An Exclusive Interview with Biplab Majumder

Biplab Majumder has been doing photography for the last 4 years. At the beginning, just after start clicking, Biplab didn’t know that there is a subject called photography; and it’s a language of one’s own perspective. He started to learn photography from his own instinct, and from so many moments of life. Moreover there are so many cameras that always teach him that there is so many ways to set the canvas, set the exposure, and set the perspective, or set the composition. He acknowledges those people who helped him to take it in better way, gave him courage to do better in photography. As creative media is his favorite subject, beside photography Biplab also does graphics design, and has worked in documentary film.

In this “Exclusive Interview” section, today we have the opportunity to talk with Biplab Majumder, as his photograph was winner of Photo of the Month – 23rd Month, 3rd Place. Let’s discover more about Biplab, and his forays into photography in the following Exclusive Interview with Biplab Majumder.

Light & Composition: Hello, Biplab Majumder. How does it feel, being selected as the winner of Photo of the Month, 3rd Place, April 2012?Biplab Majumder: It’s a great honor for me, and this is the first time in my whole life I got an honor like this. More than that, I can say only one thing; some feelings are really beyond our expressions.

L&C: The photograph, “Waiting for You…”, which was selected as Photo of the Month, is a beautiful Portraiture photograph with an artistic perspective, correct lighting, with a heart-touching story, and very well presented. Overall, this is a great composition! Tell us more about your experience of taking this photograph.Biplab: It was an awesome journey to lepchakha, a place where I feel that God make it a paradise. It is a place of big heart people, Dukpa tribes, one of the primitive tribe of West Bengal, India. I met this boy at Santrabari, from where the trek is start to Buxa & Lepchakha. I visit these places very often, as they are my very favorites. It was like any other previous journey to lepchakha, but in this one I have encountered some very touchy and real situation of life, after 45 minutes I reached Suntrabari, and decided to get fresh before start my trek to lepchakha.

I was searching for drinking water, and suddenly in a shop I saw a little boy lying on a wooden bench, and staring so eagerly to somewhere, I took a water bottle and keep watching on him. I was so wondering about him, and then I said Hi, asked him what happened? But he didn’t reply me, just gave me a look. Then I asked the shopkeeper about him, she told me that she is his grandmother, and like every day he is waiting for his mother, his mother work as a daily labor, every day she go for work, and every day he waits for her so eagerly. I saw his eyes how much he was missing his mother. It feels me my mother so badly. I knew that I could not help him for this situation but my one click may give him some excitement for that moment.

L&C: Besides this winning photograph, many people liked several others of your photographs. You must be proud. How do you see your journey to the world of photography so far? Biplab: First of all, I want to thanks to all of them who like and appreciate my work. You know, it’s always a great feeling, when your work is appreciated by all. My journey to the world of photography, especially when I have just started, I didn’t know that there is a media, or a form of art called photography. I love to see things through the third eye, and it is always a different world for me. However, after I discovered this as my canvas for life, I realized the other side of this Dream.

I have faced lots of ups and downs in life, and my photography did not differ from that too. I can say only one thing, that is I live on photography, and it’s like oxygen for my soul. It is my necessity for living. If I see a dream then I have to have that guts to full fill it.

L&C: As we know, you are originally from Wes Bengal, India, which has its own rich diverse cultural and artistic heritage. Do you think depicting life in India portrays a different essence? How much does that influence your work?Biplab: Yes definitely it does. India is always so colorful, and the essence of India has always attracts others, and I am not an exception. Versatility of culture, languages, people, weather, or geographical area, everything makes India very unique land on planet earth. And very naturally it influenced me in my work in a versatile way. It always helps me to think so differently, and help me to grow my ideas so uniquely. When one have full set of color box then it always influence him or her to make a better canvas very confidently.

L&C: We see so many different genres of photography in your portfolio. Do 
you like a particular genre of photography?

Biplab: I love to preserve moments of our daily life, l love to preserve anything which makes me think differently. But yes, I like a particular genre of photography that is portraits, or people expressions. It touches me most. Human expressions always attract me with their own different angle, and point of view, it always makes me feel so deeply. I have always tried to portray the actual expression. Different soul and their unlimited expressions always influence me to share them with everyone.

L&C: Biplab, you have mentioned that you live on photography. Can you tell us more about it to our readers?Biplab: Camera, it has always attracted me from the beginning. When I was at class seven, I got my first camera, Kodak KB10, it was a film camera, and those were the days for me. At home everybody always insist me to click photos for them in any occasion, or any family get-together. Even in friend circles, I always loved to click, it always cherished me. But at that time of my life I never knew that someday I will fully involve with the world of photography. During my school days I didn’t get much time for photography, as I was involved with so many other activities, and also it was very much costly for one camera roll. But I have never left that view of see through the third eye. After so many years I have got one camera mobile when I was in college. Then it was my most favorite pass time gazette, I got my old days. I had clicked so many photos with that mobile but somehow I have lost that mobile and my so many photos with my so many preserved moments. It was really a shocking time for me.

After that I got a compact digital camera. One of my friends gave it to me for some days. I remember how it felt like, as if I found a hidden treasure. I spent all my time with it, and over time it became my oxygen for life. I was always thinking to preserve the beauty of our daily life, and photography gave me that power to do so. Human expression, the mood of our daily life, and the unseen beauty of nature with their aesthetic value has always influence me to click and preserve them.

After using the compact camera for almost one and half years I got a Digital SLR, it was a big dream for me to do photography with SLR camera. And now I am trying to give some touchable moments to the world and want leave my photo print in the world of Photography.

L&C: Have you ever exhibited your work? If so, then tell us about your first exhibiting experience.Biplab: I still remember it was an awesome experience of my life; I along with my two friends was trying hard to do that exhibition. It was a carnival, where I exhibit my photographs for the very first time. We have paid almost 15,000 Indian rupees for that space. It was for ten days, and we have got so many viewers, some of them were really appreciating our work. I remember we have spent almost 40,000 rupee for that exhibition, but at the end we have lost so much that it was very vital things for us, We sold our works for 200-300 rupees and I still remember some people were saying that the price are too much, but we didn’t lose our hope, and we fight till the end, though we have lost so much money, but we have gathered experiences that helps us very much in various ways.

L&C: Are you involved with any photography organizations? How does this help you in your photography?Biplab: Yes I am involved with a photography organization at my home town, Alipurduar Photographic Club. A pioneer photographic club in Jalpaiguri District,West Bengal,India. Me and one of my friends started this organization, and after that so many people got involved to Alipurduar Photographic Club. Now we are like a family, our heart connects through photography. And it is always very helpful for me to get involve with such organization with same kind of people. We have done so many photography, social, and environment related works. I have learned so many things from everyone. We share our thoughts, the way of life, and the techniques of new things in photography. Staying with this organization is always helpful for me and my photography.

L&C: What advice would you give our readers who want to take part in the journey around the world with Photo of the Day?Biplab: Don’t click photographs for any competition or any award. Just follow your inner instinct, your inner feelings, and make a canvas which can tell the language of your heart. I believe that Art is not for show off; it’s a media which can help you to share your thoughts to the world canvas. Those who want to become part of Light & Composition Photo of the day, listen to your heart and mind, to make your canvas. Always have faith in your camera, not in any software. And share them with the world.

L&C: Thank you for sharing your feelings and experiences with us Biplab.

Biplab: It’s my pleasure and it is a great opportunity for me to share my feelings and experiences, I would like to say thank you to the whole team of “Light & Composition” for giving us such a great platform where we can share our works to the entire world. Thank you once again.