Check Out Ritika Telang’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ritika Telang.

Hi Ritika, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Bangalore, India, where I did my schooling and then graduated with a Business degree. After that, I went on to work in Advertising for 2.5 years and Communications for another 3years. I’ve always been inclined towards the creative side and I would channel that by taking photographs of friends and family ever since I can remember. I’d feel the happiest when I was with my camera and had contemplated studying photography in 2018 but life had other plans. However, the pandemic put a lot of things in perspective for me and I realized it was time to follow my long-time passion – Photography. So, I applied to photography school and now here I am in LA following every bit of my passion.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well, the switch from a stable corporate job to photography wasn’t the easiest, it involved a lot of hesitation, uncertainty, contemplation and introspection. But it taught me that sometimes it’s important to believe in yourself and your dreams and take the leap of faith. Getting out of my comfort zone and learning anything new is challenging and can get overwhelming, but at the same time, it is truly fulfilling. Over time, I’ve learnt to trust the process, be open to opportunities, take the positives out of most situations and give my best shot at every shot I click.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Photography to me has always been about expression and emotion. I channelize my craft as a passage to meet the internal and the external, which is why I’m most drawn to Portraiture and Storytelling. Through my work, I try to bring out emotions, stories, inclusivity, diversity and most importantly authenticity. Something that I try to emulate in most of my work is a sense of ‘feeling’, in the hope that the viewer seeing my work pauses and reflects even if it’s for a brief second.

‘Speaking Without Words’ is a recent project of mine and working with everyone I did on that shoot truly grounded me and taught me that understanding people’s journeys and forming a genuine connection is what sets my craft apart and helps me bring out the essence of authenticity in my portraits. (Here’s a quick link to Speaking Without Words https://www.instagram.com/reel/CiA8dscpNY0/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=)

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
In terms of my work, I see myself gravitating towards the human element of photography and storytelling. I would like to dive deeper in that space whether it’s through portraiture, editorial, documentary or street photography.

With regard to the industry at large, I’m very new to the space myself and I’m trying to navigate it one day at a time at the moment. However, in today’s time, speaking about the future is somehow always tied in with technology, but I believe photography is about a connection between the photographer and the subject and while the world is changing at the speed it is, I truly hope that aspect remains intact.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: ritikatelang

The names of the people photographed in order:
1) Daniel Robbins
2) Sara Soler
3) Francesca Brice-Martins
4) Juan Pablo Castiblanco
5) Leandro Stephan and Alice Sin

Image Credits
Photo of me by Dilpreet Shah