art!
3. What are some tips you would like to share with amateur photographers?
World has come closer and ultimately the internet is an
exhibition of the works of people all around and far away from us.
There are many things you come across on the web everyday and then you just try
to recreate the art. Inspiration is always good, try to
implement your ideas in it. Pour your style, your thoughts and your interpretation in a picture!
4. What are the important skills one should have to be a successful photographer?
I don't think you require a specific skill to be a
successful photographer. Skill is needed to do a craft. Photography is
more of an art and a science.
You need to know and learn that science. But the 'art' part of it is something
that no one can teach you! It's a self learning process which begins with
observing the things around
you, seeing them differently and portraying your own thoughts about it. I will
call it a success when you post an image without a caption or description
and viewers can write a thousand word
essay about it!
5. What are various opportunities available for aspiring photographers?
Photography is a
thousand things! You can practise a single genre of your choice and liking and
make it your living.
Portrait, wedding, product, advertising, landscape, wildlife, concert, sports,
documentary, journalism, etc are few of the genres that you can choose from.
6. Which is your favourite book and why?
I don't usually read. Maybe it's difficult to find time or I lack patience for
it.
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