Adding extra to ordinary

Manoj Aryan is adept at juggling various forms of photography — from advertising to fashion, fine art images to studies in monochrome. He sees art in each and every creation of God, and his inspiration spans a wide vista of sights and subjects. “That is why I never wanted to be limited to a particular genre. My passion for art and zeal to create something unique kept pushing me to create something new. I aim for creativity and uniqueness in every photograph that I click,” he shares.

Aryan’s photography journey started in 2007, when he switched tracks from studying medicine at BRS Dental College, Panchkula, as his father always wanted him to be a doctor, to taking up photography as a profession.

“I made an overnight decision to take up photography as a career, amidst a lot of uncertainty and apprehensions. I quit my medical career and took up a new SLR camera as a brush to paint the canvas of  my imagination by capturing the colours of this world.”

However, he never joined any school to learn the art of photography.   “I’m a self-taught photographer,” he says. Nothing comes easy and Aryan too had his share of hard times. “I had trouble with finances and the lack of constant flow of work because I had no network or connections as I was completely an outsider and trying to create my own identity. Making a place of your own without any family background or degree was definitely challenging,” he shares, adding,  “There were times which made me question whether I had chosen the right path. But I think, the most important thing is motivation, passion and not being ready to give up.”

The photographer strongly believes in the need to bring art — be it paintings, sculptures or photography — into our day-to-day lives and not be limited to select viewing in studios. “The onus is on us and the youngsters of India who have a vision for creativity,” says Aryan, who took this very idea to build a platform for budding photo artists and initiated India’s first photography Eyewin Awards, taking it to an international level. People from around 25 countries participated in the contest which was judged by masters of the photography arena.