"It's Difficult to Comment on the Value of an Art and the Artist"

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1. Tell us about your background and journey.

Hello I am Sudipta Mondal, a street and a travel photographer from Kolkata. Being from an Engineering background, I never stopped pursuing my passion for photography, travelling and exploring new places. My love for photography has scaled new heights meanwhile.

I started clicking photos from 2015 when I bought my first camera in 2017 (Nikon D3400), which is a basic DSLR camera & started learning about the camera functions from the internet. After that I started documenting my city, rituals, and culture. But I realized that only knowledge of function is not enough to portray the story, there are so many things to learn and tough competition, then I started learning about composition, framing perspective & basic rules how these things work for making a photograph. Daily I used to view 100-200 photos of experienced and professional photographers. I try to understand them. It helps me a lot to learn.

In 2019 I Won a mobile photo marathon organized by renowned mobile brand "VIVO". I am actively trying to convert my passion to profession. I have published my work on many prestigious and reputed magazines. I have won numerous photography contests.

Currently I am working on a Government project named "INCREDIBLE INDIA" and "DEKHO APNA DESH" under the ‘MINISTRY OF TRAVEL & TOURISM DEPT OF INDIA’. I am still learning and enjoying different genres of photography.

2. How and when did you realize your passion for photography?
For me photography is like a pill of happiness. It teaches me to stay calm and positive, with time I realized that I love to learn this.

You can visit me on my Instagram handle @shutter_humor.

3. Is it a financially stable career?

It's difficult to comment on the value of an art and the artist. It depends on the person and his/her background. If he/she is from art or media background, it is good for them. In the field of photography, degree holders are often considered for jobs as commercial photographers, photojournalists, digital photo editors, videographers, and even educators.

4. What are some tips you would like to share with amateur photographers?
I am not on that position yet that I can share tips I just wanted to share some experiences. Whenever I am going for shoot on busy street if any person said me to don't click I stopped. When I am documenting any culture/festival I always respect people & culture. Always remember don't destroy the culture for a photograph.

Respect & patience & practice is very important that what I feel in previous days.

5. What are various opportunities available for aspiring photographers?

There are so many opportunities and different platforms available for photographers & videographer film making, fashion, event, photojournalist. The internet is the most powerful tool.

6. What are the important skills one should have to be a successful photographer?

I am not an successful yet still I am sharing my thoughts, I believe that observation is the key of photography, rules are also important but sometime break the rules can make an interesting photograph.

7. Which is your favourite book and why?
MAHABHARATA because it teaches us about life.