Lucid Flickers: Conversations with Light !
From childhood, like everyone, I was fond of fireflies. During power cuts, we would sit outside the house and watch them glowing in the dark. Sometimes, we caught a few in a glass bottle, trying to see how and where the light was coming from. When I visited my grandparents’ village, I saw them often and admired them a lot. Those small lights felt magical.
As time passed, I grew up, and slowly those memories faded. I did not even notice when I had completely forgotten about them, until I picked up a camera. When I started my journey in photography, I found myself drawn to colours and light. That is when I thought of fireflies again. They felt like the perfect subject, especially for creating abstract images using Intentional Camera Movement. Between 2022 and 2023, I searched for them near my native place, but their numbers were very low, not enough to create the images I had in mind. Even though I knew I had to travel far to see them in large numbers, I still hoped to experience them close to home, but that did not happen.
After a couple of years, in 2025, I decided to travel to the Western Ghats. A friend mentioned a good presence of fireflies during the pre monsoon season. Seeing them for the first time through my camera felt very special. Shooting from the roadside, with vehicles passing by, their presence still stood out in the darkness. In that moment, it was not just about photographing them, there was a quiet desire to feel like one among them.
I paused and simply observed them. After a few attempts, the images began to take shape the way I had imagined. They looked more like paintings than photographs, as the light stretched and flowed, creating something beyond a single flicker.
This year, I went again. It was early in the season, but this time I saw them in a completely dark valley, where their presence was stronger. I made a few images, but the experience of watching them felt more meaningful than photographing them.
Fireflies are very delicate, and their numbers are decreasing due to habitat loss, light pollution, pesticide use, and climate change. I hope their population increases, and that I get a chance to witness their peak presence in the coming years.
Until then, these moments stay with me, like lucid flickers, short but unforgettable conversations with light.
Thank you :)