Today, the world celebrates World Photography Day, but few actually know where the seeds of the day were sown. In fact, it was an Indian photographer based in New Delhi, OP Sharma (fondly known as OP) who was the man instrumental in getting over 150 photography clubs and associations across the globe to celebrate August 19, as the birthday of photography.
All through the year, all over the world, holidays and birthdays are celebrated. However, no one ever designated a day for photography; until OP came along.
From research work and entertainment, to documentation and art, photography is everywhere. World Photography Day was launched in 1991 by the Indian International Photographic Council (IIPC) of which OP Sharma is the founder member. Later, in 2002-03 the Photographic Society of America (PSA) with its multitude of members, across the world, joined in and also started to observe August 19 as Photography Day.
The first official photograph ever taken was on August 19, 1839. Photography was arguably one of the most important inventions of the 19th Century. Had this unique medium not been invented, our world would have been much darker than it is today. Let us not forget this fact and let World Photography Day see the light!
As for the news photographers working in modern day newspapers, their task is often tedious, sometimes life-threatening (as in covering a war zone, or tracking a flu pandemic), but it is also always rewarding.
The photographer stakes his life on every image; especially the one that you, the reader, see every morning.
Photography as grown manifold over the past 170 years, and today every family in the world has a picture adorning a wall or a shelf in their home. The medium is such that everyone can become professional, thanks to the advent of the digital camera.
The future will see further enhancements in photographic technology and technique, but whatever it may bring, one thing will remain unchanged: The emotions one feels when one looks at a photograph. So this World Photography Day, sit back, take out an old family album and let your mind wander through its memories. After all that’s what photography is all about: Capturing history as it happens.
On a footnote it is important to stress that photography is an art, and as such, it’s high time the government of India recognized it as a fine art. After all, capturing emotions, takes a level of skill.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
OP Sharma's gift to photographers across the globe
Labels:
camera,
capturing,
council,
iipc,
o p sharma,
photographer,
photography,
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Very nice sir...india really needs that kind of persons..and we should appreciate himm for this...god bless u..
ReplyDeleteHi Sir,
ReplyDeleteI like your photographes very much will you please give me some tips how to catch moving images....and Dark light photography
Viral upadhyay
Thanks for this post selvan,OP sir was my guru in photography and I learnt my basics off him only in triveni.Those were the days and the group was also very sprightly.Sir was so knowledgeable yet so humble.He was always ready to answer the most trivial of questions patiently..an epitome of patience. I didnt imbibe that quality from him sadly.Do you have his contact details, I lost touch with him after 1996? I would be obliged.Thanks
ReplyDeleteShibu Jacob
Hi sir,Thanks for this post selvan Mr.H.N.PATHAK sir INDORE was my guru in photography & U R GOD Father of Photography THANKS
ReplyDeleteThanx for being my Guru..m ur student n m feeling so blessed to have a Guru like u
ReplyDeleteRitu Vaish
thanks sir
ReplyDeleteRazz Gupta..
OP Sir Rocks..
ReplyDeleteManinder
I can't tell you how great a influence OP sir has been to my life. I remember meeting him as a child and OP guruji taught me how to hold a camera. And since then I've been holding the camera and have never let go. I wasn't able to learn how to use that camera but I did learn how to hold it. Many people have come up to me and admired that I hold the camera like a master, some even say that I look like a young OP ji. Because of this, I've even been modelling with several camera companies who have taken me as the model to hold their camera =)
ReplyDeleteOP sir you rock and roll, like the man and machine terminator.
Pranaam Gurudev.
ReplyDeletethanks guri ji to teach as the world of Photography
ReplyDeleteHello Sir
ReplyDelete