Member Spotlight: Viggy Kumar

How did you first come across CMC, and what drew you to become a part of this collective so far?

I first came across CMC when I was looking for photowalks on Instagram last year. I went on a photowalk with CMC, met all the members, and everyone was so warm and welcoming-I had a great time! As a beginner, I realized that having a community where I could learn, share, and draw inspiration from others would be a great add-on to my photography journey and that’s why I decided to join CMC. For me, CMC meetings have been a wonderful space for gaining exposure to different styles of photography, learning how to express myself through art, thinking creatively about projects and so much more!

Can you share the story of how you first got into photography and what initially drew you to pick up a camera?

Looking back, I think it was on a camping trip to Utah where my friend introduced me to astrophotography. It was a week-long trip, and we camped out every night to capture the Milky Way. Being able to photograph the stars and revisit those memories every time I look at the photos-the cathartic feeling of the universe’s vastness, the shooting stars, and the creaky trees around us-was when I caught the photography bug. But it was only last year that I really started getting into photography as a medium for expressing myself. 

Is there a technique or skill you’ve been working on lately?

I have been trying to capture mood and emotions in my photography lately by playing with lights and shadows. To improve my skills, I’m learning to use my lighting gear by taking professional headshots of friends.  When it comes to techniques- I usually experiment with different techniques as I discover them. Most recently, I tried my hand at double exposure photography. 

Could you share 3–5 images from your most recent project or photo series? We'd love to hear the story behind these works and what inspired the project.

As a fun side project, I recently experimented with double exposure film photography by photographing orchids at the NYBG’s Orchid Show for the first layer, and NYC architecture for the second. My idea was to beautify the city’s concrete settings with floral elements, and I had some luck- some of the photos turned out fun! I really enjoyed  the unpredictability of the technique and plan to explore it further. 

Currently, I’m in my flower appreciation era and have been enjoying photographing flowers on film. My favorite photo set so far this year - the cherry blossoms I photographed at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden!