How photography enthusiasts in Delhi are honing their camera skills, one fortnightly walk at a time

As he offers the group a round of chai after their walk, Virendra Shekhawat, founder of the club, told The Indian Express: “Our goal was to create a community of like-minded people who wished to pursue photography as a passion, not a profession. We started off with our first walk at Chandni Chowk as just a casual meet-up for hobby photographers. By the fourth month, our walks had gotten so popular that we had to take up a physical office to keep up with the demand.”

Now, DPC has expanded to include more than just photo walks under its repertoire of events. It offers workshops to build photography skills with one-day capsule workshops starting at Rs 2,500 and beginner courses going up to Rs 9,000 for eight classes. Week-long photo trips are usually planned every month, and previous destinations included Ladakh and Spiti Valley. For those looking to showcase their photography, DPC organises competition-based exhibitions that allows people a chance to submit their work.

“Viren sir (Shekhawat) goes the extra mile to help us improve our skills,” says Shweta Khetan, 41, member of DPC since 2018, “Whether they are technical aspects like understanding exposure settings or creative techniques like composition and lighting, he patiently guides us through each step. Among members, we exchange camera tips and discuss projects we are working on so we can constantly learn from each other.”

While some visitors, like Khetan, have been a part of DPC for many years, others are dipping their feet into the world of photography for the first time. “I recently moved to Delhi and began coming to these walks last month to become familiar with the city,” says one of the newer group members.