Over twenty years ago, Sumer Verma experienced his first dive near the Lakshadweep Islands. That marked the first time he saw the ocean without any filters, untouched and in its most natural state. It was a world he had not seen before, one so distinct from the one he had known so far that he immediately fell in love. What followed is a twenty year long love affair, one that he beautifully nurtured into a career, one of underwater photography, overcoming the many challenges that were posed towards him and introducing the wonders that existed in this world to others. Verma, now, has come a long away from his early days, earning accolades for his work, through the years, and pursuing avenues that would help save the world he is in love with.

Born in Mumbai, Verma graduated with a degree in Arts from Jai Hind College. Right after college, he started working at Genesis Film Production, helmed by Prahlad Kakkar, a man who would go on to become crucial in his journey. Kakkar had already started Lacadives, one of the most recognized scuba diving centres in the country, by then. That initial connection with Kakkar and his scuba diving initiative familiarized Verma with a world he, otherwise, would not have known. In 1997, Verma, along with a few friends, went to the Lakshadweep Islands for a vacation where they decided to participate in a diving course. The sights he saw, in that one singular dive, convinced him that this was something he had to keep pursuing. 

Over the next 2 years, Verma kept going back to the Islands to participate in more dives, before becoming an instructor himself in 2000. During that whole process, of diving and being trained further, Verma discovered an urge to capture that experience and share it with others. He began with filming video footage of his dives. Interestingly, that footage would go on to become an award winning documentary in 2006. It was a little later that he found the drive to pursue this professionally rather than just as a hobby, having watched his own skill at the craft mature.

When he first began, the field of marine life photography and videography, itself, did not have an established foothold in the country. There was basic information about the field but, as Verma states, the process was one of trial and error. It helped that he had a strong initial foundation in diving. However, for Verma, the career that he has built was not one that he had initially planned on. It came as a product of his own passion. He enjoyed diving, loved to share the experiences he had underwater and, as a result of his desire to hone his skill in capturing footage underwater, worked on learning the technical aspects of underwater photography and videography. All these factors culminated in him becoming the professional he is today.

His first taste of success, or rather a milestone, that further emboldened his drive to keep pursuing this field came in 2006. His documentary, ‘Troubled Waters’, built on the footage he had captured when he first started shooting video footage of his dives, went on to win a National Award. Somewhere around that same period of time, he was engaged in an underwater fashion editorial, an assignment that he collaborated on with Vogue. This assignment with Vogue was fundamental to him understanding that he was not alone in finding the sights underwater to be beautiful and that if one organization was interested in capturing their own brand in this space, others would be as well.

Verma has been a prolific diver over the years, having dived in Maldives, Sri Lanka and , even, the Galapagos Islands. From his first dive in the Galapagos Islands in 2014, Verma recounts the incredible experience of seeing the hammerhead sharks that swim in those waters. As he states, he was fortunate enough to have been able to capture footage and photographs from his time there. The time he spent there, according to him, is one of his most cherished memories.

It is no surprise, perhaps, that Verma feels deeply protective of the marine environment. Being involved with conservation initiatives, such as Reefwatch Marine Conservation, he desires that we, as a collective, take more proactive approaches to being more sensitive to the myriad environmental issues that we face today. A single action is not enough for him. We have to act, he says, but act together.

This same approach is one that Lacadives, the dive centre that he is a Managing Partner at, takes. Lacadives approaches scuba diving in a manner that is aimed towards sharing the joy and the delight that diving can bestow to someone. For Verma, Lacadives has been the greatest labour of love. The centre and its involved staff are passionate about not only teaching diving in a manner that is safe but also towards inculcating a love and respect for the world that exists separate to our own. It is this drive and passion that has put Lacadives on the map, with the dive centre being involved with numerous brands and organizations, such as The Taj and the Casino Group of Hotels. Besides that, Lacadives is also involved with Reefwatch Marine Conservation, generating programmes that are geared towards helping raise awareness about marine life and the issues it faces.

Sumer Verma has been immensely fortunate in his journey. However, it is greatly important to stress that the fortune and the luck he has had so far has been bolstered by his own efforts and consistent work. His own journey, one that has been marked by an immensely long period of time and a persistent drive, is one that he tempered with practicality and hard work and he advises others to do the same. After all, success can only come if you keep moving forward.

Our country, bless its heart, has always been a perplexing one. With narrow by-lanes jammed with motorists attempting to squeeze their way through to street vendors deep frying your favourite battered snack, India is a nation of contrasting images, lifestyles and beliefs. What unifies us, then, in a land populated by people of different beliefs, ideas and languages? A single lens, the singular idea of viewing everything, that is in this land of ours, from a perspective that is formed on the basis of acceptance and celebrating what already exists. That is exactly what these talented artists have captured in their photography, pictures of a dazzling India, coloured by its many shades and its people, from bustling streets to the quiet antiquated corners where a lone tea stall stands. This is Indian photography on a different note.

Umang Lachhiramka’s photography is an ode to the old Kolkata that now exists only in tiny pockets. With his sight set on capturing the tight, narrow lanes, that still serve as the playground for many children, to capturing the older neighbourhoods, where life still runs at it’s own idle pace, Lachhiramka’s work may be construed as a reflection of his own love for the city and its history. 

