A keen observer and an enthusiastic traveller, so it was only natural that photography soon overtook his life. Having abandoned a legal career he drifted till he discovered photography. Specializing in commercial, editorial, documentary, people, travel and architecture photography, He still practices the fine art of photography through B/W film, medium and large format. He had an installation of his photograph printed on glass, floor to ceiling at the Olympic Village in Innsbruck, Austria as part of the same art project He also had his work published in a coffee table book titled ‘INTIMATE SPACE’ by the Austrian-based Brazilian artist GEORGIA CREIMER
“I have seized the light. I have arrested it’s flight.” – Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre
The path that has been treaded over is as important as the destination. A few facts revealed in an interview the facets of an artist and how he found himself at Goa CAP.
Name : Poornabodh Nadavatti
Date of Birth : 19th February 1987
Place : Bangalore
Give me some insight into your educational background and where you spent your growing years.
I have spent a good time of my life in Bangalore, the city I grew up in, went to school in and some more after.
After school I began a legal career at University Law College in Bangalore. After I had established my basic education I was free to explore and so I started traveling and finding my passions.
When were you first exposed to Photography and how did your interest for the same develop?
I bought my first DSLR in 2005. That is when I began my venture into photography. Back then I was in college and the camera was a good excuse to roam about without any hassles. I began shooting and since I loved to travel the camera was a constant companion of me and my adventures.
I did a basic workshop with Mr. Anand Sharan an established fine art photographer based in Bangalore. In 2009 I applied and got selected for a Diploma in Porfessional Photography at Light and Life Academy in Ooty, a specialized photography school. I have been freelancing ever since I graduated in October 2010, shooting all kinds of projects that came my way involved with architecture/interiors, products and a few travel related assignments that I really enjoyed working on. I set up my own dark room with the money I managed to make and save from these projects. I bought my first medium format camera and started investing time in both 35mm and 120mm film photography.
Last year in 2011, one of the images I had shot for a series got selected for a project called “Intimate Space” by Austrian based Brazilian artist Georgia Creimer. This image is now installed at the Olympic Village in Innsbruck, Austria and has also been printed in a coffee table book.
In my alternate time I like to skateboard and my love for the same sprung about in the form of a joint venture company started in 2011 together by me and some of my other close skater friends back home in Bangalore after our crazy experience running into this great skater from Brighton. Nick had built a skatepark in Goa and was on a similar mission in Bangalore when we met him. (www.holystoked.com) Skateboarding also played an important role in my visual language. It changed the view and perspective of my frames.
How did you hear about Goa CAP and ALTlab 2.0?
I remember stumbling upon some article about Goa CAP on the internet sometime last year. I checked for updates and found out about ALTlab 2.0 and so I applied for it.
What alternative photographic process have you chosen for your time here at ALTlab 2.0?
I have chosen to experiment and experience the daguerrotypes.
Did you do any kind of research on the processes before you came to Goa CAP?
I read some articles and ran through video feeds on the processes along with some images that I browsed over. But that was all just theoretical. It is now, only after I have begun to immerse myself in the process itself that I am beginning to understand the true nature of it and the way to go about it.
Is there any particular reason why you have chosen to do the Daguerrotype process?
I have always liked to put myself in a difficult situation and see how I can learn to grow and work around and with it. The daguerrotype being one of the oldest photographic processes, with all its complications just lured me into growing my knowledge of it.
ALTlab Journal 