‘Where Light is, there is no Darkness’ is an old saying. In reality, they co-exist! In art or photography, a creative eye can make them play with each other!

With an eye for freezing even fleeting moments of any activity, ace lensman  K. Venkatesh portrays the various forms of light falling on objects and ordinary people moving in darkness at K.R. Market in the centre of Bengaluru.

As beauty is in the eyes of a beholder, this unique collection of snapshots in black and white express the abstract forms of light casting its magical spell on ordinary folks and their belongings in the shadows of darkness.

Though what may seem to be a common scene at an ordinary place like the cross roads of a bustling market beneath a monstrous flyover, the beaming lights from headlamps of slow-moving vehicles give new life to the simple folks with baggage or luggage in their hands, over heads or shoulders.

Even as thousands of people flock to the market daily from across the garden city and nearby towns to buy or sell flowers, fruits, vegetables and hundreds of things for use or consumption, hardly any one seems to have time or inclination to observe the play of lights as a creative lensman does.

While common people are seen going about their business in a chaotic area where traffic rules are not enforced and crowd management is missing, it is the sudden flash of light from moving vehicles that illuminate a part of the people, their belongings and other objects in the vicinity.

“It is the amazing play of bright lights from headlamps of scooters, bikes, autos and cars on common men and women that fascinated me to capture their effect on them with their belongings in hands, or over shoulders or heads,” recalled the veteran photo- journalist.

Shot over a fortnight with patience and perseverance for the best picture of the moment from the flyover, the extraordinary photos with glowing objects give hopes to what lights can do in the arena of darkness!

What is taken for granted and treated as routine is found to be worthy of photo frames by the “third eye” of a lensman in the passage of time, Even the presence of animals like stray dogs or cattle makes the locale ideal for creative photography with an abstract streak.

Instead of focusing on royal palaces, forts, monuments or exotic locales in varied hues and colours, these photo frames capture the spirit of everyday life in the old city that co- exists peacefully and in harmony with the people of all faiths, creed, caste, colour and communities.

“I thought of doing something different from routine to celebrate the greatness and glory of a common man, woman, young and old who struggle to make a living by doing all kinds of odd jobs like pushing loaded carts with bare hands, carrying goods on shoulders or head, selling flowers, fruits and other eatables as vendors or buying for home,” recalled the man behind the camera.

As silhouette cameo of lights freeze objects of daily life for posterity, a vintage Venkatesh continues to spring surprises with an optical lense that is as old as he is but powerful to capture the warp and woof of human existence in light and darkness!