JOIN USWorld through the lens
It was way back in 2012 when Praveen A George Edwin, a business analyst, thought of starting a small group for budding photographers who are passionate about the art and not merely those who own a DSLR and claiming to be photographers.
His idea was well-accepted by his colleague and co-founder of the group, Anantha S, who supported him in making the plan a reality. And that’s how ‘Walk ‘n’ Click’ was conceptualised.
Today, the group has more than 250 members on WhatsApp, who are kept updated about the group’s activities and more that 2,400 members on ‘Meetup’.
Each of them eagerly waits for their next click. This club breaks the notion that merely possessing a fancy DSLR can get one a good picture. Photography, as Praveen says, is a lot more about technicalities.
“Inspite of having a DSLR, people start taking pictures on automatic mode. They hardly explore the manual option. The reason could be that they don’t have any idea about the specifications. Since I have a background in photography, I felt I could use my knowledge to teach others about it,” adds Praveen.
The first walk of the club was organised at Lalbagh four years back with just about 20 members. However, after that, the number increased as more photography enthusiasts joined the club. ‘Walk ‘n’ Click’ is not just confined to the city; they have also explored places like Lepakshi, Hampi, Somanathapura, Melukote and Coorg.
Meera Murthy, an active member of the club, says, “I was always interested in photography. Earlier, I had a point and shoot camera through which I clicked pictures of my daughter and a few things around the house. However, when I first got my DSLR, I was looking for a group that I could be a part of, discuss and learn more about photography. This group makes me feel welcome and comfortable and gives me enough opportunity to experiment.”
With an intention of giving more exposure to manual photography, ‘Walk ‘n’ Click’ organises photo walks on the first Sunday of every month, a photography tour once every two months and a workshop once in six months. Praveen emphasises that though there are many photo walks happening in the city, they never last beyond four or five walks as it becomes a mundane activity for people.
He says, “These groups finish exploring the city in 10 to 15 days after which they feel there is nothing else left, but I believe photo walks can go beyond that. One can explore a variety of things within the same place with different exposure and creativity. Till now, we have completed 57 walks.”
“As a kid, I was interested in photography and a couple of years ago I bought a DSLR, but could never get off the automatic mode. I wanted to learn to use the device at its best, and once I retired, I had enough time to learn. That’s what made me join the club,” says Daniel S Mahanty, another active member.
The best thing about this club is that every walk has a different experience for members to take back home. “If we happen to visit the same place more than once, we work on different concepts each time. Being a beginner, I like to explore new things with the device. This practice keeps everyone engaged and entertained,” says Priya Nivaragi.
The club is open for people of all age groups. All one needs to have is the passion for doing something magical with their camera.
The group gives an insight into photography and how the club functions, after which it is left to people to see if they want to be a part of it.
“One can look forward to a versatile group. People from varied fields are a part of it. I am a housewife and was anxious about joining a group. My passion for photography brought me here. It is an encouraging lot and more like a group of friends,” says Smitha Rao.
‘Walk ‘n’ Click’ is about an overall growth of one’s photography skills.
They have assignments to look forward to and see how to they utilise their surrounding to the best. It allows one to challenge themselves for a better picture with the next click.
“It is not at all a necessity to have a DSLR or any high-end camera. We have seen people taking great pictures with a phone camera as well. It is all about one’s creativity and how they explore it. Every picture has a story to tell,” says Anantha S.
(The club can be contacted at www.walknclick.in)