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photography

Hola Mohalla Workshop, Anandpur Sahib, Punjab

in APF workshop/Photo Festivals/photography/Street Photography by

Dates : 24th-27th March 2024

Join us for a 4 day photography masterclass which covers the Hola Mohalla festival in Punjab

The Hola Mohalla festival in Punjab is a vibrant celebration of Sikh martial arts and culture. Amidst the lively festivities, photographers Vineet and Rohit Vohra offer a unique opportunity for enthusiasts to hone their skills through an exclusive workshop.

Photography workshops during cultural events provide a chance for participants to capture the essence of traditions and festivities. It’s an immersive experience that goes beyond the surface, allowing photographers to tell compelling visual stories.

Vineet Vohra

Workshop Highlights

A. Hands-on Guidance from Vineet and Rohit Vohra

Participants will receive personalized guidance and insights, learning to navigate the challenges of capturing live events and cultural celebrations.

B. Cultural Immersion for Participants

Beyond photography skills, participants will immerse themselves in the cultural richness of Punjab, gaining a deeper understanding that enhances their storytelling capabilities through photography.

During this Intensive 4-day workshop, we will focus on the following topics:

1. Travel Photography and art of story telling
2. How to work towards a theme and focus on projects…
3. How to edit your images to enhance the final result…
4. Photography assignments to put theories to work while walking with the mentors on the streets

Vineet and Rohit have a passion for street and travel photography, which has taken them to different parts of the world. They have a keen eye for detail and a unique perspective that they bring to their photography. Their experience in the field of photography makes them the perfect mentors for this workshop.

During the workshop, Vineet and Rohit will share their knowledge and expertise with the participants. They will guide them on how to capture the best moments, use of composition, and other technical aspects of photography. They will also provide feedback and suggestions to help the participants improve their skills.

Apart from being mentors, Vineet and Rohit are also great storytellers. They will share their experiences and anecdotes from their travels, which will make the workshop more engaging and interactive.

The workshop is spread over 4 days and covers the Hola Mohalla festival in Anandpur Sahib and also the city of Amritsar. Each city offers a unique photographic experience. You will learn how to capture candid moments, and the hustle-bustle of the festivity. You will also get to know the history and significance of these places in the context of Hola Mohalla.

One of the highlights of the workshop is the hands-on experience of making a zine. A zine is a self-published booklet that captures your personal experience of a particular event or subject. You will learn how to create your own zine, starting from selecting the images to printing and binding. The zine that you create will be a lasting memory of your experience.

The workshop also provides an opportunity to network with fellow photographers and share your experiences. You will also get to interact with the locals and understand their culture and traditions.

Workshop Charges : 2 options available

  1. Workshop/ Accommodation/ Meals/ Local Travel : $ 2250/ €2250

Includes :

Hotel Stay for 3 nights and 4 days, all 3 meals included

Local Travel

Excludes:
– Return international air ticket
– Any private expenses
– Room service fees
– Porter services
– Visa fees (if applicable)
– Beverages / alcohol during meals
– Personal travel insurance (compulsory; self-purchase)

      2. Workshop/ Local Travel Only  : $745/ €745

Includes :

Workshop Charges and Local Travel

Local Travel

Excludes:

– Hotel Stay/ Meals
– Return international air ticket
– Any private expenses
– Room service fees
– Porter services
– Visa fees (if applicable)
– 18% GST
– Personal travel insurance (compulsory; self-purchase)

Since the class is limited to max 6-7 participants, we can confirm your seat once the full deposit has been made. To confirm your spot, write to us at contact@artphotofeature.com

There are no pre-requisites for attending this workshop. The workshop will be best suited for photographers who have some understanding of how to operate their camera, edit their photos, have some experience in photography and want to take their skills to the next level. However, beginner photographers are also welcome

Varanasi ~ Visual Stories Masterclass, 7th-10th April 2022

in APF workshop/photography/Street Photography by
© Rohit Vohra

During the course of this workshop, the mentors will discuss technique, composition, vision and intent and how to use the camera and lens in a creative way. They will discuss careers, talk about how to get published and how to work on a story.

The mentor Vineet Vohra and Rohit Vohra, will work with students both in critique sessions and in the field, sharing their working knowledge and techniques.

© Vineet Vohra
© Vineet Vohra

This intensive 4-day workshop will focus on the following topics:

1. Travel Photography and art of Visual story telling
2. How to work towards a theme and focus on projects…
3. How to edit your images to enhance the final result…
4. Photography assignments to put theories to work while walking with the mentors on the streets of Varanasi.

© Vineet Vohra
© Vineet Vohra

@Vineet VohraStudents need to bring the following to the workshop:

–       A digital camera with a fixed wide angle lens preferably (a 35mm focal length lens would be best). You are most welcome to get your Long telephoto lenses and zooms for your personal work.

–       A laptop with software to edit/tone your images

–       A notebook to take down notes during the workshop

©Vineet Vohra
©Vineet Vohra

Dates : 7th-10th Apr 2022.

