-Profile- Weaving Stories through Photographs: Chandra Shekhar Chauhan

-Profile-

Weaving Stories through Photographs

Chandra Shekhar Chauhan

 Chandra Shekhar Chauhan, a seasoned photographer rooted in the captivating landscapes of Uttarakhand, has a dynamic three-decade journey behind the lens. With each click, he weaves stories that celebrate the raw beauty of nature and wildlife, reflecting his unwavering passion for the craft.

His expertise has found expression through collaborations with various government and private entities, where his images have served as poignant narratives in documentaries capturing the essence of his homeland. Chandra Shekhar’s extensive experience allows him to effortlessly navigate the intricate dance of light and shadow, crafting compositions that speak volumes about Uttarakhand’s vibrant ecosystem. He has captured most of the flora of Valley of flowers. He has published two books on Valley of Flowers.

But Chandra Shekhar’s artistry extends beyond the confines of the camera. As a writer, he pens tales that mirror the soul of Uttarakhand, drawing readers into a world where culture, tradition, and biodiversity converge.

Through his lens and pen alike, Chandrashekhar Chauhan emerges not just as a photographer, but as a storyteller whose narratives transcend time, inviting audiences to immerse themselves in the timeless allure of Uttarakhand’s natural splendor and cultural heritage. 

Chandrashekhar resides in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. He Works as managing director in DHAROHAR FILMS, a company established for making short films, advertisement films, documentary films, music video albums and freelance photography. He has worked with Forest department in an expedition to Nanda Devi base camp, inner sanctuary in 2015 as documentary film maker and photographer, and also made some documentary films on National Park Valley of Flowers. Some of his documentary films are associated with Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Central Garhwal University, Srinagar. These are based on Journey of Swami Vivekanand in Uttarakhand. 

(Text and Images courtesy: Chandra Shekhar Chauhan)

--Dr. Pankaj Sharma

-Profile- Capturing the Wild : The Inspiring Journey of Ashish Dwivedi

 -Above Ordinary-
Capturing the Wild
The Inspiring Journey of Ashish Dwivedi

In the realm of wildlife photography, few names evoke as much admiration and respect as that of Ashish Dwivedi. Born on September 29, 1969, in the quaint town of Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, Ashish's journey from being a dedicated teacher to a celebrated wildlife photographer is nothing short of extraordinary. His indomitable spirit, coupled with an unyielding passion for nature, has not only led him to capture breathtaking images of wildlife but has also seen him bravely combat a formidable adversary – blood cancer.

Ashish's fascination with wildlife burgeoned at a young age, fuelled by his exploration of the verdant landscapes surrounding his hometown. Despite pursuing a career in teaching, his heart remained steadfastly tethered to the untamed beauty of the natural world. In his spare time, Ashish would embark on expeditions, armed with nothing but his camera and an insatiable thirst for adventure. These journeys laid the foundation for his remarkable foray into wildlife photography.

His lens became a conduit through which he communicated the mesmerizing stories of the animal kingdom. Whether it was the piercing gaze of a majestic tiger or the graceful flight of an eagle, Ashish possessed an uncanny ability to encapsulate the essence of each moment. His photographs were not merely images but windows into the soul of the wilderness, invoking a profound sense of awe and reverence in all who beheld them.

Ashish's dedication to his craft soon garnered widespread acclaim, earning him accolades and recognition from the photography community. His work graced the pages of prestigious publications and adorned the walls of galleries around the world. Yet, amidst the adulation and acclaim, Ashish remained grounded, ever cognizant of the fragile harmony between man and nature that he sought to preserve through his art.

However, fate had another challenge in store for Ashish – a battle that would test his resolve like never before. In the prime of his career, Ashish was diagnosed with blood cancer, a diagnosis that threatened to derail his dreams and extinguish the flame of his passion. Yet, true to his resilient spirit, Ashish confronted this formidable adversary with unwavering courage and determination.

His journey through cancer treatment was arduous, marked by moments of despair and uncertainty. Yet, throughout the ordeal, Ashish found solace in his photography, using it as a beacon of hope to navigate the darkest corridors of his illness. Even in the confines of a hospital room, he continued to find beauty in the world around him, capturing images of the fleeting moments of joy and respite that punctuated his battle with cancer.

