All posts filed under: PHOTOGRAPHY

Explore Local Photographers and Their Art

rootsandleisure_golden Punjab

Faces | “Capturing This Sunrise in the Wheat Fields of Ludhiana Made Me Believe That India is Still a Golden Bird”

“I took this picture during one of my photo-walks in the outskirts of Ludhiana, Punjab. Just like people wake up in the early hours to do yoga or exercise, my morning ritual often comprises of long walks by myself – and my camera.  This was on my way towards Flahi Sahib, one of the popular Gurdwaras in the area. The sunrise this particular morning had a magical golden view as it rose above the expansive wheat fields. That moment I took this picture, I immediately thought of how India is a Golden Bird even today, to me; and anyone who disagrees might change their mind after seeing this photo. I still remember the hope and pride I felt in my heart as I admired this view that morning…” ~ Harsh Jain, Ludhiana “Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground.” ~ Frederick Douglass

RootsandLeisure_photographer Ved-Assam

“I May End up Hating Photography If It Becomes My Bread & Butter; I Just Want to Click Photos and Make People Stop, Wonder, and Think.” – Photographer Ved from Assam

I’d like to introduce Ved – a talented photographer and videographer friend of mine from Assam, whose work I’ve been following ever since I’ve met him (and worked with) at a university event in Jorhat back in 2019. A fellow traveler, he is always up for an adventure and a great conversationalist. For anyone meeting him for the first time, it is easy to spot his natural passion and love for his work – and life in general. With his go-getter attitude and an infectious positivity, I really enjoyed this chat with him.  Deno: Hi Ved, welcome to R&L! Please introduce yourself. Ved: I’m Ved, a photographer and videographer based in the quaint little town of Jorhat, Assam. I like to believe that photography runs in my blood because both my grandfathers were very talented photographers and I’ve grown up looking at framed black and white prints of their work. I started dabbling in photography from a young age but I developed the technical know-how much later. I got my first client when I was …

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Young Photographer Albert Rutsa from Nagaland Inspires Us to Take a Cue from Storytellers of Yore to Tell New Stories

Albert is from Kohima Village and his pictures depict so much about our Naga way of life. Going through his pictures is a beautiful reminder about our Naga identity and about our simple lifestyle and practices. I chat with Albert, an old friend, about his love for Naga culture, how he started his visual storytelling hobby, and some more. Deno: Hi Albert, nice catching up again 🙂 Please introduce yourself to R&L readers. Albert: Hi, I’m Albert Seluokuolie Rutsa. I was born and brought up in Kohima Village, where I have spent the better part of my life. I am a photography and videography enthusiast, and I’m currently engaged with Stillfilms Production Kohima. Growing up I have always been fascinated by the stories and folktales my parents and elders would share, my imagination would run wild and I would constantly picture the stories in my mind. It instilled in me, a love for our culture and a desire to preserve it. Deno: How would your friends describe you? I can’t read their minds but I’d …

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Into The World of Art Through the Artistic Lens of Photographer Qhevika Swu from Nagaland

“It’s so fascinating how Photography can take you to a whole new world of its own.The amount of new things I learn from every shot I take, is truly exciting.” We chat with Qhevika Swu – a photographer from Nagaland, who has a growing fan base of people enamored by his artistic depiction of people and things around him. His portfolio shoots are even more eloquent. He brilliantly mixes somber and contemporary style of shooting, which he is now translating into cinematography as well. We chat with 25-year-old Qhevika Swu – the super talented, and much-admired photographer + cinematographer from Nagaland, as he takes us along his creative process and his portfolio. Hello Qhevika, so nice to finally get to chat with you. Please tell us more about yourself. Hi! I’m Qhevika Swu, I recently turned 25. I am a photographer based in Kohima but I’m originally from Mishilimi, Pughoboto Tehsil of Zunheboto district in Nagaland. I am currently exploring the world of photography and cinematography. I am a full-time freelance photographer climbing the ladder. What …

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“I Started out Taking Photos and Videos of My Musician Friends on my Mobile Phone” – Photographer Asemyouba Jamir from Nagaland

Asemyouba Jamir’s love for photography began with taking pictures and making videos of his artist friends with a phone camera. Photography became a way for him to communicate, express, and understand the world. Currently pursuing a master’s in Mass Communication, he juggles with photography on the side as a hobby to keep honing his skills. Besides that, he’s also trying his hands at videography. Living in the Northeast, he captures the beautiful landscape, the people, and nature that are close to his heart.We spoke to him about his future plans, how he learned photography without any professional training, and more. An in-depth chat with Asemyouba Jamir to know more about his work and how it all began. Hello Asemyouba, please tell us a bit about yourself! Hi! I’m Asemyouba Jamir. I’m originally from Kohima, Nagaland but living in Shillong right now, where I’m pursuing my master’s degree in Mass Communication, NEHU (Shillong). Introduce your work to us. What got you started? Since childhood, I was always interested in photography and videography. But since there was …

