The architecture of the old buildings and structures of Hyderabad leaves everyone breathless and the effect of the same was so much deep in Pulak Haldar, that the nature photographer clicked enough in a span of two years to hold an exhibition and name it ‘Trace the Heritage’. Pulak’s 35 frames which are being shown at ICCR Art Gallery at Ravindra Bharathi, Saifabad is a play of light and dark. Captured mostly in black and white, some of the frames have been touched to give the positive negative effect and the outlines highlighted to bring out the architectural beauty. So what forced a photographer with a passion for nature click the monuments around the twin cities? “When you are surrounded with such beautiful structures and architecture it can hardly go un-noticed. I have spent more than eight years in the city and each time I visit the old city I discover some beauty in the architecture of the minarets and the dewdis,” says Pulak.
Pulak thought it would be apt to hold his exhibition now as the city was recently awarded with title of The Best Heritage City in the Country -2012. The photographer’s aim, he says is to highlight the rich cultural heritage of the city. And while doing so with his lens, he sketched the magnificent architecture. The idea he says is also to open a new type of architecture photography to capture the images of architecture as a modern visual.
As Pulak clicked with Nikon D100 using lenses like 18-35mm, 24-85mm and 70-400mm he has also kept in mind the surroundings. Instead of isolating a structure, he has clicked them as he views them — sometimes in the backdrop of moon-lit sky and sometimes against a rickety branch. At the first glance his frames look like they are decorated with string lights during a festival. “I have filtered some images and highlighted them using Photoshop,” says Pulak.
An amateur photographer, Pulak works for DRDO and he says he stole time from work and completed his frames.
“Working with my frames is like listening to music. It calms me down,” he says. Other noteworthy works of Pulak from his earlier collection include Macro images on barks of trees which he titled Nature’s Paintings. The exhibition ends on September 18.
