Bhupinder Randhawa talks about PPL Kalakriti — the upcoming photography exhibition in the city and the attempt to do their bit for society
A photographer creates a dialogue with the audience through his images. But with a spate of social networking pages and groups on photography today, one wonders if an amateur photography group can grow and attract people from all walks of life to pursue their passion?
City-based photography group PPL (Pune Photography Lovers) shows that it can. Founded by Bhupinder Randhawa, a software professional, the group was born almost two years ago and the first meet-up/hotowalk was organised in May 2015.
PPL guides you on a journey as a photographer and gives you a wide range of experiences through photo-walks, competitions, workshops, etc. Within a short span of time, the group has expanded, and currently it has close to 2,500 photographers as members who share their pictures, thoughts and ideas on a regular basis. It has enthusiasts coming from all dimensions — college students, software professionals, accountants, architects, doctors and even defence personnel. After a successful event last year, they are back with PPL Kalakriti — A Mega Photography Exhibition.
Talking about Kalakriti, Randhawa says, “The annual event is to showcase the talent of amateur photographers. We initially received 705 images, out of which we created a final list of 278 clicked by 118 photographers. These will be displayed at Raja Ravi Verma Art Gallery. This event not only gave photographers a platform to showcase their talent but through it, PPL is also contributing towards the society. Through our last exhibition we sponsored education of eight children, with the help of NGO Prayas and this time too, we have tied up with NGOs Prayas and Indradhanu to train underprivileged kids who have the skills but can’t afford big equipment or classes.”
Randhawa talks about the criterion for selection. Says he, “We started the process three months ago. We reach out to people through social media, newspapers or flyers. The categories for submissions included landscapes, people, nature and wildlife, stills and others. We judged people in three rounds on the basis of composition, technicality and more. They also had to give their picture a caption of eight to ten lines explaining what their photograph is all about. That way, it is easier for visitors to understand what the photographer is trying to convey. Last year, we received a footfall of over 3,000 and I hope to see the same happening this year too.”
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Photography enthusiasts can visit the exhibition at Raja Ravi Varma Art Gallery, Ghole Road on June 9, 10 and 11, between 10 am and 8 pm
Follow the writer on Twitter @sh_anukriti