There is, in his pictures, a nostalgic touch that is so vivid that it evokes an ache for the things that are slowly disappearing. It reminds you of the smell you came home to as a child or the call of an old friend, yelling at the top of their voice for you to come out and play. It is photography that is reliant on being able to connect the subject and the audience and, in point of fact, it does so marvellously. 

Pankaj Prajapati’s vision of India is one that is founded on being a blend of its people and the space they create around them. These are photographs of vibrant people living their lives, stories that are personal and, yet, an ongoing everyday sight. 

Credit: Instagram (Pankaj Prajapati)

From rainy train stations, punctuated by a single woman, armed with an umbrella, braving the weather, to the seemingly nondescript man in a red scarf, these are immensely powerful pictures of the world, the one that we share, being extraordinary in its ability to seem common and mundane. Yet, a single look, one attempt at a closer examination, and you sense a whirlwind of untold stories behind the frame. Prajapati’s India is one of quiet, personal stories and a deep sense of what lies behind the frame.

Abhishek, going by his social media moniker ‘desiontheroad’, is, perhaps, the one with a distinct grasp on the fringes of suburban India, with his sight set on encapsulating, in his work, a sense of what life, outside of our own, is like.

You see the tea stall vendor, pouring steaming tea from his steel serving mug to the large stainless pot that sits on the fire, to the municipality sweeper going about her work, the early fog of dawn painting her silhouette. In all his photographs, there is the distinct idea of what exists outside of our own lives, adjacent and running parallel maybe but never truly colliding. Abhishek’s photography is a stylistic representation of tiny pocket worlds, all existing harmoniously, aware of each other but not necessarily touching each other’s sphere. It is photography that is about presenting multitudes, all existing in the same space.

Aarohan Tiwari has shown us once again that pursuing your dreams is the best thing you can do for yourself. You have to trust your gut and work towards your goals. Things were not easy for Aarohan when he decided to change his entire career path. But his perseverance paid off over the years of hard labour.

Today, 24-year-old Aarohan Tiwari is well on his path to success. Over the years, he has worked with various well-known brands like SanDisk, Oneplus, Canon. Daniel Wellington, BMW, etc. Not only that, but he has also worked with Hotstar and Uber!

How It All Started

Aarohan Tiwari studied in Bal Bharati Public school, Pitampura. After which, he completed his graduation degree in Computer Science in 2018. But he decided to change his profession to a freelance photographer and content creator.  

His love for photography began at a young age – when Aarohan Tiwari was only ten years old! It was on a trip to Nainital he recounts the tale. He had taken a landscape shot of the Naini Lake. The picture turned out to be very beautiful, almost like it was trying to tell a story of its own. The image impressed his father. He encouraged Aarohan to take up photography as a hobby. But Aarohan just never got into it. And as school life took over the next couple of years, his focus shifted to other things.

It was in his first year of college when Aarohan Tiwari rediscovered his love for photography. He borrowed his uncle’s 1200D camera and clicked again. And soon, it became his travel buddy! Through his college years, Aarohan began learning the art of capturing raw emotions and stories. And his work got more professional with each shot he took. 

Motivations, Inspirations and Thoughts

In 2018, Aarohan shot the rehearsal parade for Republic Day. And during this shoot, he took a picture of a Navy captain. Somehow, the photo ended up going viral; the captain himself saw it. Within days Aarohan had a message on Instagram from the Navy Captain himself, thanking him for clicking such a beautiful picture.

The streets of Chandni Chowk, Delhi, tell another story when he clicked a portrait photograph. Extremely pleased with the photo, the man shared it everywhere. Soon Aarohan’s followers increased; people from the locality started recognizing him. They showed him immense appreciation and love.

These are the perks of being a photographer, he says, reminiscing these simple yet meaningful moments.

His aim with his photography is to share stories through his shots. Mystical, yet serene, his photographs are ambient.

Even though Aarohan does work as a freelance photographer, he admits that it doesn’t feel like work at all. Photography comes to him naturally – almost like a stress releaser. But that in no way means that every one of his shots is perfect. Aarohan Tiwari believes that the more you go out and work, the more mistakes you’ll make. And hence, you’ll learn more. That’s just the process; it’s inevitable. So better to accept and focus on improving yourself. Because at the end of the day, talent can only take you so far. After that, it’s your hard work and determination that will help you reach your goals.

Words of Advice

Remember, your vision is unique. Let your creativity flow into your work. Start observing the things around you. Absorb it – the stories, the emotions, everything.

If you want to pursue a career in photography, a good portfolio is essential. Start building it. Explore as much as you can. And always remember, ‘The more you shoot, the more you learn.’

