Every year on August 19, people take the time to commemorate World Photography Day, which honours the creation of the daguerreotype, the first usable form of photography, in 1839. This first photographic process, invented by Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre, spread rapidly around the world after its presentation to the public, marking the dawn of modern photography.  In that year, the French government declared it would be made available to the world free of charge. Photography has since evolved to be not only an art but a democratic language that anyone can communicate with, regardless of their background or culture.

“Photography is the story I fail to put into words.” – Destin Sparks

Do We Take Photographs, or Do Photographs Take Us Back? "My Favorite Photo," this year's theme, seemed quite timely. The significance of a photograph, the memory it preserves, and the narrative it dares to tell are often more important than technical perfection.  It asks us to look beyond the surface of an image and discover the layered narratives that live within. These stories of communities, identities, and fleeting moments might otherwise slip away.

It was aptly commemorated in Vadodara with the 12th annual photography display of the Photojournalist Association of Vadodara - Click 12. Rajmata Shubhangini Raje Gaekwad inaugurated the event, which was attended by prominent dignitaries, working photojournalists, and aspirational youngsters,  including the creative students of Parul University’s School of Filmmaking.

The location, Kirti Mandir, was constructed in 1936 to honour the Gaekwad dynasty. It is a work of art in its own right, with its E-shaped architecture, balconies, domes, and frescoes by Nandalal Bose that feature stories from the Mahabharata and the life of Meera. Opening its doors to this display, which is normally closed to visitors, was a brilliant move that enhances the way history, space, and photography interact.

For Parul University students, it was much more than just an exhibition; it was an experiential learning in motion. The opportunity to share their work with more seasoned photojournalists, a space layered with its own history, and to learn from such brilliant minds;  a whole seasoned package of exposure outside a traditional classroom, we believe, aids a student's creative capacity. 

In further enhancement of the project, students of the School of Filmmaking also presented their last-year film projects that focused on telling a story using moving pictures. In the meantime, the students of the Faculty of Fine Arts presented their artworks, which continued the discussion of visual narratives beyond a film frame to the canvas and installations. Such parallel exhibitions were an icon there and then, representing the same unity of art, the ability to express what words have failed to put forth..

Photography is not about freezing motion; rather, it is about looking, believing, caring, and sharing. 

"Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... It remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything."                                                                                              - Aaron Siskind

Nowadays, when everyone has a camera in their pocket, how can we go beyond simply taking pictures and turn them into a compelling story?

#WorldPhotographyDay2025 #Click12 #ParulUniversity #SchoolOfFilmmaking #StoriesBehindTheLens #PhotographyAsStorytelling