Photography, for me, has become much more than just snapping pictures. I enjoyed capturing the golden glows, blue reflections, and sailing clouds. And this pursuit has helped me stay engaged, nurturing my well-being. It has become my passionate search to find amusement in my retirement days. This hobby has given me the gift of time, and walking through the marvelous landscapes and buzzing streets filled that space perfectly.
I don’t go about picking up heavy gear, but a standard flexible lens would satisfy me with a good output. Though I never tag myself as a professional, I strive to connect with nature and find the right places, mostly preferring to ‘see’ the surrounding localities in my city. More than snapping the shutter, I enjoy “seeing” besides holding my camera. Wherever I go for an outing, I settle in a place, watch closely, and indulge in an intimate act of ‘seeing.’ For me, that slice of the moment is not mere observation; it’s something beyond the dance of nature – the rush of flowers and colours, I suspect, many unlucky ones select to ignore.
When I press the shutter softly down with my fingers, it feels like an appeal of nature inviting me to slow down and notice its shadows, the play of light, and that perfectly laid out aesthetics. Everything stands still in that visual realm; I colorfully archive the subject.
I don’t expect everyone to love my photos and give positive feedback. That flattering note is not important to me so long as they are a tasteful few who clap for my montage of portraits and patterns. I am eager to share my images with them. In the narrations I create, I want to share the world I visualize and the special way I see its splendors. To reach this cusp of devotion, attention, and respect to love what I do, I have invested hours, days, and months, years to sharpen my gaze and improve the craft.
Any successful creative journey requires hard work, talent, and enthusiasm, and in this graying age, I don’t mark the first two, but enthusiasm is a constant attribute I wish to cling to. This devotion to photography has become a meditative pursuit that helped me discover a new self. In the process, I grew and evolved and my imagination matured with me. It has become a quest for self-discovery – of my patience, passion, and practice. When I hold the camera and walk down through the sands and fields and into their vastness, and when I set to peep through the lens, I see and make real my inner quest. It becomes a pure joy when I emotionally connect to the scene.
This hobby has taught me a method of self-awareness in my retired years. I have found the wellspring for happiness, purpose, and a healthier outlook – that one needs to make that extra effort and get out of your comfort zone. Through my lens, I’m not just capturing the world—I try to capture the extraordinary in the ordinary. I have always trusted that having this passion is a gift that I work to cultivate every day.