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Visual storytelling through photography is a powerful educational tool: Vicky Roy

Published

2 years ago

June 17, 2024

Mumbai: Satya School has announced a unique initiative aimed at nurturing the perspective of the young minds with their new campaign #IgnitingImagination #BeyondTheObvious. For the campaign, the school has onboarded an internationally acclaimed photographer, Vicky Roy for organising a captivating photography workshop for the students.

From a tearful runaway in Delhi to capturing dreams, Vicky is full of inspiration and aspiration. From getting recognition for documenting the World Trade Center’s reconstruction in New York to being invited by Prince Edward at Buckingham Palace in UK, he has come a long way. He was also a part of the Forbes Asia 30 under 30 list in 2016.

Indiantelevision.com caught up with Roy where he shared his thoughts on the initiative and his personal journey in photography.

Edited excerpts

On the concept of #IgnitingImagination #BeyondTheObvious

Photography is not just about capturing moments; it’s about telling stories through a visual medium. This form of storytelling allows students to express themselves, explore their creativity, and build their cognitive skills in unique and engaging ways. This workshop at Satya School demonstrated the power of visual storytelling and its potential to revolutionize teaching methods.

The concept of #BeyondTheObvious at Satya School encourages students to look deeper and see more than what meets the eye. It’s about finding meaning and beauty in everyday moments. The workshop demonstrated that every photograph has a story, and often, the most compelling stories are found in the most unexpected places. The practice of looking beyond the obvious fosters a mindset of curiosity and inquiry, essential for cognitive development.

Photography is more than a profession; it’s a journey of self-expression and discovery. My personal story of using photography to rise above challenging circumstances resonates deeply with the themes of #IgnitingImagination and #BeyondTheObvious. If you will look through my lens, I have been able to capture the resilience and beauty of human experiences, shedding light on stories that often go unnoticed.

My journey is a testament to the transformative power of visual storytelling. By sharing my experiences with the students at Satya School, I tried inspiring students to use photography as a tool for self-expression and social change. With a camera, students can tell their stories, share their perspectives, and contribute to a larger narrative that goes beyond the obvious.

On igniting the imagination of young minds through the photography workshop

In the workshop at Satya School, students were not just taking pictures; they were learning to see the world with new eyes. They were developing empathy by capturing human emotions and experiences, enhancing their emotional intelligence. They were telling stories, building narrative, skills that are crucial for communication.

Visual storytelling through photography is a powerful educational tool that aligns perfectly with the concepts of #IgnitingImagination and #BeyondTheObvious. It encourages students to explore their creativity, think critically, and express themselves in ways that traditional methods may not allow. The workshop at Satya School exemplified how photography can be used to foster a love for learning, build cognitive skills, and inspire students to see the world through a new lens.

For instance, a simple photograph of a playground can spark a story about adventures, friendships, and dreams. Each click of the camera becomes an act of imagination, transforming ordinary scenes into extraordinary tales. By engaging with their environment creatively, students learn to think beyond the obvious, developing a rich inner world of ideas and stories.

On capturing the essence of a moment through your lens

Photography, as a form of visual storytelling, has the power to ignite the imagination in ways that traditional methods may not. When students are given a camera and encouraged to capture the world around them, they start seeing their surroundings from a new perspective. They begin to notice details, patterns, and stories that were previously overlooked. This process of discovery fuels their imagination, allowing them to create narratives that are deeply personal and innovative.

On techniques you teach young photographers to help them convey emotions effectively through their images

Capturing the essence of a moment through photography requires a deep connection with the scene and subjects you’re photographing. It starts with immersing yourself emotionally, truly feeling and understanding the atmosphere. This connection allows you to anticipate and recognize genuine expressions and interactions. Observance is crucial; by being patient and attentive, you can catch subtle gestures and fleeting expressions that convey powerful emotions.

Patience and observation are key. Spend time watching your subjects, noticing subtle gestures, expressions, and interactions. Pay attention to the context and surroundings, as these can add depth to the story you’re trying to tell.