As Ashish emerged victorious from his struggle with cancer, he did so with a renewed sense of purpose and gratitude for life's precious moments. His photographs, imbued with a newfound depth and poignancy, served as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of nature to heal and inspire.

Today, Ashish Dwivedi stands as a beacon of inspiration to aspiring photographers and cancer survivors alike. His journey from the dusty classrooms of a small town to the vast expanses of the wilderness serves as a reminder that passion knows no bounds and that even in the face of adversity, the human spirit can triumph against all odds. As he continues to roam the untamed corners of the earth, camera in hand, he remains a testament to the transformative power of following one's dreams and the enduring beauty of the natural world that surrounds us all.

(Text and Photographs Courtesy: Ashish Dwivedi)

--Dr. Pankaj Sharma

- Great Masters - A Photographer with Distinct Vision: Normante Ribokaite

- Great Masters -
A Photographer with Distinct Vision
Normante Ribokaite

Normante Ribokaite was born in Dusetos (Lithuania) in 1968.  Photography is her passion. Her favorite photography subjects are nature, man and his environment, horses, photomontage-creation, and in general she photographs everything that interests her. After looking at her works, her inclination appears to be more towards black and white medium, and she seems to do full justice to this medium. Her pictures are unique in regard of strong presentation of subjects and this quality gives her a special identity different from others. Her photography philosophy is to live in harmony with the environment. She has deep respect for each of her photographed objects.

Normante has been awarded in the International Photography contests (FIAP, PSA, MoL, IAAP, GPU, UPI approved) at Serbia, Makedonia,  Bosnia and Herzegovina,  Montenegro, Moldova, Croatia, Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Slovakia, Slovenia, Singapore, New Zealand, China, USA, Switzerland, Cuba, Cyprus, Ecuador, Ukraine, Russia,  Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia,  Egypt,  Georgia,  Finland, Turkey, Hungary, Russia, Poland,  Estonia, Lithuania etc.

She has to her credit below mentioned achievemets:

• The gold medal   of   San Francisco International   Exhibition  GALLERY   PHOTOGRAPHICA -   2013  (USA).
• Awarded  of  the 1st Edition of the Romantic Landscape  FIER Institute Initiatives 2013 (Australia).
• EX ARTE EQUINUS  - 2013  Director's Award (USA).
• Gold  medal at the 71st, 74 st, 76 st  80 st  Japanese International Photography salon  Competition (2011, 2014, 2016, 2020 ).
• The winner of Lithuania wildlife competition "Amber serpent"  (2011, 2012, 2013).
• Awarded at  the exhibition-competition „Earth Day“ (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 ) – Utena, Lithuania.
• Granted a diploma established by the Union of Lithuanian Art Photographers for her works displayed at the exhibition, Horse in Photography (2008, 2010 ) - Dusetos Gallery of Art, Lithuania.
• Granted the Honorary Diploma established by the National Photography Art Foundation for personal shows of artistic photography displayed successfully in Lithuania, in 2000-2006.
• AFIAP (Artiste FIAP)
• BRONZE EXHIBITOR (BEPSS)  THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF SINGAPORE (2016-2019).
• GENIUS (G.APS) AGILE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY, BANGLADESH.
• CAMPINA PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITIONS SOCIETY (ES.CPE) ROMANIA.
• A-PHOTOART (CREATIVE UNION PHOTOART, RUSSIA).
• Culture and Art award for professional activities 2019 (Zarasai region, Lithuania).
  
  
  
  

Normante has organised nineteen personal photography exhibitions till date and has participated in many group shows held both in Lithuania and abroad. Since 2009 she has been a member of the club of photographers of nature Green Umbrella (Lithuania) and AMoL (A member of Photographic Association Master of Light). She is one of the photographers of the Dusetos Art Gallery group (Zarasai Region, Lithuania).

