Life has a strange way of making one stumble upon something that turns everything around in a fraction of seconds. Guru Charan was hit by one such circumstance that changed his life completely — his father gifted him an iPhone 4.
A senior software engineer by profession, Guru always had a keen interest in filmmaking. He was longing for a camera that would allow him to explore his way into the filmmaking world and create something fascinating. But he realised that his true calling was something else — photography.
When he was presented the iPhone, he took it as a pastime and went out into the streets to capture a few moments. Little did he know that he will enjoy the task immensely and develop an interest to try more.
He says, “I was just like any other person experimenting with their phone. But something triggered in me and I never wanted to put down my camera after that.” Guru later went on to purchase his first DSLR, a Nikon d3200, and is now using the Nikon d800.
Street photography is one of his interests and he loves exploring the same place over and over again. He says, “I’ve been taking pictures since 2012 and I’ve visited the same streets many times.
But I find different moments and experiences to capture.” Guru recalls the first time he went out into the streets of Shivajinagar to capture some moments. “The first time that I ever went out with my camera, I was beaten up. I was taking a picture of a little girl and some stranger had a problem with it. This led to a fight where I was physically hurt. The little girl and her father came to my rescue. This traumatised me a little bit and I never thought I could step out to take pictures again. But I slowly overcame that fear and I’m glad that I did. However, I make sure that I get the permission of the person before I click them.”
He also enjoys wildlife, landscape, miniature toys and abstract photography. His biggest motivation and inspiration is his wife. He says, “She’s been there with me ever since I decided that I wanted to pursue my hobby. She’s my biggest motivation, inspiration and critic. I always tell her about the assignments and projects that I’m planning to work on, and also show her the pictures before I upload them on my Facebook page. She tells me if something is not right and how I can improve upon it.”
Every weekend, Guru heads out with his friends to explore a new street. Even though he has a hectic schedule over the week, he still looks forward to taking his camera out. On the days he doesn’t go, he says he has his own photography session with his daughter where she becomes the model.
Talking about one of his favourite moments as a photographer, he says, “A couple of years ago, I went to visit Wayanad and as usual, I was out with my camera. My wife was pregnant at the time and she was having a few problems as well. During my walk in the forest, I saw two monkeys sitting together and I was waiting for the right moment to take a picture. After a while, I saw the monkeys move slightly and there was a baby in between them. The parents were cuddling with the baby for over an hour and that was a truly magical moment. It made me feel like the universe was giving me a sign and I’m happy to say that I became a father a few weeks after that.”
Photography to Guru is a passion that he never gets bored of. He loves keeping himself busy, learning new tricks every time he gets a chance and hopes to keep getting better.
His pictures keep his fans engrossed on Facebook and he says he couldn’t have asked for a better life.
Published 16 February 2016, 13:27 IST