Lighting plays a pivotal role in setting the mood. Natural light, whether soft and diffused or harsh and dramatic, can enhance the emotional tone of the photograph. Composition techniques, such as the rule of thirds, leading lines, and framing, help draw attention to the emotional core of the image, guiding the viewer’s eye to what’s most important.

Focusing on details can often capture the raw essence of a moment more effectively than a wide shot. Zooming in on a tear, a smile, or a hand gesture can tell a deeply emotional story. Candid photography, where subjects are unaware of the camera, often reveals the most genuine emotions, providing an authentic portrayal that posed shots cannot.

Engaging with your subjects helps them relax and display their true selves. By creating a comfortable environment, you encourage genuine expressions and interactions, allowing the true essence of the moment to shine through your lens.

On balancing technical proficiency and emotional depth in your photographs

After capturing your images, take the time to review and reflect on them. Evaluate not just the technical quality but also the emotional impact. Are the emotions conveyed effectively? Does the photograph tell a story? This reflection helps you improve and find the right balance in future shoots.

By merging technical skills with emotional sensitivity, you create photographs that are not only visually striking but also deeply moving. This balance allows you to produce work that resonates with viewers on multiple levels, combining the best of both worlds.

Once you’ve mastered the technical skills, you can use them to enhance emotional expression. For example, using a shallow depth of field can isolate a subject, drawing attention to their emotions, while a well-timed burst mode can capture fleeting moments of joy, sorrow, or surprise. Lighting can dramatically alter the mood of a photograph, so understanding how to use natural and artificial light to your advantage is key.

On sharing some key moments that defined your path in photography

My journey has indeed been filled with defining moments that have shaped my path in photography. When I first ran away from home, I was very young—only eleven or twelve years old—and had to navigate the harsh realities of life on the streets. At that time, I had no room for emotions. I was sitting on a platform, crying and unsure of what to do next until I met friends who provided me with emotional support. Despite missing home, I was determined to make something of myself and knew there was no going back empty-handed.

The turning point in my photography career came when my mentor advised me to visit exhibitions. I noticed that other artists’ works had distinct themes, which inspired me to shoot my own story.

I began recreating moments from my street life, sometimes asking children to pose as I did during my childhood. When real scenes were available, I captured them; when they weren’t, I recreated them. My emotions naturally found their way into my work. A particularly defining moment was when the police confiscated my film while I was shooting at a station, saying it wasn’t allowed. Such experiences, although challenging, became integral to my work and storytelling.

Each of these moments, from the struggles of my early life to the challenges faced while pursuing photography, has significantly contributed to my journey and the authenticity of my work. They have shaped not only my path as a photographer but also my perspective on life and art.

On being part of the Forbes Asia 30 under 30 list impacting your career and personal life

Being named in the Forbes Asia 30 under 30 list in 2016 was transformative for my career and personal life. It significantly elevated my profile, opening doors to international platforms and prestigious speaking engagements at Harvard, Facebook, Google, the Pentagon, and the World Bank. This recognition validated my journey from the streets to the global stage, reinforcing the power of perseverance and storytelling. It also inspired me to continue pushing boundaries and using my platform to empower others. The acknowledgment affirmed my belief in capturing authentic stories and motivated me to keep documenting overlooked narratives, enriching both my career and personal growth.

On the future of photography in India, especially with the advent of new technologies and platforms?

New technology makes things easier. AI will definitely not end photography but will simplify tasks, like enhancing images with filters.

Related Topics:#IgnitingImagination #BeyondTheObvious Satya School Vicky Roy

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Amazon Ads maps 2026 as AI and streaming rewrite ad playbooks

Published

1 month ago

January 15, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

NATIONAL: Amazon Ads has laid out a sharply tech-led vision for the advertising industry in 2026, arguing that artificial intelligence, streaming TV and creator partnerships will combine to turn brand building into a more precise, performance-driven business.

At the heart of the shift, the company says, is the fusion of AI with Amazon’s vast trove of shopping, browsing and streaming signals, allowing advertisers to move beyond blunt reach metrics to campaigns designed around real customer behaviour.

“The future of advertising is not about reaching more people, but the right people with messages that resonate,” said Amazon Ads India head and vice president Girish Prabhu. “By combining AI with deep customer insights, we help brands move from broadcasting campaigns to having meaningful conversations wherever audiences spend their time.”

