At 19, Sathya Narayanan was fascinated with photography. He would roam around, a Nikon D5100 slung over the shoulders. For three years, he got his photos published in various magazines and also had them displayed at exhibitions. He also undertook photo shoots for films. Being selected as contestant in the NAT GEO Cover Shot boosted his self-confidence.
And then, one day, Sathya, who lives in Chromepet, reached for the stars. Literally. He took to astrophotography in a big way. Sathya, who now pursues journalism at Madras Christian College, Tambaram, entered an astrophotography contest in Anna University and won.
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He says, “I’ve taken a keen interest in astronomy and related subjects since my childhood. I was totally fascinated with the universe and the possibilities of other life. So, I thought of applying my knowledge of astrophysics to photography. When I began practising this hobby, I found the going hard. With a low budget, one cannot pursue astrophotography. It is difficult to get adequate equipment at reasonable prices.” Sathya has made the most whatever is within his reach. He has learnt how to use his modern DSLR camera and a few accessories for astrophotography. He practises wide field astrophotography, which requires only a DSLR camera and a lens with a wide field of view. He is however clued into the other forms of astrophotography, including deep space, solar system and time-lapse astrophotography.
Sathya Narayanan, 23 now, says, “I have spent several hours under the stars, attempting to perfect my skill. It is one of the most frustrating forms of photography. The Mamallapuram shore temple star trails, which I shot recently, took me over a year to get it right. Light pollution and bad weather conditions made my job difficult. Unfortunately, Chennai is not the right place for astrophotography,” he says. Sathya however adds that feeling when you have ‘nailed a shot’, after several unsuccessful attempts, is the biggest reward of astrophotography. Sathya Narayanan is also keen on film making. He is currently working on a sci-fi film project, which he plans to release in 2016.