Fisherman at work on the shores, Digha, West Bangal, India, by Darpan Basak
This week the SNAPP Guides team caught up with photographer, Darpan Basak. At just 14 years old, he is this year’s winner of the prestigious Young Travel Photographer of the Year award.
Darpan is a self-taught amateur photographer and an 8th grade student at secondary school in his hometown, Barrackpore, near Kolkata, India. In 2012 he discovered a real passion for photography and has already received an honourable mention in the Royal Society of Biology’s Conflict & Survival photography competition. Darpan loves travelling with his family and took his winning TPOTY images during a family trip to Digha, a seaside resort town in the state of West Bengal. When he’s not out with his camera, he also enjoys swimming and sports.
He spoke to us about his winning portfolio and said that his intention was to present the daily life of the fisherman of Digha and to give the viewer a sense of the smells of the sea and sound of the waves. He’s already looking forward to returning to photograph this same location at the start of the next monsoon season.
The TPOTY Judges said “With the theme Places & Experiences, Darpan’s portfolio conveys the experience of landing the catch, getting into the action and giving a sense of the excitement. For one so young – 14 years old – there is already a building sense of the story about both place and this important routine in the fishermen’s lives.”
Congratulations Darpan! We hope you find many more great new locations with the SNAPP Guides you won as part of your prize!
