.png "Ashik Aseem")
1. Tell us about your background and journey as a photographer.
I come from a middle-class family that owns a small business. I was dependent on my parents after finishing BBA and was beginning to feel guilty about taking money from them. When I told my father about my troubles, he suggested I work for him for a year and get an MBA afterward. I simply went with the flow. But things changed after I joined my father's business. He had a stroke and was paralyzed for a few months, and with that, the responsibility of the family and the shop fell on my shoulders.
And I was stuck there for nearly four years, which was extremely stressful. That is when I purchased my first camera. It was just a hobby, at first, because I enjoy the process of taking photographs. Within a year, I traveled and gained social media attention. I didn't realize I could make money till then. Then a brand hired me and after a month, they gave me a one-year contract. So that was a break for me. But there was no support from my family or friends at the time because I had given away my shop and was suddenly off track. This was a significant risk.
As I made money and got recognition, things improved and I eventually gained family and friend support. That's how I got into photography. So, I always had an interest in photography but never knew until I started with it. However, making money from travel content is possible but extremely difficult. So there is the problem of financial insecurity. And it can be quite frightening at times. But I persisted in the hope that things would improve tomorrow.
2. What's your favorite thing to photograph?
I enjoy photographing the local lifestyles. So it's not just some random people doing random work. Suppose I'm photographing the Spiti Valley and want to highlight the landscape. By looking at the photo, I want the viewer to realize it's in Spiti Valley, or at the very least a Himalayan location. In addition, I want to highlight the people and the work they are doing. So, if you look at some of my photos, you'll notice that I put the human element on a small scale.
Like, there will be a small portion of my photograph. It's not just the landscape or the people. Everything mixed together. So that's the kind of image I enjoy creating, and I also enjoy making good fine art landscapes.
3. What do you believe makes you stand out from most of the travel photographers out there?
I usually travel to remote areas and live with the locals for a few days or weeks to gain an understanding of their culture, which helps to create meaningful photographs. And, my trips are usually longer than a month, so I don't book my return. I return whenever I feel like it.
Also, I usually revisit my locations and give people their printed portraits. I believe some people do this, but it is uncommon. Because giving a portrait from a remote village necessitates returning to that location. People who travel rarely return to the same place, but I do, so it gets easier for me to give them back.
I usually revisit a place to photograph it in different seasons. I also take portraits of people, mostly children. It's fascinating to watch them grow. So I have three years of growth photos from Spiti Valley. The same kids at different ages. So, in the future, I intend to expand that collection to include different stages of a child's development. Maybe someday I'll have a good story to tell.
4. What, according to you, are the skills one should have to be a successful photographer?
Based on my experience, I believe communication skills are very important to make people comfortable before taking photographs. I go to a lot of local places where people don't speak Hindi or English. They only communicate in their native tongue. So, in those places, I'll have to communicate primarily through gestures, and by gestures I mean some nice, loving actions. This helps in getting their consent and, most importantly, they don't get conscious in front of the camera.
So I establish that rapport with them and then take the photograph. They no longer notice me when I'm holding the camera. They won't be conscious of me once I've established that rapport with them to make them feel at ease. The majority of the time, I wait for that moment. That's when I take photos, particularly at the village site.
5. Do you believe that people can do great photography even with a beginner's camera? Or is it just a saying that camera sets don't matter and it's about the perspective of the person who's holding it?
It's not just a saying, but we can't deny that equipment is important. Both, in my opinion, are crucial. Just because you have good skills does not imply that you can make great photographs. So, in order to create good photos, you must have good skills. Also required is a good or adequate camera.
I used to have a 24-megapixel camera, but now I have a 61-megapixel camera. So I'm simply preparing my work for the future. The higher the image quality, the longer it will last. That's why I always invest in high-quality equipment because I want my photos to be timeless. So, while techniques are important, I believe gears are equally so.
6. What are the biggest challenges you have faced to capture a moment or to get the perfect shot that you want?
One of the few incidents I recall is a photograph I took in Spiti Valley, Hikkim Village. I was staying in Hikkim village and on my way back to Kaza, I saw this beautiful sight - a boy returning home with 200 - 300 sheep. With the sun setting in the direction they were walking and some Indo-Tibetan design houses in the background, it was a very beautiful scene. But I didn't have my equipment with me at the time, so I snapped the photo with my phone. Then I realized it was worth the wait.
