Light Photography - Meghana Yelamanchi

From Bending Light to Capturing Light

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A Rendezvous with
Meghana Yelamanchi

Copyright 2014, All Rights Reserved @www.aloptom.com

MARCH 31 2021

From holding her mobile phone and looking at the world
through a slightly different angle to pursuing her dream
of becoming a professional light painting photographer
and representing the country on a global platform at
UNESCO, it’s been a journey worth penning down.
Meghana talks about this journey in an exclusive
conversation with Bhavna Prakash, team ALO.

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MARCH 31 2021

Bhavna: Can you tell us about yourself ?

Meghana: I was born and bred in Warangal, Telangana. My childhood was not
very pleasant as I lost my father at an early age of seven. Being raised by a
single mother, I witnessed that she went out of her comfort zone to take care of
my sister and I. Growing up, I was that “silent and introverted kid” and pretty
much kept to myself, but my mother always found ways to bring the best out of
me and moved me out of my comfort zone, which worked wonders for me. I
completed my schooling and intermediate education in Warangal and joined
Bausch and Lomb School of Optometry (BLSO)(now Brien Holden Institute for
Vision Sciences) in 2014. Being away from home, my mother, sister and being
among strangers was quite challenging for me and I hence kept to myself and
my phone, most of the times.

Bhavna: How did you come to know about optometry and why did you choose
to pursue it?

Meghana: My mother got to know about optometry from my uncle. I never
thought about optometry until I set foot into the BLSO campus. My mother
found out that it was a good career building option and wanted to get me
enrolled in it. I gave the entrance exam my best and secured an admission to
pursue optometry from BLSO in 2014.

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MARCH 31 2021

Bhavna: How do you think joining BLSO
has changed your life?

Meghana: I must say that it really
challenged me in many ways. Being an
introvert, I interacted only with a select
set of people around me, but after joining
BLSO, I got to know many others and
slowly started to socialise. BLSO has a
constructive, positive and encouraging
vibe.

My peers, friends and faculty encouraged
and recognised me not just for my
academic performances but also for my
interests and passions.

Bhavna: What drew you to photography and can you tell us a little about light
painting photography?

Meghana: Our campus at BLSO is quite captivating and hence served as a muse
to capture nature and other aspects of its beauty. It started off as a pastime and
I gradually discovered more and more art forms and that is when I came across
light painting photography, which immediately intrigued me. In light painting
photography, the artist usually holds the portable light source in front of the
camera to draw patterns. The technique used here is “long exposure
photography.”

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MARCH 31 2021

Bhavna: How did you discover light painting photography?

Meghana: I was experimenting with every genre in photography such as macro,
nature, candid, etc. One day, I saw a photograph of a light trail on the internet
which caught my eye. I browsed further to get more details about this technique
and that's how I got to know about light painting photography. I started
experimenting and eventually got connected to others practicing this art
through a website called “ Light painting word alliance” (website not active at
present). It was by being part of this community and through one of their posts
on Facebook, I got to know about the UNESCO exhibition.

Bhavna: How was BLSO instrumental
in molding your passion?

Meghana: Like I said earlier, BLSO
was my muse. The neatly manicured
landscaping and the sites around the
campus allured me to capture them.
Secondly, my lecturers, friends,
seniors, and others who encouraged
and motivated me were instrumental
in aiding my confidence and
passion.Even the ophthalmologists
and optometrists at L V Prasad Eye
Institute noticed my work and
appreciated me for it. These little
moments fueled my passion.

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MARCH 31 2021

Bhavna: Can you tell us one of the many incidents that made you realize your
talents?

Meghana: During my first year at BLSO, I was asked to see one of our faculty
members, Mr. Srikanth Maseedupalli, all of a sudden. Wondering why, I
headed to the staff room. “Hi Meghana, can I see some of your photographs?” he
asked, and I showed him my photo gallery. “Wow! They are really beautiful! You
are quite talented” he said appreciating my photographs. After a few days, I got
a call from the librarian saying there was a poster they wanted me to see. I was
ecstatic to find a poster with a collage of photographs I had captured of our
campus, on the wall. That was a real “WOW” moment for me. Although I had
many such moments later, this one stands out as my most cherished memory.

Bhavna: Who is your number one motivation in life?

Meghana: My mother, hands down. She single handedly raised my sister and I,
gave her best at work, home and to the both of us. She stood strong and has
always and continues to nudge me to grow out of my cocoon and pursue my
passions. In addition, people who give their best, put their best foot forward,
grow and be independent, motivate me.

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MARCH 31 2021

Bhavna: What has been your biggest showcase/display till date?
Meghana: During my BLSO days, I was trying to build my Instagram profile and
was seeking people with similar interests in photography and ran into a
community of light painters. I got myself registered in the ‘Light-painting word
alliance’ and out of the blue got notified to send my photographs for a contest
which would eventually showcase the best pictures at the UNESCO headquarters
in Paris. Although I was not confident, I still gave it a shot and sent in some of my
photographs. After a short while, I received a mail from them saying that one of
my pictures was selected to be showcased at the UNESCO headquarters on 16th of
May, 2018 for the occasion of “International Light Day.” I became the first female
light painting photographer from India to showcase my talent and photographs
on an international platform.

Copyright 2014, All Rights Reserved @www.aloptom.com Displayed at UNESCO Headquarters for
International Light Day

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MARCH 31 2021

Bhavna: What are your goals and where do you see yourself in the next five years?
Meghana: Light painting photography is what I want to do and what I’m working
on right now as well. I am currently pursuing courses and learning the necessary
skills related to light painting, photo editing and I’m also building my portfolio.
Light painting photography is a very niche concept and is still not a profession in
India, unlike in other western countries.Hence, I want to build this profession
and provide opportunities to others who want to pursue this field. I intend to
add value and uplift the community of light painters in India.

I would like to thank ALO for giving me an opportunity to share my thoughts and experiences.

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