Today we’d like to introduce you to Riju Kumar.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I didn’t used to think of myself as an artist. I used to be a left-brain, A-type person who looked at things analytically. Give me a business and finance problem, I could solve it. Then, I went on a road-trip for a month – covered 8,000 miles and much of the U.S. I began to notice things that I never had like wild flowers, butterflies, color of the sky, etc. I was always interested in photography, mountains, wildlife.
About 2.5 years back, I had been laid-off from work and had just lost my father. I guess it was a way to deal with the grief and with plenty of time on my hands, I started shooting… a lot. I went to a number of photography meet-ups, met like-minded people and eventually my wife too got involved. Photography got me out of the house and let me get lost…lost in myself. The passion had been re-awakened.
Please tell us about your art.
I am totally unschooled, not even an art appreciation class. Back in India where I went to college, you just studied your major. So, whatever I do is self-taught, practice, lots of practice with help from others. That way we are lucky here in Boston. The community is very strong and people are very helpful.
I guess I should begin by saying I am a photographer. I photograph everything from landscapes to cityscapes to wildlife and people, both candid street shots and portraiture. Similarly, I shoot in color and black-and-white. To clarify, I shoot only digital and in color. When I process the images and edit, I decide if something is better rendered in black-in-white.
Like any other art form, there is a one-part craft or the how and one-part creativity. The craft one learns in school or from others and from doing it, over and over again. You do something enough times, you begin to know how to. The art or creative side is a mix of what’s inside oneself and practice. Much of photography is about contrasts. This could be different colors, or light/shadow or textures. I remember being stuck at my mom’s during winter – it was frigid outside. So, I ended up photographing the coffee mug and the way the afternoon light caught the water glass. My subjects vary depending on where I am. Fortunately, my wife and I travel a lot. So, we get to photograph in different locations – she too is a photographer (interviewed by you recently). And sometimes, we go to specific places to photograph a particular scene or event such as flowering Lupines in New Hampshire or the total Solar Eclipse last year. And while the eclipse was the main reason, I also managed to shoot Elk during mating season, err I mean photograph.
The why is certainly about feelings. Photographs convey feelings and memories. After many thousands of shots, I can still tell how I felt when I took a particular one. I am always feeling Zen when photographing. It gets me outside, walking, spending quality time with my wife. In terms of photographing people, it’s because of the connections we make with people. Essentially humans are social animals. Photographing people helps make those human connections. Also, it’s near instant gratification. People tend to be really appreciative when they get their photos back. We all need those positive affirmations.
This is where I’ll pivot and say it’s not all rose colored glasses. Pursuing art has its ups and downs. Especially when you throw social media in the mix. I went through this myself and my message to others is to not confuse photography with social media followers and likes. Use social media, of course. But it’s a means. Do photography for yourself, not for others. And if you feel passionate about it, keep doing it. I hope those who view my photography can see what I do, feel what I do. But ultimately it has to be for me… living life, one moment at a time, one image at a time.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
While many challenges are external the biggest challenge remains internal. We tend to be our biggest critics – feeling comfortable with one’s work and taking the risk to put it out there. Also, there is a constant struggle in terms of the trade-off between creating what’s in my mind versus what people might like.
Apart from these, there is the usual problem of earning from one’s art. Most of us don’t earn much from it. One has to come to terms with that. Not suggesting that people shouldn’t pursue it on a full-time basis, just that one should expect to struggle and fail. And then you have the problem of people taking your work and using it for free. That really hurts. But then again, one can only move on and keep creating…
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I post my work on Instagram, @riju.pics for general photography, @riju.people for various forms of portraiture work, and @riju.nature for birds/bees/flowers, etc. These are all public accounts. In addition, I do have a Facebook account, Riju Kumar, where most posts tend to be open to friends of friends, some I make public. I am a freelance photographer who can be hired for various types of portraiture work and in addition, people can buy prints of my work. Next year, I plan on a website to further pursue the commercial side of my art.
Contact Info:
- Email: riju.pics@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/riju.pics
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100023946529723
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/rijusays
- Other: www.instagram.com/riju.people
Image Credit:
Sangeeta Kumar, Riju Kumar, Liya Atanasova, Molly K.
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
