Adventskalender 2022 – Türchen 14

Adventskalender 2022 – Türchen 14

About Me: 

I am Manoj Kumar Baltha. A self-taught passionate photographer and founder of Lifeshots__photographyy. I was born in the southern part of India, currently living in Nordhausen, Germany for my master’s.

I use my camera to record and document life’s moments via visual storytelling. Photography is my favorite form of self-expression. It allows people to see how I think. I enjoy showing people my art because it allows them to see the world through my eyes. People are my preferred topic. I love capturing candid images of them that personify genuine emotions and show me who they truly are. I want them to see the outcome and feel good about how they are depicted. I like discovering beauty in ordinary things and places that most people pass by without noticing. I feel like every place has a story to tell and every person has a story worth telling.

I am motivated by the small moments that we often forget. Emotions motivate me, personality inspires me. I love thinking outside the box, and I’m inspired to uncover something unique with my lens. I often tend to overthink things, but with my camera, I don’t. I only see, envision, and experience things. Photography turned me into a person I never thought I would be. It has always been tough for me to express how I’m feeling. But “Words aren’t required for a good picture.”

My Photography Journey:

It always begins with something that catches your attention. First, it is a hobby, then gradually increases your interest and takes you down a path where you become obsessed with it. Photography has been my passion and I would love to turn it into my profession someday. They say that everything happens for a reason, and I never believed it before. I’ve always had a connection with photography, but how I ended up becoming a photographer is in itself a miracle.

I still remember, My first camera was “Sony Cybershot” and I was around 16 years old. My school organized a trip to North India, and it was my first time traveling with friends. It took me a lot to convince my parents to buy me a camera. I learned how to use it overnight and ended up clicking one of my best memories. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

Fast forward to 4 years, it was my sister’s graduation day, and I borrowed a camera to capture some memories. I shot some beautiful pictures. I had no idea my parents were aware of my passion for photography. They saw me happy, and I think even before me, they knew I was in love.  They gave me the best gift for my birthday, a Canon 700d with a kit lens. I was on cloud nine. I would take pictures of everything that ever existed, you name it I took a picture of it. I learned most of my skills on YouTube.

By the end of my bachelor’s, I was into taking pictures of everything – kids, weddings, wildlife, travel, landscape, and people. But then I realized that I always wanted to capture emotions so, I then decided to go into wedding and candid photography.

My first wedding photograph was of my sister. While everyone in my family was having fun and dancing at all the events, I was photographing all those beautiful moments. Right at that moment, I felt something in me, it was an incredible thrill to know that I was creating the best memories that would last a lifetime. Then I decided to start my own Instagram page, ”lifeshots__photographyy” where I would publish everything I captured.

After two years, I had to move to Germany for my master’s, but photography was never far from my mind. It has become part of my life. I planned to form a new photography club at my university. So, I along with my photographer buddy “Wondering_emptyminded” went together to meet our university marketing team to explain and demonstrate our work.

Guess what – We were selected as the “UNIVERSITY PHOTOGRAPHER AND CINEMATOGRAPHER”. I want to thank Miss. Melano Dadalauri for believing in us and our work. From that day we began working for the university and I am grateful for the opportunity to showcase my work and improve my skills. She also gave me an opportunity at her own small product photography business. She taught me new skills and we worked together on new projects. We became good friends.  I then received my “FIRST EVENT IN GERMANY” after only a few days of working at the university.  A passionate photographer from India was going to do a big Event in Germany. I felt incredible, I felt that all these years I was living for days like these. 

Some say that I have discovered my calling in photography and if that’s true, I consider myself so lucky. I would say when you don’t believe you have the strength to go for it, give yourself a little push, and you will see incredible things happening. Just believe in yourself.

Photography holds a special place in my heart. I am grateful to everyone who has always been a part of my journey from a guy next door to your own Manoj.

They say, we cannot travel back in time, but I can take you back to the moments where you felt most alive.

                                                                                                   ~  Manoj Kumar Baltha

                                                                                                       Lifeshots__photographyy

                                                                                                                       Memories in a snap