Price : $2495/ Rs 1,87,500 per person 

To book the complete package please write to us at contact@artphotofeature.com

Includes :

  • Workshop charges
  • Single occupancy Hotel stay in 4 star property for 3 nights and 4 days.
  • All meals
  • All Local travel

©Rohit Vohra
©Rohit Vohra

Excludes:
– Return international air ticket
– Any private expenses
– Room service fees
– Porter services
– 18% GST
– Visa fees (if applicable)
– Personal travel insurance (compulsory; self-purchase)

To book the complete package please write to us at contact@artphotofeature.com

Cancelation Policy : 

  • If the workshop is cancelled due to any reasons (including covid), full refund will be issued to the participant.
  • If a participant cancels for any reason after 2nd April, 60% fee + paypal charges will be deducted.
  • If a participant cancels for any reason on or after 3rd April, there will be no refund.

©Rohit Vohra
©Rohit Vohra

All precautions will be taken for the safety of participants and we recommend that participants avoid any other travel 7 days before the workshop. Workshop is limited to a max of 4 participants only.

We would highly recommend a good travel insurance for your own safety.

Nov 2021, Varanasi Dev Deepawali Masterclass

in APF workshop/Photo Essay/Photo Festivals/photography/Street Photography by
© Vineet Vohra

Dates : 17th-2oth Nov 2021.

Embark on an unforgettable expedition to photograph the spectacular Dev Deepawali festival in Varanasi. Led by Vineet and Rohit Vohra.

Varanasi is the only place on Earth where Diwali is celebrated twice. Dev Deepawali (or Dev Diwali) is a festival celebrated 15 days after Diwali to commemorate the victory of Lord Shiva over the demon Tripurasur.

On this day, thousands of devotees take a holy bath (Kartik Snan) in the Ganges, and the 88 ghats in Varanasi are decorated with millions of Diyas (earthern lamps) in the evening.

Nearly 100,000 pilgrims visit the riverfront to watch the river aglitter with lamps while the Ganga Aarti (holy ritual) is being performed by 21 young Brahmin priests.

Come join us in Varanasi and and capture decisive moments that you will savour for a lifetime.

Class capacity: 4 people only

During the course of this workshop, the mentors will discuss technique, composition, vision and intent and how to use the camera and lens in a creative way. They will discuss careers, talk about how to get published and how to work on a story.

The mentor will work with students both in critique sessions and in the field, sharing their working knowledge and techniques.

© Vineet Vohra
© Vineet Vohra

This intensive 4-day workshop will focus on the following topics:

1. Travel Photography and art of story telling
2. How to work towards a theme and focus on projects…
3. How to edit your images to enhance the final result…
4. Photography assignments to put theories to work while walking with the mentors on the streets of Varanasi.

© Rohit Vohra
© Rohit Vohra

Students need to bring the following to the workshop:

–       A digital camera with a fixed wide angle lens preferably (a 35mm focal length lens would be best). You are most welcome to get your Long telephoto lenses and zooms for your personal work.

–       A laptop with software to edit/tone your images

–       A notebook to take down notes during the workshop

©Vineet Vohra
©Vineet Vohra

Dates : 17th-2oth Nov 2021.

Price : $2495/ per person 

Includes :

  • Workshop charges
  • Single occupancy Hotel stay in 4/5 star property for 3 nights and 4 days.
  • All meals
  • All Local travel

©Rohit Vohra
©Rohit Vohra

Excludes:
– Return international air ticket
– Any private expenses
– Room service fees
– Porter services
– 18% GST
– Visa fees (if applicable)
– Personal travel insurance (compulsory; self-purchase)

To book the complete package please write to us at contact@artphotofeature.com

Cancelation Policy : 

  • If the workshop is cancelled due to any reasons (including covid), full refund will be issued to the participant.
  • Keeping in mind the covid situation currently, participant is allowed to cancel anytime before 17 th Oct, 2021 without any cancelation charges (Paypal fees will be deducted)
  • If a participant cancels for any reason between 18th Oct- 10th Nov, 20% of the workshop fee + paypal charges will be deducted.
  • If a participant cancels for any reason after 10th Nov, 60% fee + paypal charges will be deducted.

All precautions will be taken for the safety of participants and we recommend that participants avoid any other travel 14 days before the workshop. Workshop is limited to 6-8 participants only.

We would highly recommend a good travel insurance for your own safety.

Nov 2021, Pushkar Mela Masterclass

in APF workshop/Photo Festivals/photography/Street Photography by

Dates : 14th-17th Nov 2021

Held each at the time of the Kartik Purnima full moon, Pushkar Cattle/ Camel Fair is one of India’s most highly-rated travel experiences, a spectacle on an epic scale, attracting more than 11,000 camels, horses and cattle and visited by over 400,000 people over a period of around fourteen days.

For visitors it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the colour, spectacle and carnival of one of the last great traditional melas, which brings livestock, farmers, traders and villagers from all over Rajasthan.

© Vineet Vohra
Pushkar © Vineet Vohra

APF is organising a 4 day intensive Photography Master Class which is tailor made to cater to needs of anyone who wishes to train their eyes to find order in chaos of Pushkar Mela and also the beautiful town of Ajmer.

The Pushkar and Ajmer Master Class will be limited to an intimate class of max 4 passionate individuals who want to polish their skills and break out of their comfort zones. We’ll talk about street and travel photography. This workshop is designed to help improve your photography, enhance your style and find your vision by providing expert advice and knowledge specifically aimed at helping you achieve success in your work.

Class capacity: 4 people only

Mentors : Vineet Vohra & Rohit Vohra

Pushkar © Rohit Vohra
Pushkar © Rohit Vohra

During this Intense shooting 4-day workshop, we will focus on the following topics:

  • How to work towards a theme and focus on projects.
  • Travel Photography and art of story telling
  • How to edit your images to enhance the final result.
  • Photography assignments to put theories to work while walking with the mentors in Pushkar and Ajmer.

