Creative pictures by 21-year-old Indian photographer will make you fall in love with sunsets

Aditya Srirang Bhat, a 21-year-old loves to tell stories through sunset silhouette photography.  ...read more

1 / 7

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Jul 08, 2024 03:54 PM IST

21-year-old Indian photographer, Aditya Srirang Bhat loves to capture sunsets and paint compelling stories with the sun as his canvas. Hailing from Pawas, a small village in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, he’s a psychology graduate.

2 / 7

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Jul 08, 2024 03:54 PM IST

He tells Hindustan Times, Covid was a blessing in disguise for him, igniting his passion for photography. With lockdown shutting schools and colleges nationwide, and physical classes going virtual, Aditya for the first time purchased a smartphone for his online classes. Before Covid, he didn’t own any smartphone or camera, so never got the chance to try out photography.  

3 / 7

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Jul 08, 2024 03:54 PM IST

After finishing his online classes, Aditya explored the local biodiversity in Pawas, brimming with rich flora and fauna. Religiously, after classes, he would spend a good 7-8 hours trying to capture creative shots of insects and animals and post them on his social media. His photos gained good reach and responses and even received tips from photography experts. Slowly, he nurtured this newfound hobby into a fervent passion. 

4 / 7

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Jul 08, 2024 03:54 PM IST

Sunset as a beautiful natural creation has always drawn him, creating a soft corner for sunset photography in him. When he got his first phone, he often clicked pictures of sunset by the lake or beach, capturing the marvelous reflection. Then the idea of playing with light and shadows dawned on him. This type of photography of light and shadow is called sunset silhouette photography. 

5 / 7

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Jul 08, 2024 03:54 PM IST

As his love for photography and awe for sunsets converged, he started to experiment, playing with sun’s light and shadows. He tried many different concepts like cricket with sunset, archery with sunset, shotput with sunset, solar lantern, and so on. Nature is his favourite subject, and natural elements like flowers, leaves, and butterflies, feature prominently in his shots. When he posted these on social media, they gained traction in no time. Noticing the potential sunset silhouette photography has, he worked on it, making it his niche. Aditya became more active and posted regularly 2022 onwards.  

6 / 7

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Jul 08, 2024 03:54 PM IST

Aditya began to plan out in advance to get the best possible shot. To properly be a storyteller through his shots, he rehearsed with his friends, reaching the spot early and trying out different poses. To quite literally capture the sun, he had to be meticulous in planning. A clear sky is a must, cloudy days block the sun and he had to wait for weeks. Aditya believed that timing and patience are crucial in sunset photography. One needs on their toes when the sun comes up, if timing is wrong, there’s no option to retake it the same day. 

7 / 7

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Jul 08, 2024 03:54 PM IST

His sunset photographs were released in more than 20 countries including UK, Brazil, China, Korea, and more. It’s quite an inspirational feat since he captured the stunning sunset pictures only with his phone camera. He wants to pursue a career in photography in the future.