For me, 2013 was a year filled with novel experiences, exotic destinations and sleepless nights. Looking back on it, I surprise myself with what I managed to accomplish in one year. It is a reminder that to make 2014 even more exciting, I must work suitably harder and smarter.
2013 taught me a lot of lessons, both professionally and personally. As I traveled more and shot more, I realized that I had rapidly became disinterested with the regular travel snapshots of a destination and hunted for a story, a common thread to bind my images together. It was this hunting to get something more than the regular shots that led to the photo story ‘Photographers at Pushkar’ which ended up being published on PetaPixel.
My fortnight trip to China still remains one of the best trips of my life. Walking across a snowy Great Wall of China is something that I can never forget and the plethora of interesting food that I ate there will be in my memory for years to come. Getting to know the culture, the people and the place was eye opening and the similarities with India were striking. I ended up making a photo series on it and presented the images at OpenShow Hyderabad.
Coming to weddings, I covered a whole range of weddings along with my trusty team, from a destination wedding on the beach in Mahabalipuram to one of my best friend’s wedding in Bangalore. We continued to do some amazing pre wedding shoots at a range of locations, pushed creative boundaries and made amazing images that our clients loved. Working with team Vinoothna Geetha (who make fantastic wedding films!) was a pleasure as always. Next year, I hope to shoot more weddings and more importantly, brilliant photographs that will be treasured for generations.
On a personal side, I finally managed to shoot one of my dream projects (creatively titled ‘Project Untitled’) that had been in mind for a few years. Together with the help of Shilpa who designed the clothes, our model Dolly, and a great group of friends who willingly helped me out whenever I needed them, we churned out some fantastic photographs in our weekend trip to the fort town of Gandikota.
And in no small measure, 2013 introduced me to the magic of love and the range of emotions that come with it. Discovering the joys, the pleasures, the sorrows and the mysteries of love has ensured that I never had a slow day in the year. It also ensured that I was constantly reminded to have a better work/life balance which is something I am going to have to work towards in 2014.
To sum up 2013, I traveled to China, Turkey, Ladakh, Pushkar, the Lakshadweep Islands and numerous other local destinations. I held my first solo exhibition titled ‘Landscapes of Ladakh’ and was a part of the Delhi Photo Festival with my photo project on Biryani titled ‘Aadab‘. I went on a hot air balloon ride in Turkey, captained a ship in Gujarat, and went Scuba diving at the Lakshadweep Islands. I shot dozens of weddings, each lovelier than the previous. I shot my first magazine cover for WOW Hyderabad.
My to do list for 2014 –
Shoot more personal projects. Visit friends in England. Spend more time with family. Buy a Fujifilm X100S.
Currently listening to – Turn up the Radio by Autograph
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