A moment's beauty

An astounding landscape or an honest expression is what attracts photographer Pravin Tamang the most. Pravin started photography around 12 to 13 years ago with a film camera when he used to work for a travel company. 

Sigiria Rock shot from another rock named Pidurangala in Sri Lanka.

Wanaka, New Zealand; (on right) Little devotee, Bhaktapur, Nepal.

Varanasi, India.

“I started photography as a hobby and luckily started to make money out of my work. I used to travel a lot and believed that one can remember a great moment. Eventually, I realised that it was not true and as humans we tend to forget things, no matter how amazing. This is how slowly and steadily I got into photography. I also got a lot of positive feedback from my colleagues and people who follow me online. But I self-critique a lot. I study old photos that I took and find what can be improved in that or what is missing. I am sure years down the line I will be criticising the photos I take now.”

In Nepal

A rickshaw puller sleeps on the streets of Jaipur.

Fluttering prayer flags in Darjeeling.

While a lot has been written about how technology is making us miss out on moments as we get busy with the lens, Pravin has a different take. “If you are not into the art of photography, then it might feel like you are missing out on the moments. But when I see a moment, I see art in the making. It doesn’t happen everyday and there are certain moments which are like that. In those moments I try to visualise how I can capture and communicate that feeling through my photographs. So for me, photography is a way of sharing feelings and emotions with others.” 

Uluru, Australia after the shower is more vibrant and beautiful.

Khecheopalri Lake, Sikkim.

Talking about the role of social media, he says, “We are quite lucky to have a platform like that and while it can get frustrating not being able to understand the algorithms of it, it can be used to one’s benefit.” He adds, “Those who follow me genuinely like me. So Instagram is a place where people connect with me to collaborate and that has brought me a lot of business. So social media is all about collaboration for me and it's a beautiful thing.” The 40-year-old plans to document fishermen in Kerela and butchers in India next.