“All of us have unique stories to tell. There are no set guidelines or path to follow if you wish to capture that story for posterity.”
Living an average life of any other college girl, our Uncommon photographer Apoorva Prasad never imagined she would be interested in photography until she came across an image on Facebook which took her breath away.
Starting out as a self-taught hobbyist in 2013, it was a natural progression taking up this passion professionally. Although she began with mobile photography, she went onto getherself a DSLR to continue this wonderful journey.
However, for Apoorva, the tool never really mattered. She says,
“Everything around you is beautiful if you have a correct perspective. If you can envision how to capture a picture then any tool is fine”
Challenges conquered:
“People always think clicking a picture is a very easy job. You just click whatever you see and anyone and everyone can do it” observes Apoorva.
She explains that people fail to understand that photography is not just clicking a snap-it all depends on the story you are trying to tell people through your pictures. For instance, if you are a travel photographer, you need to be prepared for the unpredictable. One must adapt to various factors like bad weather, storms, lightning in order to get the pictures you desire.
The 8 stunning moments clicked by Apoorva and shared by The Uncommon Box on this feature, are like 8 symphonies from the melody of life. We are delighted to take you through these memorable stories captured by her lens:
#1 Life of Fisherman
Even before the sun rises and warms the sea, a fisherman’s day begins!
This picture was shot in Gokarna, India. It depicts the story of a Fisherman’s life on being himself and enjoying his work.
Apoorva recollects,
“When I asked him if I could shoot him, he was bold enough to pose for the picture. Not only did he continue working along but he also shared few things about his work. The snapshot portrays how we can find happiness in whatever work we do, in the simplest instances of life.’
#2 Para-Para-Paraglide !!!
Have you tried para-gliding yet? Taking off from the mountains and soaring in the sky is the ultimate feeling of pure joy and ecstasy!!
Apoorva reminisces, ‘The sole motive was ticking off this wish from my bucket list. Being and adventurous person, I climbed all the way up hill to do paragliding and to see how they enjoyed it. So, I stood watching the scene and waited for the perfect moment so that I could get the kind of shot I was dreaming of. This was taken on my phone and it is my all-time favourite picture.’
#3 A Glimpse of Hampi
This beautiful town inspired Apoorva’s soul with its classic sceneries, temples and stories! She loved the opportunities it offered her to capture moments with stunning effect.
Apoorva explains:
‘An early morning touristy walk in Hampi led me to this temple and I loved how the lights and shadows played themselves out. And that’s how I composed this picture -drawn to the natural lights, the shadows and the beautiful scenery behind,showcasing the beauty of this ancient city.’
#4 Bliss of Swizz
As they say, when the mountains call, one must go and capture it all. Apoorva heard and answered this call, through photographs that speak for themselves.
This shot was taken while traveling in the train to visit Jungfrau – the top of Europe. The moment she saw this scenic view, she captured it on her cell.
She opines: ‘It’s absolutely eye pleasing when you get to see a place full of greenery with mountains surrounding you. It melts your heart!’
#5 A Colorful Mess
Sometimes certain shots taken in the right frame and at the right time makes everything vibrant and colourful. It is all a matter of clever perspective.
Shot in Kr Market, Bengaluru this shot is one of a kind!
Apoorva states that, ‘Mornings can not only be so delightful but chaotic at the same time. I love how the picture is so simple yet profound,showing all its vibrancies through colour and array.’
#6 Reflections and Stories
“Life is only a reflection of what we allow ourselves to see”. It is therefore a gift or a blessing if you have a unique perspective. In this picture, Apoorva captures a serene moment in Nature.
Apoorva spends most of her evenings watching sunsets at Sankey tank which also seems to be her favorite place in Bengaluru.
The clouds and the sky looked extraordinarily beautiful and I couldn’t help but capture it. I loved how I captured the reflection of the people along with the sky in the shot.’- Apoorva admits.
#7 A City That Never Sleeps.
The city which dares to bring everyone’s dream come true and hypnotizes every soul is sleepless herself! Yeh hain Mumbai meri jaan!- as the popular song goes!
It is magical that for a city that never sleeps, Mumbai’s shoreline too keeps awake all the while. Apoorva remembers that, ‘Even the very famous Marine drive has this magical ambience created through its waves where you would want to sit for hours and feel the silence. On my journey to this city of dreams, I have pocketed this memory on my phone yet again.’
#8 The Ice-Cream Shot
It is the hallmark of creativity to spot the extraordinary in the ordinary. The Uncommon Box is based on this very principle and therefore, commends anyone who displays this trait while highlighting the simplest things of life.
Apoorva explains, ‘This recently clicked picture has been shot in Mussoorie, India. An unplanned shot, it was taken when the chilled weather led to my craving for an ice-cream.’
Added to the list of her out-of-the-box pictures, this ice-creamilicious picture looks even more beautiful with the backdrop of the sunset, adding its own charm and making it a perfect ice-cream shot!
Moments like these reinforces Apoorva’s belief in taking pictures and sticking to photography for a life time.
Apoorva’s philosophy on photography is simple; she advises all the budding photographers out there to not think anything that can stop them from clicking pictures.
She says “Don’t restrict yourself to only one style of photography, learn, explore and experiment in every genre and different themes. You will eventually find out your taste and stick to it”.
At the end of the day, it’s always her passion for clicking pictures which makes this journey even more exciting and adventurous.
The Uncommon Box wishes Apoorva a ‘photo’-‘graphic’ journey and hopes that she will keep inspiring budding photographers through her beautiful compositions!
You can follow her work on the follow social media links:
The content for this feature was developed by Tasneem Bharmal.
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