3 min readNew DelhiMay 20, 2026 05:28 AM IST
Mesmerised by the ever-changing moods of nature for as long as she can recall, for photographer Jhuma Datta, her camera is not just a means to freeze a moment in time but also a medium that allows her to record memories and share her experiences with others.
This quest that has taken her across the world has also resulted in several exhibitions that she has held in cities all over India since her first solo in 2012 in Kolkata.
Taking place at Visual Arts Gallery at India Habitat Centre until May 24, Datta’s sixth solo ‘Prakriti-Raga’ features photographs shot over 15 years, including her very first trip taken with the intention of photography — to Ladakh in 2008. “When I came back and saw my images, I knew that I wanted to seriously pursue photography,” recalls Datta (58).
Comprising over 60 photographs, she categorises the images in the exhibition not according to the locations but themes. If Silence, defined as “where everything begins” includes Nubra valley in Ladakh and sand dunes near Dubai, Flow is “the quiet movement that carries life forward” and features, among others, the ocean in Puri and turbulent waters at Vagator beach in Goa. Rhythm is “the pulse that holds nature together”, seen in the clear blue waters in Andaman, and a cluster of houses reflecting in the still waters on the foothills of a mountain in Norway.
The locations and images, Datta notes, are informed by constant learning and research. A cancer survivor, she also traces her artistic sensibility to painting lessons she took alongside her son when he was five. “Those lessons helped me develop a more discerning eye, though I always admired the beauty of nature, even as a child growing up in the suburbs of Kolkata.”
She adds, “In painting, one has the ability to alter the details but photography does not allow for that. One has to wait for the right moment.”
What began as a collection of photographs that she would capture during family trips has also now led to more focussed trips intended to build an archive of photographs, particularly diverse landscapes. While the exhibition includes images from across Indian terrains, including Kashmir and Uttarakhand, in recent years Delhi-based Datta has also enrolled for several international photography-oriented group tours.
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If in 2019 she joined a trip to the Dolomites in northeastern Italy, in 2023 she was in the Netherlands for a tour organised by a Dutch photographer. Last year, she was in Kazakhstan, where she also explored the possibilities of drone photography. “As a photographer, not all trips are successful and one is at the mercy of nature, particularly the weather, but I do try to make the most of every outing and opportunity,” says Datta.
While her next trip will be to Indonesia in July, she also
now regularly conducts photography lessons and has been part of several international juries. “It’s my way of doing something for the community and encouraging youngsters,” she adds.
