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Soul Speak with Isa Khan (Travel Influencer & Photographer par excellence)
Photographer, economics teacher, travel influencer – Isa Khan
The age of Instagram has thrown up some really talented individuals – people with a penchant for the right content and great image quality. However, only a few make it to a level of popularity as Isa Khan has. With over 40k followers, this travel influencer possesses photography and editing skills that draw people to his profile. Add to that his candid captions that are almost poetic. We were awed by his stunning content and decided to finally get to know the dapper man behind it. Here’s our conversation with him, one that felt as easy as talking to a friend.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am an economics teacher with a Bachelor degree in business, landscape photographer in love with the Himalayas and a trained theatre artist. I have also starred in some TV commercials and also a web series. Basically, I am someone who follows his heart. I only do what I’m passionate about. Anything else is not sustainable for me.
Photographer, theatre actor, economics teacher, travel influencer. How are you juggling all of these things?
Well, these are all highly diversified streams, none are closely linked to each other. And although making the time for everything is challenging, I think the simple answer is that I love each and every of those things. I teach because I love teaching and interacting with kids. Most of what I do comes naturally to me. Hence, it doesn’t seem too demanding because I actually want to do those things, not that I have to.
Isa during his theatre days
How did you venture into travel blogging? How often do you travel?
I am not really a blogger, more of an influencer. My first trekking experience was 5 years back and it was a complete disaster. Even though I might have been physically fit, I was not mentally prepared for it and I swore to never go on another trek. However, about 3.5 years back, I went through a rough phase in my personal life and decided that I needed to leave my comfort zone behind. I took off on a solo trek to Kheerganga and fell in love. It was around this time that I caught onto Instagram and noticed people going on the same treks that I had been to and posting some amazing pictures. I decided that I could do it too. I started with an Honor phone and joined the Instagram bandwagon. Thereafter, I borrowed a DSLR from a friend and scoured the internet for lessons. It was only after I got better that I bought my first camera, a Canon that I still use. Now I try to do 1-2 treks a month. Within 15-20 days of coming back from a trek, I start itching to go back.
Isa on his travels
Was there any defining moment of your self-taught journey to becoming a better photographer?
I was travelling to Spiti with my brother-in-law – a professional photographer. That was my first tryst with what actually goes into photography when you do it professionally. Uptil then, I was only shooting what caught my eye. But with him, I realized how much work actually goes into getting the perfect shot. A photographer’s job is not just to take pictures – it is to compose a scene, visualize it in your head and set it up for the perfect shot. It is not as much about shooting the photo as much as about the thought process behind it. That completely changed the ball game for me and I tried to incorporate it into my photography as well.
Having been completely self-taught, can you offer any advice to budding photographers?
Well, apart from the technique in theory, which one can simply not do without, it is only practice that counts. The only advice I can give is that there is no alternative to hard work. You want to be better? Work for it. Practice practice practice.
Your captions are thoughtful and deep. It says a lot about your personality. Does travelling make you more introspective? What do you do to fuel that side of you?
I was actually never a writer and to be honest, it doesn’t come naturally to me. It is somewhat an imposition of Instagram that makes me write these captions. However, very rarely do I think of captions while posting something. Most of them are my leading thoughts on random days. I carry a notebook and write down the fleeting thoughts that come to my mind. Of course, being in the mountains is immensely helpful and makes one introspect a lot. Apart from that though, there’s really nothing special that I do. It’s only after travelling that I could write this much.
Isa has some beautiful and thought-provoking captions
If you had to choose to spend the rest of your life in one place only, which place would it be and why?
Har ki Dun or Kashmir. Maybe Sonmarg in Kashmir. Har ki Dun is especially breathtaking during the monsoon and autumn months. Actually winter too.
How we feel about a place depends a lot on the experiences we have there. I remember a beautiful evening in Sonmarg, playing cricket with some friends. It started raining later. It was an experience that just stuck.
Sonmarg – One of Isa’s favourite places
Have you ever faced any mishaps on your travels? What have they taught you?
I have of course, faced a lot of challenges. No real mishaps though. There was this one time when I gave in to an Instagram follower and accompanied him on the Dodital Trek. He was a beginner and much slower than me. I had planned to reach Dodital by evening as it isn’t safe to trek after sunset. However, I did not account for his slow pace and we ended up having to spend the night 5 km before Dodital in a deserted Chhaani. Chhaanis are little brick huts that villagers build to store things. However, in the winter, they descend a little and the huts remain empty. We were carrying no tents or sleeping bags and had to make do with some old mattresses that were luckily left behind.
In the middle of the night, we heard some sounds like an animal opening a packet and eating something. We were in the middle of a jungle and miles away from civilization. It scared us out of our minds as encountering a bear or wolf was not uncommon. We could only sleep peacefully in the morning when some Forest Department Officials told us that they were probably hibernating rats.
Thereon, I decided to be better prepared while trekking and to only accompany people whose pace matched my own.
Trekking twice a month, how do you manage your expenses? Give our readers some tips to travel on a budget.
It’s actually quite manageable. I trek on my own, not with organized groups. One can complete an entire trek within Rs. 6,000-8,000. And this is Delhi to Delhi, all inclusive. You just have to be smart and not opt for luxuries. Try to take public transportation from Delhi. Also, given the nature of treks, there really isn’t anything one could spend on. Negotiate with the locals for porters or guides. The entire budget is nothing compared to a trip to say, Andamans.
Where have you eaten the best food of your life?
(laughs) I’m actually not a foodie at all. The only two things I am fond of are Biryani and mangoes. I do try to taste all local delicacies but for the most part, my taste buds are inactive.
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