Pushkar © Vineet Vohra
Pushkar © Vineet Vohra

The mentors will work with students both in critique sessions and in the field, sharing their working knowledge and techniques.

Each day will include shooting and theoretical session on all you need to know about Street and Travel photography, dos and don’ts, ways to overcome the fear of getting close, detailed look into various composition aspects and the common mistakes while composing, understanding layering in photography, Gestalt vision and its application in photography, developing ones own style, understanding peripheral vision, ways to see and treat light, video documentary of how their images are made as they shoot and how they fine tune their vision and more.

During the course of this workshop, the mentors will discuss technique, composition, vision and intent and how to use the camera and lens in a creative way. They will discuss careers, talk about how to get published and how to work on a story.

On the final day we make a presentation and have an in depth review session with the mentors and each participant presents their work.

Pushkar @ Rohit Vohra
rohit vohra

Students need to bring the following to the workshop:

–       A digital camera with a fixed wide angle lens preferably (a 35mm focal length lens would be best). You are most welcome to get your Long telephoto lenses and zooms for your personal work.

–       A laptop with software to edit/tone your images

–       A notebook to take down notes during the workshop

 

Dates : 14th-17th Nov 2021

Price : $2495/ per person  (Rs 1,85,000/-)

Includes :

  • Workshop charges
  • Single occupancy Hotel stay in 4/5 star property for 3 nights and 4 days.
  • All meals
  • All local travel in India. In a private bus. (Delhi-pushkar-Ajmer-Delhi)

Excludes:
– Return international air ticket
– Any private expenses
– Room service fees
– Porter services
– 18% GST
– Visa fees (if applicable)
– Personal travel insurance (compulsory; self-purchase)

To book the complete package please write to us at contact@artphotofeature.com

Cancelation Policy : 

  • If the workshop is cancelled due to any reasons (including covid), full refund will be issued to the participant.
  • Keeping in mind the covid situation currently, participant is allowed to cancel anytime before 15th Oct, 2021 without any cancelation charges (Paypal fees will be deducted)
  • If a participant cancels for any reason between 16th Oct- 9th Nov, 20% of the workshop fee + paypal charges will be deducted.
  • If a participant cancels for any reason after 9th Nov, 60% fee + paypal charges will be deducted.

All precautions will be taken for the safety of participants and we recommend that participants avoid any other travel 14 days before the workshop. Workshop is limited to 6-8 participants only.

We would highly recommend a good travel insurance for your own safety.

APF Award theme Daily lives

in APF award/Best of street photography/photography/Street Photography by
© Serkan Tekin‎

We at the APF magazine street photography group ran a 7 day long contest on the theme “APF Daily Lives”. Members were asked to post their shots based on that theme shot in 2019.

1,223 photographs were submitted for the theme and after going through all of these, curators have selected the following 20 top photographs.

Stay tuned for the winner to be announced tomorrow

© Suresh Naganathan‎
© Suresh Naganathan‎

© Raymond Tanhueco‎
© Raymond Tanhueco‎

© Rab Thanasorn
© Rab Thanasorn

© Serkan Tekin‎
© Serkan Tekin‎

© Sydul Islam Sayed‎
© Sydul Islam Sayed‎

© Sujan Sarkar
© Sujan Sarkar

© Meera V Nerurkar‎
© Meera V Nerurkar‎

© Patrick Wendt‎
© Patrick Wendt‎

© sadman faruque junan
© sadman faruque junan

© Amritendu Mondal‎
© Amritendu Mondal‎

© Antonio E. Ojeda
© Antonio E. Ojeda

© Tejal Mewar
© Tejal Mewar

© Sreeranj Sreedhar‎
© Sreeranj Sreedhar‎

© Navin Vatsa
© Navin Vatsa

© Yiannis Yiasaris
© Yiannis Yiasaris

© Nayeem Jabaz
© Nayeem Jabaz

© Saumalya Ghosh
© Saumalya Ghosh

© Abhishek Bissa
© Abhishek Bissa

© Önder Sertçelik‎
© Önder Sertçelik‎

© Siddhartha Paul
© Siddhartha Paul

Do join us at the APF Group  for more inspirations and fun.

Upcoming workshop update

Join APF Co-founders for this Leica Akademie workshop in Pushkar/ Rajasthan

https://www.leica-akademie.in/leica-shop/pushkar-and-ajmer-masterclass-5th-9th-nov-2019/

Konrad Langer (@Konaction) in conversation with Rohit Vohra

in APF Interview/photography by
Konaction

Konrad is one of the most gifted individuals who struggles to label himself as a photographer. He was inspired by skateboarders & grafitti artists, anyone who used streets as their creative outlet. We sat down with him to talk about his art and what drives him to take such compelling city scapes. In the community he is known by the name @konaction 

RV : Hi Konrad, good to have you with us. Will like to start off by asking you how did you get into photography?

Konrad : In 2013 I downloaded the Instagram app and discovered some great work in the community. As I was always out in the streets exploring unusual places I started to take my mobile phone to document my daily explorations. That’s how I started to take photos regularly.

Konaction

 

RV : What got you interested in Urban photography or urban scapes?

Konrad : I was always interested in urban environments. As a teenager I was fully into Skateboarding for several years. Compared to now, that was already a way of interpreting and using urban shapes.

