My Experience: The Photography Course at SACAC

Choosing a career in photography was a decision that came to be after much deliberation. Weighing pros and cons, thinking of future prospects and having endless discussions with friends and family, it was a big change from the world of advertising that I was planning to enter. This was a time marked with uncertainty and confusions. Instinctively, as soon as the decision became clearer in my mind, the first step to be taken was to find an institute to learn, grow and flourish. After weeks of searching and researching, SACAC came up as a top choice.

At SACAC I found myself surrounded by lush, green gardens and the beautiful and calm atmosphere designed to encourage creativity and unique ideas. I joined a group of passionate, ambitious and energetic peers who were excited and eager to learn, photograph and create. The SACAC library houses hundreds of photobooks and literature on photography, there is no dearth of knowledge and information at SACAC as long as one keeps their minds and hearts open. It immediately felt like the place to be as I took steps towards building a career in photography. As the course progressed, at each new chapter of the journey I found opportunities to grow not only as a photographer, but also as a person. Experiencing new situations, meeting new people in the real world, meeting photographers and practitioners I had long admired and interacting with my peers and faculty opened my mind to a world of new ideas and thoughts. As an introvert, I found myself faced with situations I would otherwise never experience. I felt like each new day changed something within me, forcing me to be a better photographer and human.

My biggest highlight of the course had to be the 10-day long photography workshop and field visit to Varanasi. In the short span of time, we had to look for a story, photograph and exhibit. The workshop tested all that we had learned in real-time. It was an experience like no other, living with all my peers in a dorm, having discussions on photography and the projects we were making, sharing meals together, exploring a city like no other and building our friendship with each other and our photographic practices.

The journey at SACAC is facilitated and made exponentially more exciting, enriching and engaging by the faculty who work closely with the students and push them to become better photographers. Learning with photographers like Chandan Gomes, Sharbendu De and Sundeep Bali makes a world of difference learning from their experiences and time on the field. At SACAC, I met my mentor Bharat Choudhary who over the years has helped me to understand and improve on my skills and technique; the discussions and conversations with him on my photographic practice and finding a larger and deeper purpose behind the medium has encouraged me to think and ideate and push to understand my responsibility as a photographer and a person with a voice. I can say with utmost respect and without a doubt that my journey as a photographer and an individual would have been incomplete without the presence of my mentor. During the duration of the course, I also had the opportunity to meet important figures in the photography world such as Sanjeev Saith, Gauri Gill, Praveen Jain, Prashant Panjiar and Sabeena Gadhioke amongst others whose conversations added more value and meaning to the pursuit of a career in photography.

A special mention also goes to the director of SACAC, Daljeet Wadhwa, who is dedicated to helping students and ensuring that each member of the SACAC family leaves with learnings and memories. She truly is the thread that binds SACAC together. The time I spent at SACAC has changed me, making me a better photographer and a more informed and concerned human being. The people I met, the photographic works and cinema I was exposed to, the places I visited, the books I read and the experienced I had, have had a long-lasting impact on me. I came to SACAC as an unsure hobbyist and I can proudly say that today I am a confident photographer looking forward to the journey ahead – knowing that my roots here at SACAC are strong.

About the author:

- Gulmehar Dhillon

Gulmehar Dhillon is an independent photographer based in New Delhi. She completed the PG Diploma in Photography at SACAC in 2020 and joined the department as a program coordinator. Gulmehar's practice is motivated by her questions about the prevailing injustices and inequalities in the society.