Shweta Verma from Goa is a Family Photographer Whose Pictures Will Leave You Smiling

Shweta Verma was originally from Bihar but now lives in Goa and is a family photographer. Her work stands out as she has an eye for capturing the true essence of each child and family. What started as street photography and taking pictures of her lovely daughter, her love for photography grew with each picture she took. She believes in creating history with her pictures. Something that each client can preserve and protect. She has a chat with us about what keeps her motivated and her process working with babies, children and lovely families.  Hello Shweta! Please introduce us to your life and photography. My name is Shweta Verma, I am originally from Bihar but now I stay in Panjim, Goa. I am an engineer by education but I left my consultant job to pursue photography as a profession when my daughter was born. What initially sparked your interest in photography? My initial days of photography were all about streets. It all started in the country my daughter was born in – Basel in Switzerland. …

#FACES | The Vibrant Spirit of The Sikh Hola Mohalla Festival in Punjab by Gursimran Singh

“Hola Mohalla, also called Hola, is a Sikh festival which falls in the month of March (usually). Celebrated widely around the world, it was started by the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, as a gathering of Sikhs for military exercises and mock battles on the day following the festival of Holi. Even today it reminds the people of valour and defence preparedness. On this three-day festival, mock battles are held followed by music and poetry competitions. The Nihang Singhs (armed Sikh warriors – members of the Sikh army that was founded by Guru Govind Singh) carry on the martial tradition with mock battles and displays of swordsmanship and horse riding. They perform daring feats, such as Gatka (mock encounters), tent pegging, bareback horse riding and standing erect on two speeding horses. The festival takes place in the city of Ananadpur Sahib in Rupnagar (Ropar), it usually stretches out to a week as everyone loves to camp out and fully immerse themselves in the palpable energy. The event concludes on the day of Hola Mohalla (third …

#FACES | A Farmer Taking Shelter from the Rain Under a Bamboo Umbrella – By Shweta Gupta

“I’m Shweta Gupta, a photographer from Bihar. I was on my way to Jyotirling Mandir, Bhimashankar (Maharashtra) with my friends when we stopped by a paddy field to just observe people and take in the scenery. This particular farmer walked by in the rain with this ‘chatri’ (umbrella) made of bamboo and tarp, and it felt like a moment worth capturing! I was intrigued and went up to say hi. He asked me about why I was taking photos, to which I answered, ‘Everyone should see you and your lifestyle’. He smiled and posed for the photograph. We had a brief chat and he told me he was headed home. I was fascinated with this particular form of an umbrella because usually, in most parts of India, we see burlap sacks but this was different. It turned out to be a great photo!” ~Shweta Gupta from Bihar See some more of her photos on her Instagram!

rootsandleisure_wungmaya_lunghar

“I Want My Photos to Inspire Hope ” — Wungmaya Lunghar, a Photographer from Manipur

Wungmaya Lunghar, from Manipur, is one photographer who believes in the power and messages that a picture carries. His love for kids, nature and people shines through his heartwarming photos, something that very few artists are able to do. He currently works in the field of child development. His work has certainly helped him connect with children and also travel to various places across India. Whenever he spots a moment or view, Wungmaya makes sure to capture it in his camera!  Continue on to find out how fell in love with photography despite not actually owning a camera of his own. Hello Wungmaya, can you introduce yourself to us? Hello R&L! I am Wungmaya Lunghar and I hail from Teinem Village, Ukhrul Dist. I belong to the Tangkhul Naga tribe. I’m working in a child-focused development organization called World Vision India as the Capacity Manager-Design Monitoring and Evaluation; extending support to the NE-Region and West Bengal. I live in Guwahati with my wife and our two sons. I am from an engineering background but always …

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#FACES | A Young Boy Performs a Backflip Cliff Jump at Wah Rymben Falls, Meghalaya.

On a trip to Wah Rymben Falls in Meghalaya, Monzoi Medhi spotted a young boy doing back flips and diving into the water. It was a moment worth capturing and he certainly couldn’t resist taking out his camera! He says, “I made a request to the boy who had been doing repeated flips down the edge of the fall, diving into the green river below. Consent is very important, especially if one is trying to photograph people. Although my knowledge of the Khasi language is limited, I asked him and he was more than happy to be the subject of these photographs!” Sometimes fighting your fear leads to adventure! “This picture in my perspective, represents the human capability of overcoming fears, and enjoying the thrill and the adrenaline that comes with it. It’s by winning over our fears that we make life adventurous. The boy in orange shorts emerges from the water victorious after his back flip into the pool It is that ‘good kind’ of fear that pushes us to grow and learn. Sure, …