Also I think the diversity of manmade structures seem more interesting to me, than other motifs.

 

RV : Berlin as a city seems to have had a huge impact on your works. What is it about Berlin that you love the most?

Konrad : A good thing about Berlin is that it is ever-changing and you’ll find a lot of different neighbourhoods over the whole city with different styles and vibes. Also the historical perception often is an interesting part of my explorations. There are not many cities in Central Europe, that had such a moving history within the last century.

Konaction

RV : What role did Instagram play when you were starting out?

Konrad : As I said, Instagram was the main source of inspiration for me, to document things with my smartphone in the beginning. Nowadays it’s also a motivation to constantly produce new stuff, even when I am busy or not in the mood. This helps me to get better in what I am doing.

Konaction

RV : Do you think the community that instagram has built has enabled people to connect and express freely?

Konrad : To connect definitely. I have met more than 300 people only through Instagram and some of them even got into real friendships over the years. Especially in traveling the community is amazing and it’s always fun to meet fellow Instagrammers in other countries in the world.

Express freely yes and no. In a technical way for sure, as Instagram allows to show your art forms potentially to the whole world out of first hand. In a formal way, many people that take Instagram seriously are stuck in a certain style and chasing this causes often a loss of engagement. 

Konaction

RV : You have shot for campaigns in the past. Do you have a regular day job or are you doing photography professionally now?

Konrad : Photography is my hobby but yes, I did shootings for many campaigns already. Now I am more concentrating on my job as a Social Media and Content Strategist at a digital agency in Berlin.

RV : What do you do when you are not shooting?

Konrad : Spending time with my girlfriend and our dog, meeting with friends and I love going to rap battles a lot. The creativity and energy that people put into this artform amazes me every time.

Konaction

RV : For someone visiting Berlin for the first time, what are some of the places that you would recommend to other photographers?

Konrad : I get this question asked a lot and my answer is always: It really depends on your interests. Not everyone is into architectural photography or street minimalism but if I would recommend places, I would take people out in the suburbs and explore mainly socialist modernism residential areas. It’s special bit I find these structures quite appealing.

Konaction

RV : How much is photography part of your travels? Do you often choose places, which would be photographically inspiring?

Konrad : Yes, very often!

Konaction

RV : When you are travelling to a new place, do you hunt for locations by yourself or you like to connect with local instagrammers, especially with the community that you have built?

Konrad : So and so.. I try to research in my own and find interesting neighbourhoods, that I can explore. Meeting up with locals is always helpful. The bigger the city, the shorter the time, they can bring you places that I wouldn’t find on my own.

Konaction

RV : Lastly, what would your advice be to young photographers trying their hand at urban photography?

Konrad : Just try to find your style, get inspiration from others but don’t just copy stuff that you see. If you have a bit of uniqueness and innovation in your work, that will always help you to stand out at the end.

Another thing that I really realize, especially for my style of photography and for beginners is that the gear really doesn’t matter. You can do amazing stuff with only your smartphone and you can do crappy pictures with a 10K gear – the interesting things are outside the camera and your creativity behind the lens.

Thanks for your time Konrad. You can follow Konrad on his Instagram HERE

In conversation with Rohit Vohra/ APF

rohit vohra

Moises Levy in conversation with Rohit Vohra

in APF Interview/Best of street photography/photography/Street Photography by

Moises is an established architect who lives in Mexico City and loves all graphic related works. He has been producing Fine Art Works since 1990. His true passion is capturing human condition. We met up with him recently and this is what he had to share.

RV : Hi Moises, good to have you with us today. Could you tell us a little about yourself, your photography and your journey so far?

Moises : Hello I’m a deeply passionate man with a profound interest for images, space and light. I work as an architect and photographer in Mexico City, I try to mix both works with balance as one leads me to the other. My first steps into architecture and photography were when I was 14 or 15 years old, almost 40 years back, since then I live and understand my life through my eyes.

RV : You are an established architect living in Mexico, please tell us what motivated you to hit the streets for the first time?

Moises : Looking back I can say that my first images were at the streets, mainly traveling, but I couldn’t find very well how to approach street photography. I felt lost in a universe of possibilities and then I started exploring other genres as landscapes and architecture until I felt I should grow as an artist and express more emotions from life and the human being and that’s how the street become my main work space.

RV : You call yourself a Fine Art photographer and it seems you enjoy all genres. If you had to pick one out of still life, landscape, street and architecture photography what would that be and why?

Moises : For now I’m only shooting streets, I’m living a period where landscape doesn’t excite me too much. I’m searching for clever moments with coincidences, magic, and a story to tell, and this only happens on the street. On my landscape photography man was nowhere to be seen, now, the human being is always the main subject on my images.

RV : Who are some of your favorite photographers when it comes to street?

Moises : I’ve always enjoyed the work of Elliot Erwitt, Lee Friedlander, Garry Winogrand, Herbert List, Ferdinando Scianna Capizzi, Josef Koudelka, Abbas, Attar, Ho Fan, Raghu Rai, Mario Giacomelli, Vivian Maier, and my friend Stanko Abadzic.

RV : Please tell us about your selection process, what are the things you primarily look for in a photograph when you are making a selection?

Moises : For me, photography is an extraction from reality, and when it’s captured it has its own life, it becomes independent. I always look for it to be visually attractive, balanced, with a story to tell and that it creates an emotion on the viewer.

RV : Since you practice many genres, would you say your genre has an influence on your choice of camera or do you use the same camera for all genres?

