#jayantaroy

Spotlight: Jayanta Roy, India

In our Spotlight feature, we ask our members some questions to learn more about what inspires their photography, the processes they use to make images, and the stories behind their favorite pictures.

Q: What's the story behind this photo?

A: It’s not a perfect photo but it was challenging to snap and the enjoyment I associate with it makes it my one of my most favorite photos.  

It was taken in Sikkim, at around 3 a.m. The wind from Kanchenjunga was painfully cold and the night was pitch-black and I forgot to carry my flashlight. It was very difficult to find a proper location in the dark, to find a tree or something to get a good prospective, and keeping the tripod still in the wind. I always felt that someone was watching me from the dark. I was afraid of a black bear or leopard, but nothing went wrong. I felt happy when I saw this image as a Photo of the Day on National Geographic.

 Q: Why do you take pictures?

 A: Because photography makes me happy. This is the only time when I feel free from the worries of daily life. I like its ability to transform life into permanent memories. Photography not only captures what we see, it also captures the feelings of the moment, which is what I like most.

 Q: What do you like to take pictures of and why?

 A: I like landscapes and portrait photography, especially landscapes in black and white. I work in black and white because of its ability to convey extraordinary emotions and drama. 

Q: Are you a self-taught photographer? If not, how did you learn to shoot?

 A: Yes, I am totally self-taught. I never attended any photography classes or anything like that. Mostly I learned just by trial and error. It’s been a long and slow process of development, which I have enjoyed so far. I have a tendency to look at works by the same photographers over and over again; I think it has helped me a lot. To learn we must see only quality works, which help us to become better photographers.

 Q: Whose photography has influenced you the most?

 A: There are three photographers who inspired me most: Ansel Adams, Michael Kenna, and Hengki Koentjoro. I am happy I found their work at a very early stage in my photography.