Hello Everyone,

This is the very first blog of mine, and undoubtedly I would like to share something about photography here. So let me tell you how it happened and what photography means to me. Here we go..

Most of the people have an inspiration or a story behind doing something,

so have I.

I am an engineering student living away from home. In my earlier days of engineering, I felt too lonely, and I had tried everything that could bring me home back! These were those days when I started writing little and photography was another thing came in my way. But interesting thing about me is that I have two stories: Genuine one, and just a thought of mine!

• Genuine One: I had participated in 'PhotoGraphia by TCS' - a photography competition during second semester of Computer Engineering, in which I got runners up prize. This has been the one - simple motivation after my love for photography.
• Strings I Have Attached: My father too had love for photography in his days, when there were no digital cameras, and people were used to take only 36 shots in a roll. He was used to own a Kodak camera, and that might be a reason why I have so many photographs of my childhood. I sometimes think, few drops of photography are in my blood itself! :)

In earlier days, I was used to have a compact camera - Canon IXUX 7, which I was not allowed to keep with me all the time as I did not have a very good record with gadgets. Still, somehow I had managed to take it with me on some trips, and we spent some valuable time together. During this period, I realized how that one competition had suddenly increased my interest. It had started being more than a box to me.

Next one year, I kept experimenting with my camera. But my efforts got multiplied when a new, bridge-camera: Nikon Coolpix P510 was bought by my brother. As usual, I was not allowed to take it with me, but till then I had proved myself a good operator that I was given permission to take it to Cultural Fest where almost 21 colleges took part. I think that was the turning point. To everyone's surprise, I secured first position in a photography competition called 'Glimpses of Volcano!' People started knowing me for my photography. They even started calling me 'photographer' (I will get back to this word!) by the end of that year.

During third year, I worked for my college. My college-mates started calling me to cover their events. I had been to University Cultural Fest and Techfest twice. I started feeling like an event photographer which I think was the worst of all. I never wanted to do that. I never wanted others to ask me what to shoot and what not to. I just wanted to capture some random scenes - whatever looked creative, whatever looked beautiful to me. This was the time when I was really frustrated by people's behavior for getting themselves captured in my camera. I literally started hating photography!

Though I was used to work less in fourth year because of my frustration and other academic reasons, I was made photography head of my college. I did not do anything during 7th semester, but I had been to Techfest, IIT Mumbai with Photowalk Mumbai Team, which was assigned as the official photography team. This was one of the finest times I ever had with my camera. I learnt so many things, and made new contacts. Next, I participated in PhotoContest in Volcano '15 where I was representing my college for four points. I worked hard for it, secured first position and eventually contributed to my college's third consecutive championship title. I guess that was the happiest moment for two of us: Me and KP Bhai - my senior who is one of the reasons why I know photography. Next was Udaan'15 - Techfest of my college. I am just done with it three days back. We led a team of 20 to cover the entire event and to create an after-movie for the same. That was the biggest reward I have got for my contribution to my college. I will always be thankful to TCS (For two reasons! I will write another blog on my placement journey to elaborate this :D) and my college to provide me a platform and to give me a life-long gift which I think, will be always with me.

At last, during my journey of four years with camera, I have realized what photography actually means to me:

• Photography is about making people see what they cannot with open eyes.
• Photography is about making people smile.
• Photography is about freezing a moment, and keep it with you forever.
• Photographs are stories.
• I am not a photographer, I am a photography-lover!
• There could never be a photography-competition, There can only be photo-festivals.
• Camera I use does not matter as long as I am doing photography! (I still have not used DSLRs much!)

I will never feel saturated with this, there will always be something left out to be written here, but I leave it for the sake of time and space. Please have a look to my Facebook Page and like the same if you find it good:

www.facebook.com/oceaninmotion

Please guide me if there are any mistakes, as this is my very first blog. Thank you for reading :) By: Sagar Mehta - A Photography-Lover!

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