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Travel Photographer: Manish Baser, PGP 2010

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A picture is worth a thousand words, well in the case of pictures captured by Manish Baser, they are worth way more than that. His name is often included as one of the leading photographers in the travel space. Manish has a huge fan following on Instagram and his pictures are featured by prominent names like Forbes, Nat Geo, Nikon, Kerala Tourism, etc. His pictures are a pure delight. Bespoke and mesmerizing, like every picture has a tale to tell.

Can you tell us something briefly about yourself?

I’m a corporate professional and a hobbyist travel photographer. Currently, I’m working with an ecommerce organisation in UAE and trying to make full use of weekends to explore my creative side in terms of pursuing photography.

How and when did you take up photography?

While I have always known myself to be not too creative, I developed interest towards photography 12 years back. As I traveled to more places, I felt more inclined to capture the beautiful landscapes all across.

Who/ what has influenced your style of photography?

I’ve always been more inclined towards landscape photography. I like to travel a lot and hence have developed the interest to capture interesting landscape compositions.

As an expert travel photographer, any tips about travel and photography you would like to share?

I wouldn’t call myself an expert at the moment. Some things to take care would be:

  • Planning your travel

Planning your travel well in advance is essential in being successful at capturing the right moments. For instance, one cannot hope to visit Iceland in summers and see northern lights. Similarly, for capturing Milky way shots, one has to plan on days with minimum light pollution. Other advantages of early planning are cheaper travel and availability of better accommodations.

  • Research

One should do a thorough research on the location. One should be aware of the rules and the local culture. Some deep research would help one be aware of the hidden gems in and around the location. One should plan to reach the photography locations at the right time. It pays to skip that breakfast and reach the location early morning because of fewer tourists.

  • Right photography gear

An extra battery would be really useful in cold weather. A sturdy tripod helps in clicking those beautiful long exposure shots. One also needs to identify the camera lenses to carry as having the right lens is essential to capture the dream shot however travelling light is also important.

Are there any learnings from this hobby that you can apply to your personal or professional life?

One of the things Photography teaches is to “make the best use of what you have got”. While planning is very important in photography, things don’t always go the way you plan. For instance, you go to Iceland to capture that amazing Sunset and you instead find rains which last for weeks. Instead of calling it a failed mission, a good photographer would change the composition to capture the moving clouds instead.

What is it that you like the most about photography?

There are 2 things. Firstly, it gives me immense creative satisfaction. Secondly, it helps me document my travel in a manner I like. Also, it motivates me to travel & explore new places on a regular basis.

Do you plan to take this hobby as a profession?

As of now, I am planning to continue pursuing photography as a hobby and continue to learn more.

Any URL/ page/ link where one can access your pictures?

I’m currently creating my website. Meanwhile, some of my travel photos are on my Instagram handle (https://www.instagram.com/basermanish/)