--Dr. Pankaj Sharma

 

 

-Great Masters- "Conveying Emotions through Photographs" : George Digalakis

 -Great Masters-
Conveying Emotions through Photographs
George Digalakis

 

George Digalakis is an accomplished photographer, specializing in Fine Art, minimal photography, through which he tries to convey the beauty of nature, with his own distinctive, black and white language. His passion for photography is harmoniously combined with his love for travel and the exploration of new landscapes and places, stimuli for the creation of his unique minimalist world.  

 

He was born and raised in Athens, Greece. A medical doctor by profession, he still lives and works in Athens. Although he has been involved in many hobbies, such as chess and diving, it took him forty years to discover his true passion for the art of photography.

 

His first contact with photography was back in 1974, when he received a “Nettar” as a gift from his father. Since then, the camera became an integral part of his daily life. But it was only in 2009 that he found the necessary free time to study photography seriously, under the supervision of Tasos Schizas. He became acquainted with classic and contemporary photographers and realized this medium would offer him a getaway from reality and enable him to express his inner world. Photography proved to be a permanent source of inspiration and life-changing experience.

 

Born in a country with more than 1000 islands, he developed a close relationship with the sea, and he feels that this connection is the driving force behind his love for seascapes. George rarely tries to capture the moment and finds that by ignoring reality he can best convey his inner vision and underlying emotions. Subjects that convey feelings of loneliness, isolation, and melancholy are his preferred themes, with bare trees in the water, old piers, and interesting rocks being recurring themes. Purity of space and thought, vast waterscapes, sense of echoing space, and the removal of the distracting elements, characterize his work.

He does not try to tell stories, but to convey emotions. For him the point of art has never been to make a truthful copy of reality, but to create art that could help the viewer to escape the surface of reality we everyday live in and discover emotions and feelings. He sees the use of black and white as a step away from reality, and with the use of the long exposure technique, introduces the sense of passing time, eliminating the details from the background, thus highlighting his subjects.

 Minimalism, both as an art movement and a philosophy of life, has influenced his work. The influence from minimalist photographers, such as Michael Kenna can be clearly seen in his seascapes. On the other hand, the street photography of Harry Callahan and Giacomo Bruneli, with the extensive use of dark tones, highlighting the melancholic mood of their work, has clearly left an imprint on his urban imagery.

 Currently, he has been involved as an educator, teaching the techniques of long exposure, landscape photography to photographers from all over the world. He is organizing workshops in some of the most interesting locations around Greece and has published the tutorial “The Essential Guide to Fine Art Photography”. Educational articles have been published on LEMAG Magazine, Dejavu Magazine, Minimalism Magazine, etc.

George has won many awards, but the most important moment in his career was his distinction in the Px3 Paris competition, back in 2014. This award helped him realize that his work has the quality and uniqueness to stand in the international photography scene.

 

He had five solo exhibitions in Ioannina 2015, Athens 2018, Thessaloniki 2018, Athens 2022, and Sofia (Bulgaria) 2022, and has participated in more than fifty group exhibitions around the world. His work has been recognized in Greece, winning the prestigious "Hermes" Award of the Hellenic Photographic Society and in many international competitions, such as Px3, Sony World Photography Award, Siena Awards, TIFA Foto Awards, APOY, Minimalist Photography Awards, FAPA, SITTP, ND Awards, BnW Photo Awards. He has been published in various magazines and sites, including LensWork magazine, Zoom Magazine, LEMAG magazine, FEM, 1x.com, Digital Camera, Shot Magazine, Blur Magazine, Dodho Magazine, Yatzer, My Modern Met, B&W Minimalism Magazine, Schwarzweiss Magazine. His site has been Listed on the "Top 25 Black and White Photography Blogs & Websites for Black & White Lovers" by Feedspot.

In 2020 George was one of the 6 photographers included in the documentary series “Hunters of Eternity” for the Greek television, while in 2021 he has been awarded the title “Photographer of the Year” at Visions International Photo Awards, Toulouse, France.

 

www.digalakisphotography.com

(Text and photographs courtesy: George Digalakis)

--Dr. Pankaj Sharma

 

 

-Tribute- Amit Sah, An Eminent Lensman Passes Away

-Tribute-
Amit Sah, An Eminent Lensman Passes Away

Promising photographer Amit Sah is no more. He left to the heavenly abode today morning (18.09.2023). His demise is a great loss to the world of photography. He will always be remembered due to his beautiful pictures of Uttarakhand.

