Discovering Travel Tidbits With Travel Photographer Ajinkya Bhonde

Our next traveller has taken travel photography to new heights. Ajinkya Bhonde, aka the 'Xtermist' believes in unravelling real-life stories through his camera shots, and his Instagram account is proof of his timeless love for travel. Inspired by his travel photos, we, recently had an engaging discussion with 'Xtermist' where he narrated his best sojourns, what inclines him towards photography and so much more.

1. Amongst all the places that you have travelled to, which one will you regard as a picture-perfect destination?

There is a place in Southern Vietnam called ‘Trang An’, it has been two years since I visited the place, and I still can’t get over the beauty it possessed. Be it aesthetically pleasing photographs or cinematic drone montages, Trang An is the picture-perfect destination anyone would love to visit.

2. Can you name a destination from India that was A. Most Fun B. Most Challenging C. Most Inspiring?

 

 

 

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A post shared by Ajinkya Bhonde (@xtermist) on Nov 29, 2018 at 1:06am PST

I had the most fun while I was travelling in Ladakh back in 2017. Secondly, when it comes to travelling challenges, the trek to Kedarkantha peak back in 2016 comes to my mind. Climbing a mountain really changes how you see yourself. It reveals the strong side of you in a pleasant way. Lastly, when it comes to one place that has inspired the traveller in me, it is Kashmir.

3. You spent nearly a month shooting in Vietnam, what is one memory from there that you will carry forever?

One memory which I am going to carry forever from my Vietnam trip is when I was sitting on a beach in Mui Ne. It was around 6 pm, the pink sky was looking like cotton candy, and it was peaceful all around. As I sat there, I realised how travelling has changed me as a person, the way I look at life and things I am grateful for. I feel when you travel, you explore yourself more.

4. What does your 2020 travel bucket list look like?

 

 

 

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A post shared by Ajinkya Bhonde (@xtermist) on Nov 12, 2018 at 6:00am PST

For 2020, I want to explore more of my motherland. The list is long which starts with Spiti, and includes Meghalaya, Nagaland, Calcutta, Andaman, Kerala, Rajasthan and Kashmir and many more.

5. All your photos on Instagram have a story to tell! How important is storytelling to the art of travelling?

A lot! Storytelling remains a top priority when it comes to travelling. The ability to express so much of what you saw, felt and experienced through the photos you take and videos you make is unbelievable. Storytelling not only helps people in understanding you as an artist, but it also gives them space to imagine freely. Without a story, the content just remains as a normal social media post.

6. If you had to choose one camera to travel with, which one would be your go-to?

 

 

 

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A post shared by Ajinkya Bhonde (@xtermist) on Nov 14, 2017 at 6:03am PST

My go-to camera would be Sony Alpha A7III camera paired with 16-35 f2.8

7. Solo or group travel, which one do you prefer the most and why?

I prefer travelling with a group of people than travelling solo. Today, most of the people who are very close to me and have played an important role in my life are the ones I met while I was travelling. When you travel with people, you get to see the rawest version of them, and you connect with them. It feels good to meet new people, hear their stories about travel, and how they look at life.

8. Why did you travel as your major focus when it comes to photography? What inspired you the most to pick this up?

 

 

 

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A post shared by Ajinkya Bhonde (@xtermist) on Dec 16, 2019 at 1:06am PST

Bringing a whole another perspective to the places one travels to, needs observation and a lot of attention while capturing it into a photograph. I like that. There’s this YouTube channel named ‘Jacksgap’ which is run by twin brothers- Jack and Finn Harris. I have watched all the travel videos they have made, and I was moved by it. Chris Burkard has been my biggest and all-time inspiration for Travel Photography.

9. What's the next thing you look forward to in your Youtube growth?

I am working on a script for a short series of videos based on travel and visual aesthetics, which is going to be the kind of work I have never done/seen before on the internet.

10. Last but not least, what travel essentials your backpack will always have?

 

 

 

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A post shared by Ajinkya Bhonde (@xtermist) on Apr 26, 2017 at 2:14pm PDT

Whenever I am travelling, apart from my camera setup, I always have an extra SSD for backing up ‘the backup’; offline google translator if I am travelling to a new country; bunch of extra batteries because trust me, it really saves the day when you’re travelling in remote locations; a mini tripod; ND filters and iPad Pro to edit the content on the go.

Do follow Ajinkya Bhonde's Instagram Page here.