And the next day, I waited until the evening for this scene to recreate. However, it was very cloudy and there were no sun rays, so the photo was not very good. It was getting close to my return time, so I had to go back. After two years, I returned to the same location to take the same photo, but I couldn't get the same kind of vision I had seen and couldn't capture the image in the way I wanted. So I'll probably go back there next year to capture that. So, it is an ongoing process. I still don't have that photo. And I have the first image I shot on my phone, as well as some decent versions in the camera, but not the expected one. That is still something I am hoping for.
I also enjoy photographing the night sky. And for every photographer, taking astrophotos necessitates some sacrifices, such as putting off sleep. So we sometimes have to wait until two or three o'clock to get that perfect shot. So that's a small challenge that all-night photographers face. However, I still enjoy the process.
First shot captured on phone -
Second shot captured the next day in my camera -
Third shot in 2021-
7. What, according to you, are various opportunities available for aspiring photographers?
I feel the opportunities are endless. In my case, I never thought I could make money with this. But I did. Initially, I had no mentor, and no friends in this field. There were no photographers with whom I was acquainted.
So all I could do was create a good photo and publish it. And with all the work I have done, I started getting opportunities to perform better. So yeah, I think if you do your best, opportunities will come to you, and this is what I have learned from my experience.
8. As a travel photographer, how do you choose your travel destinations?
Initially, I had only one destination in mind. So, if I go to Himachal, my destination will be Himachal. I'll decide what to do once I get there. But after the last two trips, I started planning things by researching what's there, what the culture is like, and what's going on. Like my previous trip to Manipur, I posted a story on Instagram in the hopes of finding any Manipur followers.
Then a few people responded and I set up a video call with them and I talked to them to understand the culture, the mentality of people, and all of that. So, yes, I used to go without a plan at first, but now I plan. But I don't plan thoroughly. I only have one destination in mind and will proceed accordingly.
9. So what brought this change of thought?
I'm more interested in local culture and lifestyle, and we need to know what's going on there in order to create meaningful photos. When someone does something interesting, we need to figure out why. So, in order to understand, I thought I'd look into their background and why they're doing it.
For example, when I was in Manipur two months ago, there was a festival called Lai Haraoba going on. So, by researching the culture and the festival, I learned that it lasts 30 days and where it takes place, allowing me to properly cover it. So it wouldn't have been possible without a plan, and I would only have been able to cover a portion of it. But with a plan, I was able to completely cover it.
10. Since you travel alone most of the time, how do you rely on resources?
Actually, traveling alone is very easy for me. Because you are vulnerable when you are alone, and people will not perceive you as a threat. As a result, most people will be friendly and helpful. However, if you travel in groups, people may be hesitant to approach you.
Because often people are afraid of a group. However, I believe that a lonely man from another place is vulnerable. And it has so far worked for me. But there were times when I felt threatened or scared. However, most of the time, someone will be able to assist you. You must communicate with a stranger, especially if you are traveling alone and require assistance. And I've developed a gut feeling about this as well, and I usually avoid trouble by sensing it and avoiding it. So far, I have never gotten into any trouble.
11. As a travel photographer, what's it like living on the road?
It's both exciting and terrifying at the same time. I always have a tent, cooking equipment, and basic food with me. Because if I have these essentials with me, I won't have to find a place to stay by the end of the day. My plans are not hampered as a result of this. Initially, however, I did not bring these, so, at the end of the day, I needed to find a place to stay overnight. So, basically, my experiences have helped me evolve and have made it easier for me to travel than it was when I first started.
12. What professional photographers have influenced your work? And how do you incorporate their techniques into your photographs?
All of the incredible artists we see on Instagram have inspired me in some way. I had no mentor when I first started out as a photographer. I had no contacts in this field. So I used to follow a lot of good photographers and try to recreate their photos, learning a lot about photography in the process. And sometimes I was successful, and sometimes I couldn't create beautiful photos. However, we learn from our mistakes. So that's how I learned the majority of what I know today.
Also, I admire Steve McCurry's work, and it's extremely difficult to create the type of photograph he does. When I get the chance, I try to make those kinds of things as an inspiration.
13. What are some tips would you like to share with amateur photographers?
Nowadays, YouTube is the best teacher. There are numerous categories to create in photography. I would advise all amateur photographers out there to only create what they enjoy. Travel is the least profitable aspect of photography, but it is what I enjoy doing, so I chose it. Even if I can't make any money, I'll work another job, save, and then do this. For everything, there is an audience. So, in my opinion, create what you truly enjoy, and in the process, you will improve yourself, and, eventually, opportunities will knock at your door.
Brief Bio :
Ashik Aseem is a travel, landscape, and architecture photographer, who usually visits his locations to share printed portraits of the locals and to capture the place in different seasons.
Interviewed by - Nimisha Dutta
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