“Photography like any other art form is an insight into one’s curiosity. By capturing moments we contribute to a larger creative canvas. At the end of the day, perception is all that matters.” – Ashima
Anyone can shoot chaos, but the most perceptive photographers make compelling pictures out of uninteresting moments. Photographers see what others only take a glimpse of. Photography is a therapy. It is putting one’s eye and one’s heart on the same axis. A good photograph is one that communicates fact, touches the heart and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. A Photograph is a story that cannot be put into words. Photography is the beauty of life, captured. It takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still. It is a love affair with life. Photography is a raw ticket to a moment otherwise gone. Keep calm and say cheers because, we present to you an extremely talented and young photographer from Chandigarh, Ashima Raizada.
In conversation with the Soul Artist :
1) Ashima, give a brief description to our readers about yourself and your background.
I am Ashima Raizada and I am a 22 year old Engineering graduate. I belong from the tr-city itself and I have completed my schooling from Delhi Public School, Chandigarh and Bachelor’s in Technology in Electronics and Communication from Chandigarh Engineering College, Mohali. I am currently associated with the Punjab Lalit Kala Academy as a residency artist working in multimedia. I am an artist by passion and Photography gives me happiness and solace.
2) Tell us about your collaboration with NatGeo.
National Geographic Moment Awards is presented every year, with the aim of bringing out a photographer inside everyone. It has two categories, the NGMA open category and the Lava screenshot category. I was shortlisted for the same and it was a moment of true bliss and surprise for me. This has really motivated me to work harder and also encouraged me to deliver my best shots in the coming future.
3) Highlight on the photography gear you use for clicking those serene pictures.
Most of the photos are taken from an iPhone. I occasionally use Nikon D3300 for shooting landscapes and portraits. The best thing about using a phone for clicking pictures is that you can be more spontaneous and miss out lens on the beautiful moments that our surroundings are full of. it gives you chance to experiment better and also create those less obvious shots.
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4) What is the secret key behind those beautiful visual perspectives you capture ?
Well, the secret lies in the observation and not being fearful in terms of experimenting with color and tonal qualities. What is there and how you interpret it visually, will always have a distinction and that’s what adds to the uniqueness of the images. One is not only presenting the world through a camera, but also how one perceives it and that individualistic approach is important, I suppose.
5) What is art according to you ?
Art is a feeling, pure instinctual energy, permitting me to see the light & hope amidst desolation. I believe in exploring the universe in an abstract form, interpret and describe words, images and emotions and tell all these sublime and mysterious stories on the canvas.
6) Tell us about your future plans and collaborations.
I plan on studying arts and work in as many mediums of expressions as possible. Inquisitiveness and a lot of personal approach and perspective is what makes me going.
7) What according to you is that one feature/ fire, a photographer needs to have ?
Photography, like any other art form, is very varied and has different aspects to it. It doesn’t come alive if you are stuck on taking perfect pictures, rather taking pictures with your own perspective is important. A photographer needs to have that fire that keep burning low and good from within, this keep one going in the long run. Always enjoy while your shooting or painting and don’t forget to be fearless in all your pursuits.