Moises : Shooting landscapes and architecture is very different from street photography. Time runs on a very different speed. Setting up the gear for landscape photography can take up to 10 minutes and just one long exposure photography takes from 3 to 5 minutes. Besides, I use medium format cameras, a tripod, filters and lots of accessories that can weight up to 20 Kg. when I shoot the streets I use only one camera and one lens.

RV : What are your thoughts on color vs. black and white? Will we ever see works from you in color?

Moises : Of course you will. For me B&W is a more powerful and conceptual tool when you are working with visually clean shapes. Color helps an image when it isn’t strong enough, because when the image is pure you don’t need any color. Though recently I’ve captured some images where I can’t seem to convert into B&W because part of the message is in the colors.

RV : As a photographer, what’s the most memorable place that you have shot in?

Moises : I’ve been in amazing places photographing landscapes and architecture. Some of them are Mexico, Iceland, China, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, England, USA, Belize, Cuba and in all of them I have stories of the places but not of the people and that led me to street photography. I was recently in Cuba and photographing its’ people has been a memorable experience. Everyone has a story to tell.

RV : Silhouettes play an important role in your works, is it a conscious decision or just a limitation of place and time?

Moises : That’s a question that I asked myself recently. Since I was photographing landscape and architecture, silhouettes were an important part of my images and when I went back to street photography I realized that the high contrast images were the most powerful for me, and they also leave something to the viewers’ imagination. It is also something that I acquire by seeing the work of Mario Giacomelli, his work inspired me into B&W and high contrast images. It gets me closer to the drawing that as an architect is part of my vocabulary.

RV : What do you hope to achieve with regards to your photography?

Moises : I’d like to keep building my style as a photographer. I believe that when someone is young they work and work without questioning much. When you grow up you realize that you need a visual vocabulary so you can explore and tell your story.

RV : Lastly, for someone starting out in the field of photography and wants to try his hands on various genres, what would your advice be?

Moises: My advice would be to start on street photography, even when it’s the most difficult of all genres. There, they will learn all the basic concepts of photography, such as knowing the space, depth, light, speed, and emotions. When they master all of these everything else will be easy and enjoyable. Lastly, Never stop looking for all kind of art.

You can follow Moises Levy on his Instagram HERE

In conversation with Rohit Vohra/ APF

Mou Aysha in conversation with Rohit Vohra

in APF Interview/photography/Street Photography by
Mou Aysha

Mou Aysha is a Humanitarian photographer based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She loves to travel and seeks to discover the unseen. She spoke with Rohit Vohra, Co-founder APF about her creative journey so far.

RV : Hi Mou, good to have you with us. Please start by telling us how was it growing up in Bangladesh and when did you get involved with photography?

Mou : During and after my studies at University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, graduating with a Masters in Applied English Linguistics, I have been following the photography workshops and courses at First Light Institute of Photography since 2014. I am currently employed as the administrator at this non-profit institute and I’m also involved as a volunteer for social and humanitarian projects of First Light Institute. I started photography as a passion and now I dedicate myself to capturing the best moments of life as I see and feel them. I believe that with empathy, compassion and love, we can change the world for the better as artists. I am a positive person who sees beauty in everything.

Mou Aysha

RV : Bangladesh has produced many photographers; do you think growing up there has had any influence on your interests and consequently your photography?

Mou: Yes. I love to travel around Bangladesh. I also love to go through other photographers’ work every day and I find inspiration from these activities and life in general.

Bangladesh has many excellent photographers and they are all very good in their field. But I am mainly influenced by the work of our legendary photographer, GMB Akash. His work and way of helping unprivileged people inspires me every day. He is our Mentor. He has an enormous impact on my work as well on my life philosophy and my views of the world around me. Many of us take photography seriously after seeing his work. He does not only take photos, he inspires you every day to be a good human soul filled with light.

RV : We do see a lot of happy faces, genuine smiles in your works and you have earlier said, “I believe with love, we can change the world for better”. Is that the message you want the viewer to take away from your photography?

Mou : I try to capture the beauty of people and their souls. Emotional connection is very important to me and to capture that I use simplicity in my presentation. I photograph simply. I narrate simply. I want to connect the viewer naturally with my images. The main challenge of my work is bringing out emotion in its simplest form. With my images I want to tug at your heart intensely.

I basically take portraits of people who are marginalised, living on the outskirts of society. I have a special affection for portraits and have therefore, produced an extensive series of them. Genuine smiles, emotions and people’s stories attract me the most. My mission for photography is to continue my journey as a passionate disciple of photography. I want to capture the purest of emotions in my photographs. I also occasionally feel inspired by other subjects and compositions and try not to limit my creative instincts. I seek to discover and photograph the unseen, therefore, I find myself becoming an explorer with a powerful desire to travel. These peripheral groups of people go through very difficult times, but still they manage to smile, they manager to persevere.  To me they seem like heroes.

Mou Aysha

RV : What is it about people and places that draws you to them?

Mou : Photography is more my passion than my profession. It means a lot to me personally and I find a great deal of satisfaction and challenge in this art.

I only shoot what I feel is important to me. I go out to take photos because it’s fascinating to me and because I am curious about people, their lives, their culture and their faces.

Every time I go out with my camera I feel happy. Every new place and all new people I encounter make me happy. I become attached to some of my subjects and we sometimes become friends. They have a strong impact on me and I keep remembering their faces. It’s very rewarding for me to present them with their photos and this makes them very happy. Sometimes I return to the places to share some good moments with them, not only for photography.