One of the biggest changes, according to Amazon Ads, will be the collapse of the wall between media planning and creative development. Retail media, powered by first-party data, is increasingly shaping everything from brand discovery to final purchase, pushing marketers to design campaigns around audience insight rather than internal instinct.

AI is also moving from a support tool to a creative engine. Agentic AI, which automates and accelerates production, is expected to make high-quality creative accessible even to small businesses, compressing weeks of work into hours and giving challengers the ability to compete with larger brands on speed and scale.

Behind the scenes, AI-driven analytics will take on a bigger role in campaign optimisation, identifying patterns, spotting opportunities and recommending actions that would previously have required teams of analysts.

Streaming TV is another big battleground. With India’s video streaming audience now above 600 million and connected TV users at 129.2 million in 2025, advertisers are set to treat streaming not just as a branding channel but as a performance engine, measured increasingly by sales, sign-ups and bookings rather than just reach.

Finally, Amazon Ads sees creators and contextual advertising reshaping how brands tell stories. Creators will act less like influencers and more like long-term partners, while scene-aware ads on streaming platforms will allow brands to insert hyper-relevant offers into the flow of what viewers are watching.

Taken together, Amazon Ads argues, these shifts mark a move towards advertising that is both more human and more measurable, where AI handles the complexity, and creativity does the persuading.

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Publicis India appoints Sonal Verma as Arc Worldwide MD

Published

1 month ago

January 15, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe India has appointed Sonal Verma as managing director of Arc Worldwide India, handing the reins of its experiential and shopper marketing business to a leader steeped in live brands and real world storytelling.

Arc Worldwide, the Groupe’s specialist arm focused on experiences that nudge consumers from curiosity to checkout, sits at the intersection of creativity, commerce and culture. Verma’s mandate is to sharpen that edge as brands grapple with shorter attention spans and more complicated buying journeys.

Verma joins from Cheil India, where she spent nearly five years building and leading the brand experience practice, most recently as senior vice president and head of brand experience. Her career reads like a tour of India’s experiential landscape, with leadership roles at Momentum Worldwide, Percept D Mark, Blockkbuster Events and Showtime Events.

She has also held senior activation roles at Radio City and The Times of India, giving her a rare mix of agency, media and on-ground execution experience. The common thread has been simple: turning big ideas into moments people remember and talk about.

At Arc Worldwide India, Verma will focus on expanding the agency’s experiential and shopper capabilities, strengthening client partnerships and keeping the work firmly rooted in consumer behaviour rather than buzzwords.

With Verma at the helm, Arc Worldwide is expected to double down on ideas that live beyond screens and closer to everyday life. For an industry obsessed with clicks and scrolls, this is a reminder that sometimes the strongest connections still happen face to face.

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Barbeque Nation taps ‘milne ki bhookh’ to kick off the new year

Published

2 months ago

December 29, 2025

indiantelevision.com Team

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Set against a world of constant messages and missed meet-ups, the campaign leans into a simple truth: dining out remains one of the few rituals that still brings people together. Barbeque Nation positions itself as the excuse and the setting for real conversations, shared plates and unhurried moments.

Nakul Gupta, cmo at Barbeque Nation, says the brand has long been about shared celebrations. As the year turns, milne ki bhookh captures what he calls a growing hunger to meet, connect and spend time together, with food at the centre of that experience.

Created by Makani Creatives, the campaign comprises three films built around Barbeque Nation’s signature grills and desserts. The storytelling is deliberately sensorial, designed to spark cravings while nudging diners to step out and meet in person.

Pavan Punjabi, chief integration officer at Makani Creatives, says the idea stems from a familiar contradiction. People are constantly connected, yet meetings with loved ones are endlessly postponed. Milne ki bhookh, he says, is a gentle push to make time for real-life catch-ups, using food as the reason to come together, share a meal and create memories.

The campaign breaks on December 25 with the grilled prawns film and will run for two months, amplified across digital platforms. As the new year begins, Barbeque Nation is betting that the strongest appetite of all is not for food alone, but for each other.