Photography is one art form that is loved and cherished by all, be it clicking a photograph or just simply looking at it and appreciating it. Anmol Wahi, who was formerly a student now a student counselor at the Raghu Rai Center for Photography says, “I love photography as you can freeze a moment and capture something forever. Photographs express a lot more than what you can see.”
When asked about whether a person is born with the skill of photography or acquired. She says, “People are born with a creative aspect. But it is a constant learning process and is mastered over the years with experience.”
In coversation (Photo: Anmol Wahi)
The photographs she clicked was of Holi being celebrated at the Gopinath Temple and some landscapes. The reason why she captured these visuals, she explains, “The idea of widows being allowed to go out and enjoy the festival of colours was really new to me as there is a notion that these women are supposed to be surrounded by white and that they deserve to be left mourning. For hundreds of years widows in India have been oppressed and are treated like third-grade citizens in our society.”
She then details, “When I entered the temple, there were various small groups of women engrossed in conversation and laughter. As the day progressed, the air of the courtyard in the temple was eventually filled with hundreds of 1500 kgs of gulal and flowers. Every corner had widows forgetting their daily life of pain and feeling happiness like never before.”
On the portrait, she says, her brother who plays basketball wanted to show the aggression and attitude that is required for basketball through the eyes. For her landscapes, she feels while they were beautiful, she wanted to add her own touch and feel to it.
Joys of Holi at the Gopinath Temple (Photo: Anmol Wahi)
Apart from the photos of Anmol, there are photographs from other students like Geet Gemini who has captured a striking smile of a child; Amit Kumar who captured a still frame in Rishikesh and Sandy who captured a child standing with a cutout of a poster.
The amazing captures by these students say a lot about their perception of human nature. Expressions have been captured in a way where every face unmasks the emotions and feelings that lie beneath.
