A year ago, a wildlife photographer and a travel photographer got together over a cup of ice-cream (yes, it wasn’t coffee). The purpose of the meeting was the ice-cream and it was just a coincidence that both the people at the meeting happened to be photographers. However, predictably or unpredictably, the conversation was all things photography and nothing to do with ice-cream. The wildlife photographer and the travel photographer were keen to introduce amateur photographers to a wide variety of genres in photography, and inspire them to see beyond the obvious in making pictures. Between them, they had gathered truck loads of expertise in photographing birds, wildlife, macro imagery, heritage sites, people, architecture, landscapes and travel imagery. The photographers were keen to (a) showcase the possibility of diverse genres to amateur photographers and then (b) impart in-depth knowledge in each of this specific genres by taking people to places that offer specific opportunities and also (c) begin sharing the hard-acquired knowledge to photography enthusiasts at all levels.
Darter Photography - Travellers Meetup and celebrating a year of Darter
Darter Photography - Travellers Meetup to celebrate a year of Darter
And so, we — Shreeram MV and Arun Bhat — began an initiative. We announced ‘Many Worlds of Hampi – A Photography Tour’ on the 14th January 2011, with an intent to explore the wildlife, landscapes, streets and the famed heritage sites of Hampi and surroundings. We did not want to stop at just the heritage sites, but go beyond and introduce the visitors to a diverse variety of subjects and opportunities to photographer.
We built a power-packed three day schedule with visits to hills, wildlife places and heritage sites very close to Hampi. The harsh afternoon hours and late evening hours were filled with elaborate sessions on the photographing all these subjects.
As with any new plan, we were unsure. But we did not have to be. We realized soon after announcing the trip that there was plenty of interest for it. Friends came. Friends of friends came and their friends came. Strangers turned up too, all excited (and soon stopped being strangers and became friends).
But that wasn’t the end of our hesitations and apprehensions. How will the tour be received? How will the sessions go? Will the tour be trouble free, without any problem? Would all be well?
I guess we did not have to be worried. The group loved it and did not have enough of it. They so did not have enough of it, that they kept coming back to travel with us, across India. They sent their friends, who in turn sent their friends, who all became our friends and just loved our programs.
And because the first program was an amazingly successful one, and very well received, we took the next step. Darter Photography was born. Today, we are a year old and fondly look back at the first trip we made.
We went all across India after our first trip to Hampi. But to cut the long story short and get straight to the topic of this post, last week we hosted a small get together of all Darter Travellers to celebrate our first birth day.
Traveller Sankara S talks about his experiences of travelling across India
The Darter Travellers Meetup was a casual event, where travellers got together and spent a couple of hours chatting. We also had a guest speaker – Shakara S sharing his stories through photographs, of travelling across the country for almost two years. Darter Travellers Radha Rangarajan and Saandip Nandagudi shared collection of their beautiful images with the travellers.
Darter Traveller Radha Rangarajan shows her images during the meetup
Herpatologist Gowri Shankar, who joins Dharter Tours to Agumbe, chats with the travellers
Darter Traveller Saandip Nandagudi shows his image
Further, I talked briefly on getting out with the camera regularly and photography in everyday life. Shreeram spoke about Darter Photography’s travel schedule in 2012 (you will soon see this online) and several new programs coming up. We also spent a lot of time chatting up, talking photography or general chatter, and reliving the good times of our trips. It was a fun get together.
We are going to be hosting similar, which will also be open-to-all, events at more regular frequency. Do stay tuned tuned.
Also see: The full presentation of Sankara’s talk on his travels online.
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