Capturing moments, cultivating mindfulness

Photography is a universal artistic expression transcending age, geography, and professional background. With advancements in technology, it has become an integral part of millions' daily lives, serving as a personal contemplation, professional ambition, or therapeutic escape. The author speaks with three Bangladeshi students, Salman Siddique Prottoy, Shehrij Nihal, and Shakib Niloy, who have taken up photography as a passionate hobby. They share their perspectives on how photography connects with their academic pursuits, mental well-being, and future goals.

A meditative practice
Salman Siddique Prottoy, an economics graduate student at North Dakota State University, began his photography journey in late 2018 with only a smartphone. By 2020, he upgraded to a Canon 6D, marking the point where his hobby turned into an earnest pursuit. He is intrigued by the word Sonder, which drives his fascination with urban landscapes and street scenes. "Every little or significant stranger you see on the street, or any object, has a history of life as complex as yours," Prottoy reflects.
Photography is a creative outlet and a meditative practice for Prottoy. "I feel naked without a camera in my backpack. So when a photo comes, a photo happens," he says, likening his camera to a constant companion. It helps him maintain his mental well-being. For him, it is like saving on psychiatric fees; the camera serves as his coping mechanism.
Despite the demands of academic life, Prottoy has found a way to integrate photography into his daily routine. He envisions a future in filmmaking, though he admits, "I'll move into filmmaking when I realize what cinema is, properly. That's the end goal." For now, photography remains a grounding force in his life, allowing him to connect deeply with the urban environment around him.
A coping mechanism
Shehrij Nihal, a medical student at MH Samorita Medical College & Hospital, discovered photography while juggling the demanding and emotionally exhausting life in medical school. For him, it started as a way to cope, a method to deal with the constant pressure and stress that comes with his academic obligations. "Photography supported me to drift away from reality, even if only for a moment, and explore the world through a different lens, literally and metaphorically," he says.
Nihal views photography as his form of therapy. He takes 'photo walks' to escape the mental fatigue of his studies and finds joy in capturing unique perspectives of ordinary scenes. "Sometimes in the dead of night, I edit photos and play with colours, which allows me to stroll down amnesia lane," he shares.
However, balancing his passion for photography with his demanding medical studies is a continuous challenge. "It is all about compromising. Sometimes, I cannot take my camera and wander off for my exams. Sometimes I get frustrated, but then I remind myself of my greater purpose," adds Nihal.
Despite the hurdles, photography provides him with a much-needed creative outlet, and he intends to retain it as a hobby for the foreseeable future. "If I turn my camera into a money-making machine, I might lose interest in photography," he says, preferring to preserve it as a source of enjoyment rather than a business venture.

Philosophy meets photography
For Shakib Niloy, a philosophy student at the University of Chittagong, photography is deeply intertwined with his academic background. Philosophy has shaped his understanding of the world, teaching him to appreciate the underlying essence of nature and humanity. "A large part of philosophy deals with aesthetics, and through these discussions, I developed the desire to express those aesthetic elements through photography," Niloy explains.
Photography allows Niloy to capture the beauty and complexity of nature, helping him connect with the world around him. He views each photograph as a story waiting to be told, and his lens offers him a unique perspective on different cultures and ways of life. This philosophical grounding gives his photography a deeper meaning; it becomes a way of exploring life and human emotion.
Niloy's photography has also had a big positive impact on his mental health, allowing him to be more conscious of his daily activities. "When we search for beautiful moments to photograph, our vision becomes sharper, and we start to notice the smaller beauties around us," he says.
Looking ahead, Niloy sees his passion for photography developing and hopes to combine it with his love for travel. "I aim to focus on telling stories through landscapes and combine photography and travel. In the future, I want to travel around the world and capture the essence of those places through photography," he says, implying that photography may one day become more than a pastime for him.
Whether through Prottoy's meditative practice, Nihal's creative therapy, or Niloy's philosophical exploration, they all love photography. Photography has become a crucial part of their lives, providing them with a creative outlet, a means of expression, and a way to stay focused in the middle of academic expectations. Each of them uses the camera not only to capture memories but also to connect with the world and with themselves.
Photography is not just about taking pictures; it is about telling stories, exploring emotions, and finding beauty in the mundane. On top of everything, it is about cultivating mindfulness in a fast-paced world, offering moments of reflection in the chaos of daily life. Like Prottoy, Nihal, and Niloy, photography can be a passionate hobby for anyone; it is a way of seeing and experiencing the world.

[email protected]