What drew me to photography when I was 16 years old was nothing more than the fact that it was a fad to own a DSLR back then. I think it still is to some extent. However for me, photography evolved from "showing off your fancy camera" to actually falling in love with the equipment, and more importantly, appreciating the fact that there is never a dull moment in this world. There is always some memory being created, which can be captured forever in a photograph.

What makes a photograph so awe inspiring? Is it just the fact that it can capture a moment and preserve it forever? Or does something else make a photograph an immensely powerful form of art?

I think its a photographs universality that lends it its potency as an art form. If I were to make a short film for example, its characters, sets, plot, direction and script will be centered around my personal cultural experiences. Think of it as a bias or maybe as a filter which makes it slightly less accessible to an individual who is not familiar with the culture or social setup depicted in the film. If I were to show a bollywood movie to an American friend, he will be unable to appreciate the nuances of the film, even if he was given subtitles. On the other hand if I were to show him a well composed black and white photograph of a beggar on the streets of New Delhi, he will immediately empathize and relate to the issue at hand.

This pervasiveness that photography has owing to its universal nature, is what made me fall in love with the art.

I do not consider myself a professional in any regard. I suppose you never can be a "pro" at any form of art as there is always something new to learn or something learnt to improve upon. I am just on a slow moving joyride to explore, appreciate and share my love for photography with you all. I hope I can inspire somebody to pick up a camera, and start seeing the beauty in the most simplistic things in our lives :)