What are the most revered experiences of Indians? Certain experiences seem to have clearly captured the imaginations of Indians, if what they post, like and share is anything to go by.

Take wildlife, for example. For wildlife photographers and filmmakers from all over the country, capturing wildlife on camera reinforces many life lessons. It is an exercise in patience, discipline, timing and resilience that takes place deep in the country’s parks, forests and other tough terrains. They spend days and weeks trying to get the perfect shot of animals in their natural element. For hobbyists and amateurs, even leisure trips to national parks and wildlife sanctuaries are rich with possibilities of spotting rare animals and birds, some found exclusively in India. The tiger, unsurprisingly, generates the most amount of excitement among wildlife enthusiasts and is probably India’s favourite wildlife muse.

Another much-celebrated muse is India’s festive spirit, which takes on many forms throughout the year. Some festivals, such as Holi and Diwali, have an undeniable visual appeal, while others are impressive due to the sheer scale of their celebrations – think larger-than-life statues on Ganesh Chaturthi, the creative pandals of Durga Puja, the sea of humanity at the Kumbh Melas and many more. Festival rituals, too, make for incredible visuals. The Kerala boat races held during Onam, the human pyramids of Janmashtami, the burning of Ravan effigies on Dussehra; Indian festivals indeed provide many unique clickable moments.

This festive spirit translates to Indian weddings too, with their grand celebrations where complex emotions rule. Gone are the days of wedding tapes and shaadi albums, with portrait shots of the bride, the groom and many guests. Today, digital cameras and social media have given rise to a new aesthetic and transformed how people preserve their wedding memories. Wedding photographers and filmmakers are making creative use of reflections, silhouettes and camera tricks to highlight key moments. Love between the bride and the groom, the affection of parents, the energy of the sangeet parties – no emotion goes uncaptured, and the ideas continue to evolve. With candid shots of pre-wedding rituals, photoshoots at destination weddings, use of aerial drones, social-media-friendly photo booths etc. rising in popularity, Indian weddings are becoming more experimental.

Have you ever tried to capture the varied experiences that India has to offer? Now you have a platform to showcase your storytelling.

Nikon is running a short film-making contest called Shorts on Nikon with the theme – ‘Experiences’. Participants can submit short films that are up to five minutes long and shot using a Nikon camera. The entries can take the route of fiction, non-fiction or other genres of cinematography and photography.

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The winners stand a chance to win the latest in camera technology. The grand prize is a Nikon Z 6 Mirrorless Camera with 24-70mm Kit Lens. The first runner-up will win a Nikon D5600 with AF-S 18-140mm VR Kit Lens, and the second runner-up will win a D3500 with AF-P 18-55mm VR Kit Lens. In addition, Nikon will also award 20 participants with consolations prizes.

Shorts on Nikon is open to people over 18 years of age, all over India. The last date of submission is 20th March, 2019. To submit your entries, click here.

This article was produced by the Scroll marketing team on behalf of Nikon and not by the Scroll editorial team.