Born in Nainital (India), Amit Sah was a dedicated photographer. Since he grew up in a town which was surrounded by magnificent nature, he had an inborn desire to capture the scenic beauty of his native place. He initially used to click with his mobile phone camera. This was July, 2013 when one of his pictures was published in a reputed News Paper. Amit got a big appreciation from photographers’ fraternity for this picture. Hereafter he started photography seriously. Very soon he participated in a photography contest and he received first prize from the Finance Minister of Uttarakhand State. This added wings to Amit’s passion.

Amit had got many awards in photography competitions. Around 200 pictures clicked by him got place in esteemed publications. One of his pictures was printed on a poster of United Nations on the occasion of International Mountain Day. His pictures portray the beauty of nature so truthfully that the viewers get spellbound. Amit believed, “This is our vision which results into good pictures, and everybody possesses his/her own vision”

 Amit was fond of trekking and biking. He had visited many beautiful places of India. He was a good actor as well and had acted in two shot films.

 --Dr. Pankaj Sharma

-Great Masters- In Pursuit of Excellence: H. Satish

 -Great Masters-
In Pursuit of Excellence
H. Satish. D.cine

(MFIAP, MICS, ARPS, PPSA, cMoL, GPA.PESGSPC,
Hon.FICS, Hon.CPE, Hon. PESGSPC, Hon.YPS, Hon. ECPA, Hon.FLAS, Hon.FWPAI, 
Hon.FSAP, Hon.PSP, Patron LMG. Hon.GMTPAS, Hon.ADCC , Hon.EUSPA, Hon.FTPAS)

The art of playing with light and presenting things ordinary in extraordinary perspective, the portrayal of nature in its finest detail, and to capture the various human emotions in all its glory is what distinguishes Satish, the urge to play is but natural to any child, but to play with light and bring forth beautiful images at the age of 12 is sheer prodigy. It is this gift of nature that made Satish, to take up cinematography in his academic stint. It was during his graduation that he started to capture nature in all its Glory and with time he was appreciated for his photo works with awards in both nature and pictorial genre of photography contests the world over. Satish has been honored with International Photography Distinctions, from America, Luxembourg, London, etc.

It must be noted that he is the first Indian to be honored with EFIAP and MFIAP (Master of Photography) in Nature color prints. And Youngest Indian to get MFIAP.

He is the first Indian to get Two Masters from world bodies of photography in Nature photography. He has been invited as a judge in many a National and International photography salon. He was one of the Jury Members in national level photography competition organized by Photo Division I & B ministry, New Delhi.  

Many of his pictures have been published in international magazines, catalogs, newspapers, brochures, and books. His pictures have graced all the guidebooks brought out by “Outlook traveler” and “Today- Travel Plus “Magazine.  WWF, BEML, BHEL, MICO, MCF, Canara Bank and many more Calendar spreads.

Satish conducts Nature and Wildlife Photography Workshops for the enthusiasts. He has so far organized 14 workshops in wildlife in the jungles of Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Sattal, Munsiary, Bandipur, Kaziranga and Ranathambore National parks.

Andhra Pradesh Photography Academy has published a book on The Wildlife Photographic journey of Satish. He had lot of interest in Photography since his young age, and this made him to take up Cinematography, and he passed out with a distinction of 3^rd Rank.

He is a prolific exhibitor in many National and International Salons, thereby, winning many Top awards, and thus became India’s most famous ‘Wildlife Photographer’. Till date, he has won 978 National and International awards.

During the last Pandemic,2020-2021, in one year, he delivered 23 talks across India, on various topics, and showed his award-winning images, which has become a rage now. He guides Youngsters and share his knowledge on Photography, without any secrecy, is what people like most about Satish.

Currently he is the President of Youth Photographic society of Bangalore. The Karnataka Lalith kala academy has awarded him the title - “state artist” award also. 

 (Text and Photographs Courtesy: H. Satish)

 --Dr. Pankaj Sharma