The intimate moment in the midst of an empty landscape perhaps lasted a few seconds but Pune-based Sharan Shetty has immortalised it using his iPhone X, winning him the ‘First Place Photographer of the Year Award’ at the prestigious 2021 iPhone Photography Awards or IPPAWARDS. Shetty’s image is titled ‘Bonding’ and it captures a man and his horse commune in an empty landscape, offering each other comfort. IPPAWARDS is an independent award showcase of iPhone photographers worldwide and since its inception in 2007, it has given us a stream of memorable snaps. Shetty’s iPhone X shot is undoubtedly impressive and so is that of photojournalist Istvan Kerekes from Hungary, who has taken home the ‘Grand Prize Winner and Photographer of the Year Award’ with ‘Transylvanian Shepherds’, shot on iPhone 7.

Meanwhile, we emailed Shetty, asking him about his prize-winning shot and here are his thoughts.

How did arrive at the winning image, titled ‘Bonding’? Where and when was it taken?

This image was shot when I was travelling in the hills around Yanar Dag, near Baku in Azerbaijan on September 24, 2019.
What caught my attention was the man’s connection with his horse. Both were tired walking up the mountain and both decided to rest. While they did that, they both had a moment. The connection between him and his best friend was so apparent that it looked like they were supporting and consoling each other. So the title ‘Bonding’. The affection, the care, and the words he was murmuring to his horse was something that evoked an emotion inside me, which drew me to take the shot.

I guess you took multiple shots of the moment. How did the others come out?

I took multiple shots of both of them. I started shooting because he kept saying something to the horse and touching the horse. The minute they both placed their heads together, I realised I had captured the moment. The other shots were just the two of them together and looking at each other.

The photo was taken on the iPhone X, which is now four years old. What makes the iPhone X special to you and what about the iPhone in general that makes it a perfect companion for, say, street photography?

I wouldn’t have done photography if not for my iPhone. I started taking pictures because I had bought an iPhone many years back. It’s easy, user-friendly, fits in your pocket comfortably and does not let me miss any moment. I don’t need to worry about buttons and camera settings. It helps me to be quick. Moreover, it helps me be discreet while on the streets.

All my iPhones had been special to me. iPhone X was a gift to me by my family and I have travelled a lot with it. But I am eyeing the latest iPhone now and waiting for someone to gift it to me.

Sharan Shetty’s picture, ‘Bonding’ has won the ‘First Place Photographer of the Year Award’ at the prestigious 2021 iPhone Photography Awards. IPPAWARDS

How do you describe your style of photography?

Although I started off by taking photographs of landscapes, I moved to photographing portraits of humans, their behaviour, their culture, their connection with nature and so on. These are the few things, which have been inspiring me lately.

Going through the other pictures you have taken, you have a good mix of black-and-white and colour shots. How do you decide on the way forward?

The reason behind converting a photograph into B&W primarily depends on the influence of the kind of light falling on the subject and the presence of the shadow. In addition to that, when I feel I want to give the photograph a timeless feel to it, I make it into a B&W. If I want to convert a landscape photograph to B&W, then I look at the clouds first, the more dramatic the clouds, the more reason for me to make it into a B&W.

What kind of impression do you hope to leave upon a person seeing your photographs?

Every photograph I take reminds me of the emotions I was going through when I took that shot. It reminds me of that particular location. It also reminds of me the smell of that place or the weather and so on. So each picture evokes a particular emotion. So, I am just hoping anyone who sees my pictures, feel the same way I do.

What got you involved in photography in the first place?

I am in the hospitality industry as a profession. It’s funny when I say this, but I became a photographer only because of the entry of iPhone into my life. My wife is a photographer herself and when we would travel together she would shoot with her camera while I shot with my iPhone. When we compared our shots, apparently mine were always better. That was motivation enough for me to continue photography.