Shutter Bug

A student of law at ILS,Sahil initially started exhibiting his photographs at the New Art Gallery in the city and on websites like Flickr. “I got a lot of encouragement from the comments that people used to leave on the website about my pictures which drove me to work harder. I noticed the announcement for Asia Across Borders in Smart Photography and I sent in six of my photos. I was delighted to know that all six got selected in the first round for the exhibit out of which two won and one received an honorable mention,” he adds.

He isn’t sure about when his interest in photography sprang up. “I have always liked images and when I was doing the photography course,they took us to the dark room where for the first time I saw my own photograph being developed. It was a stunning experience-to see you own creation appearing as if from nowhere,” he says further adding,“Black and white images fascinate me more than coloured ones. I have observed that a person always looks at black and white photographs for at least five minutes more than they do at color photos. I am also partial towards travel,people and abstract photography”.

Talking about his award winning photographs,he says “I had heard of the incredible Holi that is celebrated in Mathura and I went there singularly to capture this event. The first photograph,which has the feet of a man reclining,attracted me because of the sharp lines that his feet formed-the curves and the overall triangle. The second was of a widow,hunched and old,who was passing a ghat. What fascinate me about the picture are her distinctive features and the beggars,I was able to capture in the background. They depict her poverty.” After a moments pause,he says,“The widows of Mathura are a much photographed subject.”

Currently working under Sunil Kapadia of Dinodia Photography,Sahil seems excited about the next step “I can’t wait to receive the Canon 50D that I am getting as a prize. They are also funding the round trip to Singapore that I have to make to collect it” he grins.