The last I wrote about my travel schedules and past trips was in the end of 2015, it’s time for the next update.
I did not plan for much travel in 2016, but several journeys fell into the schedule anyway. In February, I spent a few days photographing in Mumbai for the first time and subsequently travelled to Kerala to witness Theyyam performances and a temple festival. Theyyams and a local elephant festival were in my wishlist for some time, as my last attempt to be at a Theyyam was a bit of disaster. A few visits to Varanasi also happened along the way.
In mid-April, I spent a week in Rajasthan and enjoyed walking in Jodhpur’s blue city with a local expert–another things that had been in my list for a long time. Despite half-a-dozen visits to Jodhpur in the past, a satisfying visit to the blue-city area was long pending. Subsequently, I spent a day in a small village near Ranakpur, which was an immensely enjoyable experience as travelling in rural Rajasthan usually is.
Later, in the second week of May, I made a brief visit to Dubai to conduct a workshop on travel photography at Photography LIVE, and also to present on a few photography related topics at the event.
Up next, I am travelling to Malaysia for another photography event next week and am immensely looking forward to it. This would be my first visit to Malaysia.
As much as I wanted to spend a few extra days in Malay with an intent of attending a scuba diving course, I have to return immediately to lead a photography tour in Zanskar region. And soon after this, another international trip may be in the cards, although I am still contemplating on it.
Later in the year, I will be busy leading my photography tours to Cambodia, Myanmar, Varanasi and North-East India.
My 2016 is pretty much sorted out!
This is really a reflective post on how the year went by and also a summery of a few posts made on this blog during the year. Skip the rants if you please.
Posts on this blog. Much like 2014, I did not write much this year. I decided to write only when I felt like, and not for the sake of counting the number of posts in a given time. Occasionally, stories were interspersed with single-image posts. I am probably going to write a little more frequently in 2016, but not a great deal.
Some of the stories I really enjoyed writing were –
They weren’t necessarily the most popular posts, but were in line with the kind of writing I wished to do, leaning towards telling stories rather than documenting or reviewing things (Most popular posts: OYO rooms review and Air Costa Review). The writing goals for the coming days is to write more for myself and work on immersive stories.
This blog quietly completed ten years in July. I let it pass without talking about it, as I hope to work on a series of posts on the journey of this blog that eventually changed everything that I am. Someday; I am not in a hurry.
Travel. When it comes to travelling, I did travel a good deal although I did not explore any new locations. All the journeys were on work, leading very satisfying photography tours through a variety of locations including Myanmar, Cambodia, Spiti Valley, Varanasi, Rajasthan and North-East India. I consciously stayed away from making personal trips, as I am increasingly questioning my style of travel and looking for journeys that have deeper experiences than visit places. I am searching to go on journeys that have a deeper meaning, facilitates personal evolution and enrich the life around me. The search will continue, and for some time to come, there will be fewer personal journeys.
Photography. It is more than a decade since I have taken photography seriously. Finally, in 2015, I am beginning to feel that my travel photography is becoming effortless. I shot very little, but found more of those images acceptable.
But the yearning to do more, and get better, is stronger than ever. Just like my travel, I am increasingly searching for meaning in my photography. As I wasn’t sure how I can discover meaning through study or reflection, I signed up with a mentor to help me on this. The search is on, and I am hoping to meet more eminent photographer-philosopher-activists who can help me on this personal assignments.
I have a theory on growing as a photographer: if you look at your images from the last few years and feel awful about the work you have produced, you have probably moved to the next level. At this time, I feel terribly awful about image I have shot until now, but I don’t see me having climbed the levels that I hoped to. But there is no dis-satisfaction; only a burning wish to learn and get better.
I also happened to emerge the winner of 4th HIPA awards in Dubai. While it was good to be at the awards ceremony, it was an absolute privilege to listen to a passionate talk from photographer Reza Deghati on how photography can change the world. His one hour talk helped me begin the process of rethinking my photography, and hopefully will be a milestone in deciding how my photography would shape up in future. I can’t be more grateful for the opportunity to listen to Reza.
On the personal front, the year couldn’t have been better. I can now confidently say that I am nearly retired! That doesn’t mean I will stop working, but attitude to work will take the approach of what a retired person would have: I would do only things that I want to, the way I want to, without taking any obligations, without worrying about results and without any pressures on finances, goals or deadlines. I feel freer than ever and feel capable of letting time take me through its flow than put things under control. Once you get there you can’t have a bad day, you feel invulnerable, can’t have anything go terribly wrong. It’s a blissful feeling, having nothing in the head.
Well, that would be all! Wish you a happy 2016. See you round the corner, next year.
It appears, Dubai is fast becoming a photography capital of the world.
The fourth season of HIPA Awards and celebration has brought the best photography crowd into the city, and it appears, this is going to continue in the years to come.
When HIPA announced the names of special prizes, I was perhaps more excited than the people at HIPA themselves. The awarded photographers – Scott Kelby and Sebastiao Salgado – were people whom I have followed online for a long time, listened to them talk on videos or have read what they have written about photography in length. While Scott Kelby has helped a great deal in the way I approach processing images and see the end product, Sebastiao Salgado has been an inspiration in thinking beyond the existing boundaries, think really big and work towards making them happen. A possibility of being able to meet them was an excitement sufficient to be in Dubai. Being part of the award ceremony was one step higher than excitement.
I did get a chance to have a brief conversation with Kelby during the award evening on the 16th. Unfortunately, Salgado wasn’t able to make it to the ceremony. But what I missed in meeting Salgado and perhaps hear him say a few things in Duabi was made up by listening to Reza Deghati, veteran photojournalist with National Geographic. Yesterday evening, Reza spoke in length about how photography can change the world and on his own endevour to improve the lives of refugees from around the world, especially middle east, through photography. His works have had remarkable effect in bringing change to suffering people. Reza spoke passionately, as he mentioned how, in one of his project, he helped reunite more than 3,000 children with their parents in Africa through photography. He stressed in working towards helping others, with a touching example of how the extended hand can often come back to you with equal empathy in the hour of need. He spoke at length about his dangerous encounters around the world as he photographed conflict, and spending time with Ahmad Shah Massoud and Yasser Arafat. His speech, as much as his works, is inspirational enough to make everyone pack their cameras and leave home!
The day before Reza’s talk, HIPA awards ceremony was a gala event that unfolded in Dubai International Financial Center on a grand stage with brilliant performances and extraordinary visuals. The grand prize winner of the 4th season was Anurag Kumar from Delhi.
It was a moment that was a mix of both pride and humbling feeling for me to receive the 1st prize in this year’s primary category – ‘Life in Colour’.
And below is the image for which the award was granted.
I would like to thank HIPA for this award, and for bringing so many amazing photographers in one platform.
In this moment, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to my journey in photography, which is a very large set of people of various backgrounds who have touched me and helped me in a many ways, be it encouraging the journey, assisting me in the journey, being part of the journey, being mentors in person or from a distance through online medias or by becoming subjects to my camera.
It is both an honour and a privilege to be part of HIPA 4th season awards.
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Up next, I am travelling to Malaysia for another photography event next week and am immensely looking forward to it. This would be my first visit to Malaysia.
