Ever since my childhood I had a passion for photography, but as it was a very expensive hobby, I was not able to pursue it until the introduction of digital cameras. My coming of age coincided with the introduction of digital cameras. This offered me space to explore the visual medium and thus fulfill my lifelong desire. With a digital camera, there is no need to get a print of every exposure to see the results and except for the initial cost of the camera; each shot is for free unless it is printed.

I basically began as a snap shot shooter with my first digital camera, FujiFilm FinePix 4700 Zoom, as I didn’t had much knowledge about the art of photography. Yet one of my best shot was taken with it and I finally started to improve with my second camera (Canon Powershot A75), with which I took many great shots. However, I always felt the Tele side of the zoom of this camera quite lacking for my taste as I am more inclined towards wildlife photography so, I tried to shoot films on my Dad’s Canon AE-1, with Canon 135 mm 3.5 prime lens. But, I gave up shooting film since the films were too expensive and the 135 mm Tele was also inadequate for me.

I finally I got the basic tele power that I wanted when my Dad bought a Panasonic Lumix FZ20. I learned a lot with this Panasonic. In fact, I developed my core photography skills with it. However, the FZ20 has its own limitations, which often frustrated me. Yet I must admit that working with the limitations itself, honed my skills.

Finally, after 4 years of yearning to own a digital SLR one day, I was able to buy my very own Digital SLR the Nikon D50 in Germany in 2006, through 8 months savings from my scholarship. With the acquisition of D50 and Sigma 70-300 mm APO Macro, I was unstoppable!

Having learned photography, using the most trusted method of ‘Hit and Trial’, I used to look at pictures from magazines like National Geographic and noticed what my pictures lacked, and then I would try to accomplish it. So I can proudly say that my passion has been my teacher.

Initially, I never used to share my pictures with any one; I only showed some pictures to my mother because of her interest in wildlife and that too once in a blue moon. After her constant persistence I showed my work of the past 3 years to my family and they were all amazed. With encouragement and support from my parents and guidance for the exhibition from Mr. Surinder Singh, a renowned photographer from Amritsar, I put up the first exhibition of my work in Amritsar, for which I received overwhelming response.

After this I wrote my first book to share my knowledge with people who want to learn photography on my brother’s advise. Which was followed by my 2nd book co-authored by my mother where we have tried to document some of the birds of Punjab.