Mou Aysha

Mou Aysha

RV : When did you get involved with social work and what inspired you to help others?

Mou : As a student at First Light Institute of Photography, I saw how the director and master photographer, GMB Akash, could change thousands of people’s lives with his humanitarian work. He inspired me to help others and changed my idea of life itself.

I started to actively participate as a volunteer for First Light Institute’s humanitarian projects from the beginning of my studies there. So far, I have been involved in gifting 50 different businesses to different unprivileged families which changed their lives completely.

One of the missions of my photography is to help the people I am working with. These people make me understand how beautiful life is and how easily we can help each other. I always want to do something for them rather than only taking their photos. They are more important to me than my photos.

Now in my capacity as Administrator for the First Light Institute, I participated in setting up a school in a remote village where 120 students are getting free education, whereas, their parents have never been to school. There are many more activities that the Institute has initiated in which I’m involved but the list is quite long to describe everything.

Sometimes we try to do other charitable activities such as distributing new clothes or sandals to street children as well as feeding them a good meal in a restaurant which is a rare moment for them. The Institute has also collected and distributed toys to child labourers and new clothes to the elderly during festival times as well during the winter time.

Mou Aysha

RV : Do you also travel outside of Bangladesh to capture other cultures? If you had the opportunity where would you like to travel?

Mou : I mainly work in Bangladesh as its people and places are magical, but I would also love to travel to all the places that I have never been. I have a long list of places to which I will travel very soon. I mainly want to travel to south Asian countries like Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam but there are also many more places that interest me.

Mou Aysha

RV : What place or experience involving photography that you’ll never forget?

Mou : I have a lot of memorable experiences. Every person I met was like a new experience. I don’t just go there and take photos and leave. I spend a lot of time with the people I photograph. I build up a relationship before I take photos. Sometimes I spend the entire day for one portrait.

Spending time with these soulful, beautiful people is the most valuable experience I cherish. Photography changed my life. Because of photography I travel intensely around my country which has helped me to meet some incredible humans from different cultures and backgrounds. Their life experiences changed my views on life. I have learned that simplicity is the key of life.

Mou Aysha

RV : What projects can we expect from you in the future? Would you like to share anything with our readers?

Mou : I intend to be travelling more to be able to grow as a person and become more sensitive as an artist to capture the beauty of different people and places.

I want to travel to every single place in Bangladesh and take photos of all the beautiful people I will encounter. I want to have a solo exhibition soon with all of those portraits that I will take and some of those that I have already taken.

Mou Aysha

RV : In your photography you focus on emotions as much as you do on the technical aspects. Could you elaborate on that?

Mou : I take simple images primarily of people. I try to take portraiture images with simplicity, but which also reflect a soulful mood and a deep human connection. In addition to the uncomplicated composition, the people whom I photograph are incredibly beautiful and brave. And I believe that this is what sets my work apart from others. For me the people are more important than any defined photography style I follow.

Mou Aysha

RV : Where do you see or hope to see yourself with photography in the coming years?

Mou : I actually don’t have a specific plan. I don’t live by plans. Every day is a gift to me and I want to live my life fully. I want to do something for society and my people.  But I also want to be happy. These are my main goals in life. In five years I want to publish my book with the best portraits that I have taken. I also want to do something for the people I photograph.

Mou Aysha

RV : Any last piece of advice that you would like to share with our readers?

Mou : Be honest and respectful to the people you photograph. Work really hard and take photos every day. Love your life and always be positive. Learn to be happy in every situation and never give up on your dreams.

Thank you for taking the time out for us Mou, We wish you all the best for your future endeavours.

Do follow her work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mou_aysha

In conversation with Rohit Vohra/ APF

rohit vohra

Barsana Holi 2019, 14th-17th March 2019

in APF workshop/Best of street photography/photography/Street Photography by
©Rohit Vohra

Join us as we head for a 4 day workshop in Barsana/ Nandgaon/ Vrindavan.

The Holi Master Class will be limited to an intimate class of max 8-10 passionate individuals who want to polish their skills and break out of their comfort zones. We’ll talk about street, documentary and travel photography. This workshop is designed to help improve your photography, enhance your style and find your vision by providing expert advice and knowledge specifically aimed at helping you achieve success in your work. Participants will work on forming a photo essay in the 4 days.

During this Intensive 4-day workshop, we will focus on the following topics:

1. Travel Photography and art of story telling
2. How to work towards a theme and focus on projects…
3. How to edit your images to enhance the final result…
4. Photography assignments to put theories to work while walking with the mentors on the streets of Barsana.

Vineet vohra Leica Akademie India

The mentors Vineet and Rohit Vohra will work with students both in critique sessions and in the field, sharing their working knowledge and techniques.

During the course of this workshop, the mentors will discuss technique, composition, vision and intent and how to use the camera and lens in a creative way. They will discuss careers, talk about how to get published and how to work on a story.

Participants will stay in Vrindavan.
We will head for Barsana, full day excursion to photograph the Lath Mar Holi in Barsana Village. This colorful celebration is the fight between friends of Krishna and Radha.
Men from Nandgaon village dress in their traditional clothes and adorn the role of Gopas (friends of Lord Krishna), while women from Barsana adorn the role of Gopis (friends of Radha). The men throw colors on women and the women fight back with batons. The aim of the men is to install a flag on the temple of Radha at Barsana and claim victory.
Both Men and Women prepare for Lath Mar holi much in advance and each year they employ new methods to outsmart each other.

