KOCHI: It all started about 10 years ago when Shinihas Aboo bought his first camera. Little did he know that his newfound hobby would turn out to be a life-changing decision. Having travelled over 30 countries, Shinihas is now a sought after photographer based in Dubai.
“The best part of being a photographer is how it lets me capture the world in my perspective and then lets other people see it,” he says. Hailing from Malappuram, Shinihas relocated to Abu Dhabi years ago, taking up a job in the oil sector. It was during that time that he injured his arms in a football game. While recuperating, his tryst with the lens began.
“My first camera was a Nikon D60. Though photography interested me when I was young, I never thought it would become an integral part of my life,” says Shinihas. Learning from fellow photographers and online tutorials, Shinihas got better with his clicks. In the next few years, his frames started gathering attention. Soon, he landed a job in Dubai as a food photographer-cum-marketing manager.
But it was no cakewalk. His decision to pursue photography was dubbed insane by many. “The initial years were a struggle,” Shinihas recalls.
Though he handles multiple genres with ease, fashion, food, travel and product photography are his niche. The video he crafted during his trek to the Everest Base Camp had its release at the XPOSURE International Photography Festival in Sharjah. Working with a friend, he hosted the first photography exhibition at the Burj Khalifa. Shinihas sees himself as a storyteller and intends to focus more on travel photography and videography.
According to him, there is no shortcut to capturing that perfect frame. But he does believe in the universe conspiring to make a shot happen if you wish for it hard enough. “I was in Chefchaouen, Morocco’s blue city. I had set my frame but was hoping a native would walk-in with his animal, pulling a cart. And it happened!” Shinihas adds with excitement. This image was featured on National Geographic ‘your shot’.
He believes that the focus should be on developing one’s style. “You should have your own signature. Let your pictures do the talking,” says Shinihas. He was in Thiruvananthapuram to take photographs in a project conceptualised by Weaver’s Village, a community that promotes Kerala handloom.