Artistic creativity is not always contained within a single genre. Sometimes, it is conveyed through multiple channels, blending mediums and platforms and, yet, following the same thematic idea. The creative mind stays the same. It’s just the means, through which that creativity is expressed, that changes. Vimal Chandran, a visual artist originally hailing from Kerala, falls categorically under this description. A talented illustrator and photographer, Chandran specializes in Visual Art in a manner that unifies his creative vision through diversified mediums. While that may sound contradictory, it is, in fact, one of the principles that Chandran follows in his work. ‘A bigger perspective on art’ is what drives him. It is an interesting philosophy, to say the least, one well worth taking a closer look at.

Keen on painting ever since his childhood, Chandran’s journey in visual art, according to him, has been a gradual one. While still in school, his interest in design was piqued by the idea of aesthetically pleasing typography. In fact, Chandran recalls his habit of writing, in different fonts, in his notebooks in an attempt to make them look appealing. Upon taking up Engineering later, he explored other channels of visual artistic content, dabbling in editing tools, such as photoshop, for institutional magazines and club programmes. Even later, while working in the software industry, Chandran decided to explore photography, an interest that merged well with his love for travelling. Evident as it is, his decision of focusing on visual art as a whole came with the prior experience of having engaged with its different formats. For him, the process of artistic creation is what the focus is on. The work, the end product may be conveyed through myriad shapes but the idea behind it, decidedly, remains the same. 

Indeed, it was not a swift acting catalyst that prompted the man to pursue the field of Visual Art. It was a slow burning interest that drove and evolved his own style in the medium, from his childhood interest in painting to his exploration of photography later on. It all, finally, culminated in him quitting his job to completely devote himself to his passion.

It is, perhaps, a residual effect of Chandran’s own journey that influences his outlook on art and life in general. Throughout his journey, Chandran has evolved his own style in visual art, be it photography or illustration, through a continuous process of trial and error. As he explains, there is a learning curve to almost everything. That period of learning is what is crucial. Mistakes during that period are crucial. It is through these mistakes that the right voice is born. Your own personal voice. Enjoying that whole process of learning, failing and then working on what we failed in, is what’s important. As he states, merely sticking to the conventional means of doing anything and not attempting something in a manner that has not been done before will not foster growth or evolution. 

True to his approach to creating art, Chandran, outright, refuses to assign a fixed meaning to his work. Instead, he leaves it to the viewer, the audience to derive their own meaning. That, according to him, is their own journey to make.

What is really fascinating is the manner in which Chandran draws his own inspiration. As an artist who incorporates different formats in creating artistic pieces, it is no surprise that his own inspiration comes from a multitude of sources, ranging from classical paintings to, even, memes. It is this recognition of artistic talent, regardless of what the channel may be, that truly sets him apart. After all, that talent, as he believes, comes from hours and hours of persistent work.

There is a sense of curated randomness in Chandran’s work. It is not, however, by any means, a chaotic randomness. It is an irregularity that gave birth to his own style and, that, is what truly binds it all. At the end of the day, art does exist in countless forms. It is only an idea or a creative vision that is uniform. And, if you look closer at the different pieces Chandran has created, you can clearly see a singular creative mind churning out beautiful ideas.

Have you seen those photographs of blurry stretched clouds or cars’ tail-lights turned intoto long red and yellow lines? The kind of photographs that just look edited? They simply look otherworldly. Almost as if you are staring at a frozen moment from some dream. Well, that’s the magic of long-exposure photography!

In reality, an editor doesn’t heavily manipulate these photographs. Instead, it’s just a technique of photography. Long-exposure photography is using slow shutter speed to capture the stationary objects while blurring the moving elements of the scene. The stationary objects, in this case, remain sharp and in focus.

Photography is about capturing a moment, a memory. That one split-second of action. But the long-exposure photography technique allows photographers to capture a period of time. A series of events is frozen into a single snapshot. Waves of water, star trails, clouds and their movement – everything is smoother.

But long-exposure photography isn’t just used by landscape photographers. Architectural photographers, street and portrait photographers, etc., use it to add a unique touch of creativity to their art. Today we bring you a small list of talented individuals to show their mastery of this technique!

The Artist List

First up, we have Mayuresh M. Warang. A UX/UI developer based in Mumbai, he is a photography enthusiast. The way he captured the moving vehicles on the road and the waves of water, in multiple pictures, is phenomenal. While the subject is similar, no two photographs are. Each image is a new perspective, yet equally mind-blowing!

Secondly, we have Sourabh Mathapati. A visionary, keen on telling stories through his work, Sourabh is very versatile. He does portrait, macro, wildlife, landscape and product photography. And they are all impeccable! His long-exposure photographs of waterfalls and roads are dream-like!

Thirdly, we have Mohamed Razal. Honestly, his work speaks for itself! In 2020, he won the title of the Grand Winner of Discovery/Animal Planet WildIndia. Not only this, but his photographs have also been published in NatGeo, Nikon and other well-renowned places. The colours, lighting, and entire aesthetic of his photographs is truly trance-like. You can see the use of long-exposure photography in some of his photographs too.

We end our list with Shivakumar Akula. While a 3D VFX artist by profession, he truly possesses some incredible talent in photography. From sunsets to waves, to roads and the cityscape, Shivakumar captures these everyday scenes and makes them look unreal. The way he uses the technique of long-exposure photography is also immaculate. It pushes his photographs to the next level.