We spend the day in Barsana, shooting the streets, head back in the evening for Vrindavan. An interactive session with review of images in the evening follows.

The next day we leave for Nandgaon, spend the day shooting the lanes of Nandgaon, this is a full day excursion to photograph Lath Mar Holi in Nandgaon. Holi in Nandgaon is the return visit for the Gopas of Barsana to play Holi with Gopis of Nandgaon. This time it’s the men from Barsana who carry a flag from their village to the Shriji Temple in Nandgaon and the women from Nandgaon try to stop them.
The occasion is marked by singing folk songs and is an experience to be treasured.
We head back to Vrindavan in the evening for a an extensive selection process from the images shot during the day. Mentors spend time with each participant one on one and cater to their specific needs and provide direction.

rohit vohra Leica Akademie India

Last day, Morning half day shooting around the Bankey Bihari Temple in Vrindavan. The term Bankey suggests “bent at three places” and Bihari refers to “the supreme enjoyer” Thus, Bankey bihari is the benefactor of bliss and pleasure. On Holi, Bankey Bihari is supposed to play holi and the whole town of Vrindavan gets submerged in colors.
We head back for a final presentation and review session with the mentors and each participant presents their work.

Vineet vohra Leica Akademie India

Includes :

Workshop Charges

Hotel Stay for 3 nights (checkin on 14th and check out on 17th) on room sharing, all 3 meals included

Travel from Delhi-Vrindavan, Vrindavan- Barsana, Barsana-Vrindavan, Vrindavan-Nandgaon, Nandgaon-Vrindavan, Vrindavan-Delhi 

Excludes:
– Return international air ticket
– Any private expenses
– Room service fees
– Porter services
– Visa fees (if applicable)
– Beverages / alcohol during meals
– Personal travel insurance (compulsory; self-purchase)

Behind the scenes from Holi 2018

Behind the scenes from Holi 2018

Here is a list of what you should bring to the workshop:

• Your laptop for taking notes and reviewing images.
• Your laptop should have some sort of uploading and basic editing
software installed and working so that you can download and preview what
you shoot in the sessions.
• A power supply or back up battery for your laptop.
• a thumb drive, jump drive or flash stick to move images.
• Camera and Lens or Lenses as preferred.
• Fully charged batteries/ extra batteries please, you will need them for your camera- Please DO NOT FORGET this…. We will be shooting long hours.
• At least 2 formatted (empty) memory cards. Since we will be shooting around color and water, remember to copy your files everyday.
• Comfortable walking shoes, sunblock, sunglasses. Shoes will get wet and coloured. Its a good idea to carry Slippers/ crocs (fast drying)
• The creative side of your brain. (don’t forget this)
• Cling film/ Food wrap/ other camera protection (incase you can’t we will be carrying extra)
• Duct tape (Normal duct tape to seal things)
• Rain coat/ Poncho (doesn’t protect you, but you feel safe 🙂 (optional)
• Bandana/ Cap (covering your head is always a good idea)
• Moisturiser/ oil (you will need this)
• Extra pair of shoes
• Fast drying clothes.
• Zip lock bags to carry essentials, like batteries/ phones and SD cards)
• Sanitizer, Shampoo, Soap (available in the hotel, but always good to carry your own specially after Holi)

There are no pre-requisites for attending this workshop. The workshop will be best suited for photographers who have some understanding of how to operate their camera, edit their photos, have some experience in photography and want to take their skills to the next level. However, inexperienced photographers are also welcome.

rohit vohra Leica Akademie India

Students need to bring the following to the workshop:

–       A digital camera with a fixed wide angle lens preferably (a 35mm focal length lens would be best). You are most welcome to get your Long telephoto lenses and zooms for your personal work.

–       A laptop with software to edit/tone your images

–       A notebook to take down notes during the workshop

WORKSHOP FEE : $2400

Charges are for all inclusive package. If you want any assistance you can email Mehar at contact@artphotofeature.com.

REGISTRATION

To sign up for the workshop please email us at contact@artphotofeature.com

After registering we will send you an email regarding the deposit and payment options. To secure a spot in the workshop you must send the full deposit.

Mentors

Vineet Vohra

Born in Delhi/India, Vineet did masters in fine arts from the prestigious college of arts. He is a self-taught photographer and street photography is a passion that he follows like a discipline.
 
Vineet started shooting as a wild life photographer for two years and then switched on to street in 2001, it instantly became his passion.Vineet considers street photography a journey that he travels everyday. He believes in learning and unlearning and thrives to improve with each shot. Life in general which is so unexpected, he tries to be as honest through his lens as he can. His main focus is on how to make ordinary moments look extraordinary.
 
Currently Vineet presents workshops globally and has judged MSPF ( Miami street photography festival ), currently judging San Fransisco street photography festival and conducting a seminar and a workshop in SF. His works and stories have been published on various prestigious magazines all over the world including National Geographic. He is part of the famous collective www.streetcollective.com which comprises of only 8 members from the world and a part of APF collective which has 20 members.
 
In 2015 he was placed 5th in the top 20 most influential street photographers.
In 2016 has is placed 3rd in the top most influential street photographers.
 
