How Photography Changed My Life: Divya Kanwar, IT Professional, Pune.

An introduction about who you are, what you do for a living and how you got into photography. 

Originally a pahari from  Himachal Pradesh ,I  have been staying in Pune City for the last 9 years and currently working as an IT Professional. With this article, I am extremely obliged to share my journey of photography.

How was your first experience with your camera?

Hilly roads, sharp curves covered with dense trees taking me through the endless mountains always had inspired me to capture the beauty of nature. My first camera was the Kodak one which used to come with roll of limited count of pictures. This is all I remember about initial connection with photography in my childhood days.

Later on, as my journey continued, technology grew too.

in the harsh winters of Delhi, I was welcomed by my elder brother and he gifted me the small Nikon camera and that ‘s how I spent  my college vacations and college farewell.

Gradually it was an add on in my hobby list consisting of painting and drawing. In March 2016 I got DSLR 700d as my birthday gift from dear brother.

The first time I got to hold the masterpiece, my hands were literally shivering and I could sense the weight of it.

So the first picture, I clicked was undoubtedly blurred, unlikely to what i had always imagined it to be. That was the moment I realized it would need my time, hard work and patience.

What were the things you did to get better at photography?

In retrospect I wonder how confidence of knowing nothing inspired me to get up early in the morning and just made me to click on pictures for so many months.

I started with reading  articles and blogs and also got few copies of smart photography, better photography magazines. Also Instagram/Facebook  have numerous pages /accounts wherein one  can see the trending pictures and yes need to mention I seriously never  believe in the idea of promoting my pictures or profile. Whatever the pictures are, even if they are bad or worse they are mine and I being a beginner photographer don’t  appreciate the idea of promoting my captured pictures by paying some third party. My idea of creating an Instagram profile was for myself so that I could  keep a track of my progress graph. Moreover one can get in touch with the ideas and the different styles adopted by other photographers around the world.

No doubt Google was the saviour of any confusion and any problem I had. But still I was missing out something and I found out what it was after attending Creative Pad Photography’s Photography Workshop for beginners that takes place in Pune which is conducted by Kush Sharma.

It is a basic photography workshop which will guide you perfectly and clearly and I am so fortunate to attend it. Otherwise it is a pestiferous job to click pictures randomly without knowing what are you exactly looking for and what is the basic solution to the problems you own. Undoubtedly, I could myself identify so much of difference in my then and now photography.

After attending the workshop, it was the fire that was burning inside me for the perfect shot.

Your favourite shot of yours up till now and its details

Most of you will find it hard to swallow but I cant still find my best shot and this is the reason I should  admit that I have not captured my very best shot yet.

So one  of the amazing things photography has gifted me though obliquely is the immense zeal of travelling and which has been turning out to be an addiction now.

What is your favourite type of photography?

I love to capture nature and portraits. Here are some of my shots:

What is the equipment that you use?

With time I realized I got a new homie in my bag and thats my DSLR 700D with its kit eyepieces and recently i added the STM one.

How has photography changed your life?

I would not say photography has changed my life. My life is still same but with numerous and glamorous  colors  added in it, more excitement and it feels that destiny has given me this hobby at the very correct time when I was at the verge of  boredom. It was once a solution to my boredom or bored IT professional with mundane tasks, but it has shown me a new self and made me a better person. It has given me a new eye to look at normal things differently.

Secondly and most importantly, I feel myself as a complete person wherein I really don’t need anyone to entertain me or accompany me. I am not anymore dependent on anyone to cancel or make the plans. Now that dependency link has been demolished from my life and I rule that life .

What are your future aspirations in terms of photography?

Photography is my best mate forever and I have been putting in work to be better at it so that I can make it as my bread and butter completely.

Photography is not just a hobby, it’s an art to see the life , witness the beauty and the lull , present your concepts in your own way and last but not the least it teaches you that nothing is achieved within no time. Everything needs improvisation and time blended with patience and optimism.

Surely, my amazing experience has taught me many things and and to end it this article, I would like to share a quote that is close to my heart:

”It takes time for a plant to come out of the seeds, similarly it takes time for every beautiful goal  to be achieved..”

Be patient and do the right thing to achieve the goal.

Happy Clicking !!