Astitva Photo Reflects on a Year of Community, Dialogue, and Growth & Announces its next PhotoConnect session on Filmmaking on 14th March 2026

Astitva Photo Reflects on a Year of Community, Dialogue, and Growth & Announces its next PhotoConnect session on Filmmaking on 14th March 2026

Delhi/NCR, India – As 2026 begins to unfold, Astitva Photo marks three years of creativity, collaboration, and meaningful artistic exchange. Through the launch of PhotoConnect – a monthly meetup in Delhi, Artist Talks, Interviews, Guided Photo Walks, Photobook discussions, and monthly community gatherings, Astitva Photo has helped shape a supportive visual arts ecosystem where photographers come together to learn, share, and grow.

Founded in 2022 by photographers Jai Thakur and Garima Agarwal, the initiative was born from a shared realization, India’s photography ecosystem lacked structured pathways for emerging artists to connect with experienced professionals. In an in-depth interview for Abir Pothi, they described how the idea for Astitva Photo emerged from conversations about this gap, one they personally experienced early in their creative journeys. Their aim has always been to make guidance and community more accessible, reducing the intimidation often felt by beginners and fostering a culture of peer-to-peer learning and mentorship.

PhotoConnect: A Monthly Space for Interaction

PhotoConnect, conceived by Astitva Photo with the generous support of PhotoSouthAsia, has been the flagship monthly meetup for photographers and visual artists. Each session brings together emerging talents and seasoned professionals to exchange experiences, build networks, and foster creative dialogue. Previous sessions featured respected guest speakers such as Anushree Fadnavis, Anshika Verma, Ashish Sahoo, Smita Sharma, Paroma Mukherjee, Vicky Roy, Manan Shah, Dilpreet Bhullar amongst others who shared insights into their artistic processes.

Artist Interviews & Dialogue

In addition to meetups, Astitva Photo has conducted in-depth interviews with emerging photographers that explore their inspirations, challenges, and evolving visual languages. These conversations have featured voices such as Rohit Saha, Sharafat Ali, Sutapa Roy, Debsuddha and others, each contributing to the initiative’s vision of documenting and celebrating artistic evolution.

Guided Photowalks & Photobook Discussions

The past years also saw immersive guided photowalks to places like the Potter’s Colony and heritage sites across Delhi, where participants explored local culture, tradition, and craft. Photobook discussions, hosted in collaboration with GP Pro Camera store, with photographers like Sanjeev Saith and Adil Hasan, offered deep dives into long-term documentary practices and storytelling approaches.

These artist talks were hosted with the generous support of Parthiv Goel, founder of GP Pro Camera Store, whose continued encouragement and engagement with Astitva Photo’s journey has helped nurture spaces for dialogue, collaboration, and learning within Delhi’s photography community.

Looking Ahead – 2026 and Beyond

Upcoming Events Include:

  • March 2026- Filmmaking Session with Meenal Upreti – Multidisciplinary Filmmaker, Pulitzer Grantee
  • April 2026 – Portfolio Reviews

These events aim to expand the community’s engagement across disciplines including photography, documentary, and filmmaking.

About Astitva Photo

The initiative grew from a shared belief that photography has the power to bring artists together and bridge the long-standing gap between amateur and professional practitioners in the field. Astitva Photo’s objective is to nurture and support emerging photographers and visual artists while fostering a sense of community, inclusivity, and creative empowerment. Through structured dialogue, mentorship, artist talks, discussions, and collaborative projects, Astitva Photo continues to bridge the gap between learning and practice making the creative journey more accessible and meaningful for all.

Website: www.astitvaphoto.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astitvaphoto/
Email: astitva.space@gmail.com
Location: Delhi/NCR

Indian Tech start-up AR Peach is Revolutionising Photography with Living Photos

Indian Tech start-up AR Peach is Revolutionising Photography with Living Photos

New Delhi [India]: Indian tech start-up AR Peach is making waves in the photography space with its revolutionary product, AR Peach Photos. This innovative technology transforms ordinary photographs into immersive, living experiences, adding a new dimension to the age-old practice of reliving cherished memories captured in still frames.

You could experience an AR Peach Photo here.

Nithin Krishna M, the CEO and Founder of AR Peach, draws inspiration from the rich history of photography, spanning 197 years from the first official photo captured by Joseph Nicephore Niepce in 1826 to the present. According to Nithin, the emotional impact of reliving a photo remains the essence of the photography industry’s enduring success. With AR Peach Photos, the company seeks to amplify this magic by introducing digital layers of video and magical 3D elements to conventional photographs.

Unlike traditional augmented reality applications, AR Peach Photos doesn’t require users to download a separate app. By simply scanning the photo with a mobile phone, users unlock a captivating blend of videos and 3D elements, breathing life into their captured moments.

Nithin emphasizes that the content preferences of different generations vary significantly, prompting AR Peach to incorporate a diverse range (both physical & digital) of content to appeal to everyone, from baby boomers to Gen Z. The aim is to create a hyper-immersive experience that triggers dopamine hits across various age groups.

AR Peach Photos has already gained traction in its initial two months, with over 100 photographers partnering with the brand and exceeding half a million scans. Encouraged by this positive response, AR Peach plans to expand its reach globally, targeting markets in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

Apart from AR Peach Photos, the company has introduced two additional sub-brands: AR Peach Tech and AR Peach Merch. AR Peach Tech offers a white-label service, specialising in crafting custom augmented reality apps and experiences for businesses. Meanwhile, AR Peach Merch focuses on integrating AR digital layers into physical merchandise, introducing a unique line of Phygital products, including AR Greeting Cards, AR Wall Art, AR Toys, and more.

Nithin Krishna M concluded by expressing AR Peach’s mission to make the world more immersive with augmented reality, citing the success of AR Peach Photos as a significant indicator that the company is on the right track.