National Photography Exhibition on 'World Photography Day 2026'

The Department of Applied Arts, Faculty of Visual Arts, concluded a grand and comprehensive national photography exhibition and creative gathering titled "THROUGH THE LENS" to mark World Photography Day 2026 at the Ahiwasi Art Gallery.

The prestigious national exhibition was inaugurated by Registrar Shri Rajan Srivastava as the Chief Guest and Eminent Photographer Shri Amitabh Agarwal as the Guest of Honour. The exhibition drew a large crowd of art lovers, scholars, and students to appreciate the creative efforts of the young artists and photographers.

The Registrar remarked that the exhibition reflects a deep and mature understanding of art. The works displayed are of exceptional quality, capturing the folk culture and traditions of Banaras along with diverse facets of India. He lauded the active participation of both students and professionals.

For the exhibition, more than 250 entries were received from across the nation. Out of those, 139 entries were meticulously selected by the jury, and 64 large prints were specially prepared and showcased for larger display. 

Shri Amitabh Agarwal shed light on the technical aspects, critical evaluation, and creativity of photography. He motivated students by emphasizing that photography is not merely a hobby, but a rigorous fusion of science and art that should never be taken lightly. 

As part of the World Photography Day activities, the Department also organized a special session. The session was attended by Shri Vyomesh Shukla, noted city litterateur and Pradhan Mantri of Naagari Pracharini Sabha. He stated, “Photography is the art of presenting and telling the stories of life’s sorrows in an effective manner. A good photograph does not merely show a visual; it also brings forth the entire story, emotions and inner conflicts of life hidden behind it.” Mr. Vyomesh Shukla analyzed the exhibited photographs from a literary perspective and interacted with the students. 

Interacting with the students, senior journalist and photographer Mr. Amitabh Agrawal discussed the changing nature of photography and modern technologies. He told the students that photography today is no longer limited to taking pictures with a camera. Artificial intelligence, mirrorless cameras, digital processing and modern photography software have considerably expanded its scope and possibilities. Despite these developments, he said, the fundamental language and grammar of photography remain equally important.

Former student of the department and senior photographer Mr. Manish Khatri introduced students to the various dimensions of “seeing Banaras through the camera’s lens.” He discussed in detail the techniques of documenting Banaras’ lanes, ghats, markets, people’s expressions and gestures, local life, ways of working, reactions of tourists visiting from outside, and the everyday activities of the city through photography.

Prof. Manish Arora, Head, Department of Applied Arts, addressed the students and connected photography with the Indian spiritual perspective. He said that every photographer should compare their photographic vision with the third eye of Baba Bholenath. 

World Photography Day is celebrated worldwide on August 19. More than 100 students of the department participated in the special programme organized on the occasion of World Photography Day and benefited from the lectures and interactive sessions conducted by the three experts.