Chiiz Volume 01 : Pushkar Photography | Page 11

Aurora Borealis 5.6 IS, SIGMA- 85mm f/1.4 , CANON- 50mm f/1.8 and TOKINA- 16-28mm f/2.8. Most of the time, it’s my camera’s, trousers, tripod and laptop. That’s all the travel gear that one should carry on one’s journey. Most important thing I need to carry in my bag is the courage and respect for the universe. Pralisha: What do you mean when u say “Job can wait travel can’t”? Nakul: JOB CAN WAIT TRAVEL CAN’T is the project I started back in 2014 to inspire people to travel. It’s not about leaving your jobs and travelling. Deep down it’s about HOPE and COURAGE. People are stuck in their 9-5 jobs and need a break to live a life out of the box. This Project is to encourage people to travel and live the dream for once. Leave it all and just go out to know yourself better, find your own values and take your own vows. Pralisha: Share your best experience? Nakul: So far, my best experience is my visit to ICELAND. It took me for 4 years to make it happen and live the experience of Iceland. I went to make a photo story on the Northern lights; it was great to watch them in real. Pralisha: Is travel photography enough to sustain oneself? Nakul: I might be a bit harsh or judgmental on that question, but it’s very hard for photographers to make money out of photography until and unless you are into Fashion or Wedding Photography. Here (IN INDIA) the value of ART is very less and especially for Travel photographers. It’s a huge deal to sell their work. I try to sell my photos out of India through my website and social media and through some friends. I do photo expos often which allows me get a couple of bucks. Pralisha: Tell us more about your trip to Iceland? Nakul: ICELAND was my dream for four years. That’s why I took off for that journey but never knew that it would be one of the most challenging and toughest journey of my life so far. Yes, you heard me right, It took me 4 years to turn that dream into reality. I had been keeping this dream alive and safe inside me since 2012, when I started photography more seriously and more passionately. It was my dream to capture the beauty of ICELAND through my camera and bring it closer to the people and to those who have dreamt of the same. I had been watching the photos of Aurora and Iceland for years, so it had become a dream destination for me. But one thing that surprised me was that only a few Indian photographers made it to Iceland and captured the beauty of that paradise. So I planned to make this dream possible for me and capture the wilderness and nature of Iceland and bring it to the people. After my father’s sudden death, I knew it that my life can also come to an end anytime. It is only you who will decide whether to leave a mark or not. So I preferred to change my life and my choices and lead life in a different and difficult way, a way that would bring more possibilities of happiness, success and wisdom and Inspiration for others. For me that way is “Travel and Photography”. Photography is now my voice in this big wide world. I love to talk to the people through my photos and my travelogues. I made traveling my religion and photography my Bible. Pralisha: What is your advice for budding photographers? Nakul: The best advice I can give to my friends is, just travel and click. The world is too big and so many stories are lying and waiting to be clicked. So don’t be afraid of anything and always believe in yourself. People won’t believe in you at first but later, they’ll join you in your journey towards success. Kakslauttanen is the world’s leading premium arctic resort located 250 km north of the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland. Since 1973, they have been offering four seasons of incredible beauty of the arctic nature. Kakslauttanen is one of the best places in the world to admire the magnificent Northern lights and the magical Midnight sun. Their high quality facilities include the world famous glass-igloos, cozy cabins made out of logs up to 700 years of age, igloo bar and the biggest smoke sauna in the world, just to mention a few. Nearly everything in the resort is made on the spot by local craftsmen and artists. There are dozens of things to do including husky rides, Aurora hunting with reindeer, snowmobile safaris, ice fishing, meeting up with Santa himself, cross-country skiing, hiking in the national park, berry picking, gold panning and much more. What else could you wish for. They are located in the middle of wilderness, yet easy to reach: there’s a direct flight from Helsinki International Airport (HEL) to Ivalo Airport (IVL) and from there only 30 min ride to Kakslauttanen. Add up another place to your bucket list and have a trip of your lifetime! http://www.kakslauttanen.fi/ 27