He is a Leica Mentor
 
Other publishes :
 
Rohit Vohra
 
Rohit Vohra is a street/ travel photographer, educator and Co-founder/ Editor in Chief of APF Magazine. He is a Leica Leica Academie Mentor. In a search for methods to read the city, his photographs are often about contact with humans and basic living elements. He received his BFA from College of Arts, Delhi in the year 1997 and has been photographing for over 12 years.
 
He is one of Asia’s most prominent street photographers, He is a member of APF Collective. His works have appeared in numerous Newspapers/ Magazines all over the world.
 
Among other commercial work, which includes product and fashion, he personally likes street photography because of the uncertainty, the challenge, the joy of capturing that perfect moment, perfect in terms of light, texture, and elements all perfectly in place.
For him street photography is one of the purest forms of photography. He says, “It is also one of the most difficult forms of photography. It’s difficult because we usually don’t have much control over the environment, well at least as much as we might like.”
His portfolio
 
Follow him here
 
He was placed No. 1 in the top 20 most influential street photographers.
Some of his interviews
An Interview with Eric Kim
Latest Articles (May-Aug 2016) for Huffington post
 
 
At Bored Panda
 
He is on the judging panel of some of the top Photography awards in the world. Including IPA, PX3, SIPA, MIFA, Tokyo International Foto awards, Photogravphy Grant etc.
 
Since the class is limited to max 10 participants, we can confirm your seat once the full deposit has been made. To confirm your spot, write to us at contact@artphotofeature.com

Kumbh, Art of story telling workshop. 12th-16th Jan 2018

in APF workshop/photography/Street Photography by
Rohit Vohra photographer

Kumbh” in its literal English translation means “Pot”, which emerged from “Samudra Manthan”(Churning of the Ocean) between Gods and Devils. The term ‘Mela‘ signifies’Fair‘.

The Magh (Kumbh) Mela is one of the greatest annual religious affairs for Hindus. Hindu mythology considers the origin of the Magh Mela to be the beginning of the Universe. An important occasion, the Magh (Kumbh) Mela is held every year on the banks of Triveni Sangam (the confluence of the three great rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati) in Prayag near Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh.

A large number of people arrive here annually and stay in makeshift houses or tents at the Sangam, spending the entire month of Magh in prayers.

APF is organising a 4 day intensive workshop which is tailor made to cater to needs of anyone who wishes to train their eyes to find order in chaos of this years Kumbh Mela held in Allahabad. Street photography is very rewarding but at the same time, one of the hardest genres to master. This workshop would help ease the anxiety next time you hit the streets, would help solve the puzzle of composing compelling images in split seconds and most importantly it would help you to see.

©Rohit Vohra
©Rohit Vohra

Each day will include shooting and theoretical session on all you need to know about street and travel photography, dos and don’ts, ways to overcome the fear of getting close, detailed look into various composition aspects and the common mistakes while composing, understanding layering in photography, developing ones own style, understanding peripheral vision, ways to see and treat light. Rohit will also share shot videos of how photographs are made.

© Rohit Vohra
© Rohit Vohra

A make shift classroom will help the participants share and select their top images for review and critiques.
Rohit will talk about the art of story telling. How to write stories and photo essays, followed by a lecture on importance of shooting personal projects and how it benefits in a long run.

© Rohit Vohra
© Rohit Vohra

Workshop Charges : $590/ Rs 38,000 (Workshop only)

Charges are for workshop only, The participants are responsible for travel costs, visa, air tickets, train etc, accommodation and local transport. If you want any assistance regarding your stay, you can mail Mehar at contact@artphotofeature.com

© Rohit Vohra
© Rohit Vohra

This workshop is limited to 5 participants only.

There are no pre-requisites for attending this workshop. The workshop will be best suited for photographers who have some understanding of how to operate their camera, edit their photos, have some experience in photography and want to take their skills to the next level. However, inexperienced photographers are also welcome.

Students need to bring the following to the workshop:

–       A digital camera with a fixed wide angle lens preferably (a 35mm focal length lens would be best). You are most welcome to get your Long telephoto lenses and zooms for your personal work.

–       A laptop with software to edit/tone your images

–       A notebook to take down notes during the workshop

About the Mentor

Rohit Vohra
 
Rohit Vohra is a street/ travel photographer, educator and Co-founder/ Editor in Chief of APF Magazine. In a search for methods to read the city, his photographs are often about contact with humans and basic living elements. He received his BFA from College of Arts, Delhi in the year 1997 and has been photographing for over 12 years.
 
He is one of Asia’s most prominent street photographers, He is a member of APF Collective. His works have appeared in numerous Newspapers/ Magazines all over the world.

© Rohit Vohra
© Rohit Vohra

Among other commercial work, which includes product and fashion, he personally likes street photography because of the uncertainty, the challenge, the joy of capturing that perfect moment, perfect in terms of light, texture, and elements all perfectly in place.
For him street photography is one of the purest forms of photography. He says, “It is also one of the most difficult forms of photography. It’s difficult because we usually don’t have much control over the environment, well at least as much as we might like.”
He is a Leica Brand Ambassador and Mentor.
Follow him
 
He was placed No. 1 in the top 20 most influential street photographers.
Some of his interviews
An Interview with Eric Kim
Some Articles (2016-2017) for Huffington post
 
 
At Bored Panda
 
He is on the judging panel of some of the top Photography awards in the world. Including IPA, PX3, SIPA, MIFA, Tokyo International Foto awards, Photogravphy Grant etc.
 
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