Mumbai-based Photographer Wins Nat Geo Moment Awards

This image of the Ganga Aarti won Money Sharma the Nat Geo Moment Awards III. Photograph/ Money Sharma

"I wanted to bring out the passion of these devotees in the frame, while they prayed"—Money Sharma

Mumbai-based 25-year-old Money Sharma was recently announced the winner for the Nat Geo Moment Awards III. The contest, organised by National Geographic magazine, along with Nikon received 65,000 entries, out of which Money’s image was selected as the winner by National Geographic photographer, Steve Winter.

A graduate in Mass Communication, Money is a journalist, and it was only five years ago that he started practising photography. The winning image was taken at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi during the Ganga Aarti. Money speaks of how he managed to achieve this shot, saying “The Aarti takes place every evening at the Ghat and more than thousands of devotees gather everyday. I wanted to bring out the passion of these devotees in the frame as they prayed.”

Money took several pictures and finally settled on this one. “I think that a strong composition and an accurate placement of the subject is very important, along with capturing the moment. I would like to believe that I have achieved this balance in this photograph and that is what makes the image so special for me.”