Shreyash Rathi, 23, is a talented aerial cinematographer, a drone enthusiast, and a proud alumnus of NPS Rajajinagar 2014 and NAFL 2016. He is currently studying chemical engineering at RV College of Engineering. In his spare time, he has been able to pursue his hobby – Photography. What started as simply posting pictures on Instagram has turned into so much more. It was really amazing to get insights into such a niche skill!
When did you realize your interest in photography and how did you know that you wanted to pursue it more than just a ‘hobby’?
I picked up my phone one day and decided to randomly start clicking photos of me and my friends doing some tricks on our cycle. It went from there to making videos and photos as kids like starting random fires and all sorts of videos that interested me. I wanted to become a vlogger because that was to become popular but I did not know how to edit those videos. Then I got introduced to Instagram and started clicking random things, edit the photos and posted it!
What do you love the most about aerial cinematography?
When you ask anyone what would be the 3 wishes you could ask a genie, I am quite sure that the greatest number of people would say ‘the ability to fly’! This was the closest thing to actual flying. From day 1, I have been hooked ton flying and the feeling of flight!
What was the first cinematography project that you worked on that you felt proud off? Tell us about it.
My first ever project was a drag racing event held in 2018 at Taneja Aerodrome. It was super fun as we got to chase after super-fast cars with our super-fast drones! It was a revelation to see the capabilities of the drone I had been building all this while. It was tiring no doubt but the adrenaline rush kept me up through the entire event!
You have had some amazing opportunities in the last year, for example when you worked with Karnataka Forest Department what has been your favourite project that you have worked on?
I think the shoot with the Karnataka Forest department has been the best one. I was called to operate FPV as well as normal drones for a super cool project, which was to film the behind the scenes of the making of a coffee table book called “Forests.” I got 4 of my images published in that book and I was happy about it! I introduced racing drones as a videography tool and showed a new perspective to the people who were unaware about it. My favourite part was the cave at Badami, I did something I thought I could never ever do the same again!
What are a few future endeavours that you would want to take?
I want to take on some high-level productions with challenges not only improve my skill but also to test my abilities.
What advice would you give to young aspiring photographers, videographers, cinematographers, and anything that requires you to carry a camera around?
You do not need an expensive camera; your phone camera is enough. If you can convey a story through your image, you have a very bright future!
Thank you so much for sharing your insights. I am sure many students will be inspired by your journey. Wishing you all the best in your journey of photography!
Written by Ananya Narayan
Insights 