From a Slow School Learner to a Renowned Photographer, Here’s Varun Aditya’s Journey
Varun Aditya’s story of a slow school learner to an award-winning photographer was shared in ‘Humans of Bombay’, it has gone viral.
From the time Varun Aditya’s story of a slow school learner to an award-winning photographer was shared in ‘Humans of Bombay’, it has gone viral ever since. Many readers found his story to be captivating.
In his interesting write-up, Varun Aditya revealed that he hated school. He was labeled a ‘defaulter’, ‘slow learner’ which broke his confidence. He just waited to get back home to escape those painful moments in school. The fantasizer in him preferred to get lost in the world of pictures in encyclopedias instead.
He was lucky in the sense that his parents never forced him to get high grades. It was on a trip to Shimla, that Varun’s father asked him whether he wanted to become a bird watcher. It was here that he experienced his epiphany and thereon started an interminable journey into the intriguing world of travelling and photography.
In 2011 the DSLR camera was the in thing. Varun wanted it at any cost so he began to skip meals, saved 300 pounds in three months, and with some help from his parents, he finally acquired the camera. The same day he visited all the parks in London. “I felt such a rush- I hardly went to Uni after that”, he wrote.
Getting likes on Facebook for the photographs he uploaded was a big deal as he never felt appreciated earlier. On the completion of his MBA, he told his parents that he would pursue photography. This left his parents in a state of dilemma as photography was an expensive affair.
The turning point in his life came when he won a small Nat Geo contest and got a chance to visit Panama with legendary photographer Michael Melford. He was thrilled when Michael Melford asked him, “What’s that focus point thing you were talking about?” on his return flight.
He pursued his course although his parents had to take a loan for this purpose for which he is repaying them. “I also bootstrapped everything- I visited affordable places and travelled the world cheaply”, he revealed.
Lady luck was on his side when in 2016 he won the Nat Geo photograph of the year. His Insta handle that showcased his impressive work had taken off by then and there was no turning back for this dreamer.
He concluded the write up by saying, “For me, it's never been about the money. I just wanted to make the world fall in love with nature the way I had. & looking back, I’m happy I didn’t let those labels define me. After all, some birds just aren’t meant to be caged.”