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Thankful for the present: Putri Anindya captures life’s fleeting moments
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Putri Anindya discovered her love for photography through perusing her father’s collection of National Geographic magazines.
I
t’s said that “a picture is worth a thousand words”, and by that logic, a photographer is a storyteller, weaving ideas and messages that reach beyond the medium.
Photographer Putri Anindya’s shoots often start with a feeling of gratitude, in pursuit of that one moment in time she wants to capture, frame and gaze upon. This is the foundation of Putri’s portfolio.
“Because I’m thankful for being there and that everything lines up perfectly in that moment, I capture that fleeting moment,” she said at a recent webinar.
Her start in photography, like many others, started as a hobby. When she was in junior high school, her father subscribed to National Geographic, and she admired the striking imagery displayed in full color on the magazine’s pages.
Her journey to photography continued to university, where Putri majored in journalism. The requisite photography course cemented her love for the craft, which made a career as a professional photographer the logical choice for her.
“I think everyone needs to have something [they are] passionate about, something that they enjoy so much that they can pour out their emotions and enthusiasm while they are doing it,” she said.
The webinar, held as part of Astra’s 65th anniversary celebrations, also introduced the latest edition of the conglomerate’s photography competition, Lomba Foto Astra (LFA).
Themed “Bangkit Bersama Untuk Indonesia" (rising together for Indonesia), LFA 2022 aims to highlight positive activities for the country’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, as seen in images that capture the Indonesian people’s enduring spirit, optimism in the face of challenges and synergy in rising together to illustrate national hope and unity.
According to Putri, the competition helps spread uplifting narratives among the wider public while also providing an outlet for aspiring photographers and writers to exhibit their work and hone their craft.
Whether they won or lost, she said, was just an added bonus.
“The first thing new photographers must prepare is their passion, whether they’re into it or not. I think in this day and age, everyone can become a photographer, as it’s very accessible. You can take really good pictures [using] your phone,” said Putri.
People should also keep in mind whether they were pursuing photography as a hobby or a profession. Other things they would need included a camera and other related equipment.
Putri also advised those just starting out to look at the work of professional photographers.
“For me, the ideal photograph is one that successfully conveys and visualizes the photographer’s ideas. I often photograph scenery and locations on my travels.
“My clients want photos that will promote their countries and destinations, so what I want is for the people who see them to feel like they’re in that country, and then decide to visit later,” she said.
Putri also cautioned against beginners deciding on a whim what type of photography they wanted to focus on. They should instead try and capture a wide variety of subjects and topics to practice.
“You shouldn’t close yourself off to other subjects, like declaring yourself a fashion photographer and being unable to take still life pictures,” she continued.
“Just try it. There’s nothing wrong with being a jack-of-all-trades.”
If someone decided to pursue photography as a profession, then this would be a different story, as clients hired photographers based on the type of photography they wanted. But before then, it was all about practice, Putri stressed.
“There’s this quote that says your first 10,000 photos will be terrible, or at least, not your best. Photography is that one thing you need to practice constantly, and to this day, I feel like I am still learning because it’s a very fluid art,” she said.
For more information on LFA 2022, see the About tab on the competition website (lombafotoastra.satu-indonesia.com).
This article was published in collaboration with Astra.
