From Election Trails to Quiet Streets: World Photography Day Unpacks the Artwork of Visible Documentation |

The Department of Communication, Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication, University of Hyderabad, at the moment opened the third version of its World Photography Day celebrations, marking the event with a nationwide picture contest, knowledgeable classes, a digital camera and equipment expo, and a five-day curated exhibition of award-winning pictures. The celebrations are being held on 19 and 20 August 2026, whereas the picture exhibition stays open to the general public from 19 to 23 August 2026 on the Annex Building, S.N. School of Arts and Communication, University of Hyderabad campus, Gachibowli.

The National Photo Contest 2026, open theme and open to each color and monochrome work, invited entries from novice {and professional} photographers throughout the nation. Selected frames are on show throughout the exhibition halls, with topics starting from wildlife and nature to avenue life, panorama, and concrete documentation.

The awards for the 2026 version are as follows:

Winners

First Prize: Arkodeep Roy

Second Prize: Teppala Sahithi

Third Prize: Sayak Pal

Certificates of Merit

Gayathri

Raayan Jain

Uday Kiran

Consolation Prizes

Shritha Chillappagari

Jeevan Valpapuram

Jyoti Ranjan Rath

The prize distribution and certificates presentation will likely be held on 20 August 2026. In her presidential tackle, Prof. Kanchan Ok. Malik, Dean, SN School of Communication, set the tone for the day’s proceedings, following which Dr. Janardhan Rao Cheeli delivered the welcome tackle. Further, Mr. Kishor Krishnamoorthi who’s the Chief Guest for this version, delivered the inaugural tackle, that includes a particular speak titled “Documenting the World,” providing insights into the ability and accountability of visible documentation.

Mr. Kishor Krishnamoorthi is a recent wedding ceremony and documentary photographer primarily based in Hyderabad. Founder of Concorde Zine and Kiki Store and a Canon Brand Ambassador for India, he has documented greater than 650 weddings throughout India and overseas, and his portfolio consists of portraits of celebrated personalities in addition to work related to the movie Kalki 2898 AD. He spoke in regards to the selections, relationships and observations behind a profitable {photograph}.

From the 2014 election marketing campaign {photograph} to documentary pictures from the lockdown interval, he defined the tales and circumstances behind many of those pictures, displaying how documentary images can protect moments which can be in any other case rapidly forgotten. He additionally shared a considerable physique of wedding ceremony images. While discussing these pictures, he pressured {that a} wedding ceremony photographer ought to attempt to perceive the individuals’s personalities and the chemistry between them, fairly than merely document the ceremony.

The session gave college students a possibility to attach classroom studying with skilled expertise and to ask direct questions in regards to the selections photographers make earlier than, throughout and after a shoot. The Chief Guest additionally appreciated the inventive work introduced within the exhibition by college students from the University of Hyderabad and members from universities throughout the nation. The programme additionally featured a particular knowledgeable speak by Dr. Nirmalya Chakraborty, wildlife photographer, documentary filmmaker and conservation author, whose pictures have obtained recognition together with from National Geographic and whose movies have contributed to wildlife conservation consciousness. He additionally edits the conservation consciousness journal Jungle Rhythms. He took the viewers by way of a visible and narrative journey throughout three chapters.

Chapter 1 talked in regards to the tiger kingdom journeying by way of the Mangroves, Terai Arc, the Emerald Forest of Panna, which informed tales of many curiously named tigers and tigresses Maya, the Queen of Tadoba, and Chota Matka. Chapter 2 talked in regards to the relevance of saving tigers forests, highlighting the tiger’s function as an umbrella species, and forests’ contribution to decreasing soil erosion, performing as carbon sinks, and supporting condensation cycles. Chapter 3 talked in regards to the points and challenges, together with a dialogue on the ethics and duties of a wildlife photographer.

This was adopted by a Sony Masterclass led by Muhammed Farooq, Product Specialist, Sony, and Sayed Hussain, Sony Executive, who launched members to mirrorless digital camera expertise, overlaying full-frame and APS-C codecs and the basics of vlogging.

Prof. Sathya Prakash introduced saplings to each Sony representatives as a token of appreciation for his or her contribution to the day’s proceedings. The occasion concluded with a token of thanks introduced to Dr. Nirmalya Chakraborthy, adopted by closing remarks and an announcement of the subsequent day’s occasions.

Alongside the exhibition, the two-day celebration consists of images masterclasses, classes on wildlife, avenue, portrait, nature and cell images, modifying and post-processing workshops, lighting demonstrations, portfolio opinions, guided picture walks, and a digital camera and images expo that includes main imaging manufacturers.

The occasion is curated by Prof. Janardhan Rao Cheeli, Department of Communication, University of Hyderabad, and is organised in collaboration with Shutter Society.Hyd, with occasion administration help from Buffalo Media. Building on two profitable earlier editions, the initiative seeks to advertise images not merely as an artwork type however as a medium of communication, documentation and social expression, bringing collectively college students, students, business professionals and fans from Telangana and neighbouring states.

The exhibition is open to the general public till 23 August 2026.

For additional particulars: [email protected] | +91 82475 59845

Event web site: websites.google.com/view/wpd2026uoh

Instagram: @uoh_photocontest_2026

SN School of Communication Celebrates World Photography Day 2026

Contributed by  Eishita, M. A. Communication, Media Studies