Photokhichuwa - I Chose Anonymity Because I Have Always Wanted To Be Seen, Criticized And Judged Based On My Work (Photographer)

Photokhichuwa

I with all my heart believe that a photograph is the expression of the photographer and not merely the amalgamation of elements within the frame!


1. Tell us about your background and journey.

I am a self-taught photographer, based in Kathmandu shooting under the anonymous moniker PHOTOKHICHUWA, and specialize in cultural, street and architecture photography.

I chose anonymity because I have always wanted my work to be seen, criticized and judged based on my work and not guided by my identity, and this was the perfect way to ensure it!

Currently, I am in my 8th year in to shooting digitally and have developed a particular style of wide-angle perspective that makes me stand apart from the crowd.


2. How and when did you realize your passion for photography?

My Passion for Photography was instilled in 
young me by my parents, both of whom loved and gained knowledge in photography in their primes. 

My maternal family used to own one of the oldest PhotoStudio in Kathmandu which exposed me to the wonders of film photography and darkroom magic that used to intrigued me from my early childhood although I had absolutely no idea what was happening. 

My father’s work took him all over Nepal and the world and his dedication to Carrying a 35mm Pentax somehow made me feel like a camera should be a part of my daily life too! 

But the point where I got my 1st digital camera, a Canon 550D, many thanks to my elder brother, was the moment my journey as a photographer really began! I made sure I carried it EVERYWHERE and I have never looked back ever since! 

I learned the basics of exposure with 35mm film camera way back when I was in school! but I only got into Digital Photography later in life coz of my studies but as I was very good in physics, especially optics and light I caught up very fast with the basic technicalities and moved quickly towards creating my own style!


3. What are some tips you would like to share with amateur photographers?

“ THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS “ - this is not a race, photography is a learning process, it has a curve that EVERYONE must go thru to understand small intricacies that cannot be learnt with a trick !!

Everyone must make the same mistakes and learn from those mistakes to understand and later amend them, be PATIENT and shoot, shoot with the intent to learn and the results will always be amazing !! 

And like I said THIS IS NOT A RACE, the only one u have to be better than is the YOU from yesterday, keep doing something better than what you did yesterday and without even trying all be amazing!


4. What are the important skills one should have to be a successful photographer?

I personally feel that photography is 10% technicality and 90% of art!

For the Base 10%, one can read books take class, read articles, watch youtube and what not and eventually et hold of it, but the remaining 90% is slightly tricky to learn or teach!

I with all my heart believe that a photograph is the expression of the photographer and not merely the amalgamation of elements within the frame!
Each shot is in many ways influenced by the shooter's perception of his/her own life, own emotions own experiences, own thought process!

So if you ask me what is one thing that makes a successful photographer is a Knowledgeable Brain !!

Read books, sing songs, watch movies, learn about history, about politics, about romance about physics about fungus, learn about anything and everything u can see feel and touch !!

Knowledge is power, knowledge changes the way one looks at anything!! It gives u a whole different perspective!


5. What are various opportunities available for aspiring photographers?

In the world of digital technology, photography and video graphs are the eyes with which humans look at the word thru their screens, videography more so in recent times has become an absolute major factor in how the world expresses and influences, so the opportunities are ample, just need to be intelligent about it! 

I see so many photographers and videographer with amazing talent but zero marketing abilities, which restricts their reach, so just a lil research into how to market your skills and good skills always will be found by the worthy work!

In an Open market the competition is always neck high, but based on ur skills and ur unique style, if one can market themself properly, I'm sure there are enough bread to go around! like I say, this is not a race, everyone can grow and share and become better together!


6. What has been the biggest learning from your job?

The greatest learning that I’ve learnt from photography is the power of giving, sounds counter-intuitive as photography is usually a process of TAKING a photograph. 

But in 2016 we started the GIVE BACK project, and yearly, we collect our portraits from the whole year, print and frame them and give them back to the person in the photograph, as a surprise, and that has shown me the real power of photography. 

We have reached the age where everyone carries a camera phone and click and posts and deletes photos in a blink of an eye but elderly ppl and kids seeing their photos in print just makes them too happy and a really pure smile bursts out, that is the true power of photography, the power of giving. 

It's been 4 years and with the same intent we continue every year! :) Being that reason for someone’s smile has been my greatest learning and my greatest earning from photography


- Photokhichuwa (Photographer)

Photokhichuwa

500px: https://500px.com/photokhichuwa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photokhichuwa/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photokhichuwa
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM7Q-xsJtDsFyjrONMWmDTw/videos


Interviewed By Akshaya Rathinavadivel