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Hardeep Singh

@starrysolace

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After all, we're all just stories, waiting to be told. 🦄
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Founder @queercollectivedehradun

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Happy 90th Birthday Ruskin Bond! 💫

May you continue to comfort us all with your larger-than-life persona and your classic sense of humour. Your words have provided solace to so many of us for generations. 📚

Eternally grateful to the Universe for your existence, that too in such close proximity to Dehradun, my hometown. 💌

Sharing a selection of photographs that I had made of our beloved author in December 2020 for @HindustanTimes' year-end feature.

Thanks once again to @Paroma.Mukherjee for thinking of me for this wonderful assignment.

#RuskinBond #Writer #Author #Editorial #Portrait #PortraitPhotography #Landour #Mussoorie taken in Landour, Mussoorie by @starrysolace

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2 years ago

by @starrysolace

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9 years ago

Here are some of the images from my ongoing work on the life and work of Shivangi Agrawal (@disabledspice). A big thanks to Neeraj Sir (@priyadarshineeraj) for pushing me to work on this, and Tashi Sir (@tasitokpay) for his invaluable guidance. Lastly, a big thanks to the entire team of Determined Art Movement (@determinedart) for their dedication in spreading art. :) .
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#Repost @indianexpress (@get_repost)
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Rethinking The Normative.
Having a congenital disability, 25-year-old Shivangi Agrawal has faced stigma all her life. But that hasn’t stopped her from working towards social change. In an attempt to build communities through art, she has initiated the Determined Art Movement in Delhi wherein she, along with a group of artists, are painting wall murals in and around the city to make a statement for the problems that they face. She feels that the society's definition of 'normal' is too narrow, and it is time that we break free from it. Express photo by Hardeep Singh (@starrysolace).
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#abilitymission #CongenitalDisability #congenitalanomalies #thebarriersweface #art #art_spotlight #Society taken in New Delhi by @starrysolace

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8 years ago

📱 PHONE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP | RECAP

On Sunday, September 6, Darpan hosted a Phone Photography Workshop at Kala Kendra, facilitated by our member Hardeep Singh.

The workshop began with a look at the basics of photography—from the origins of the word ‘photography’ and the democratisation of image-making through smartphones to the myth of expensive equipment and Henri Cartier-Bresson’s idea of The Decisive Moment.

Participants were introduced to key technical concepts such as exposure, contrast, dynamic range and white balance, followed by a discussion on composition and how thoughtful framing can make an image more visually compelling.

The classroom learning then moved outdoors. During a 45-minute breakout session, participants put these ideas into practice, photographing their surroundings using nothing but their phones.

Back at Kala Kendra, everyone shared their favourite photographs for a group review. Hardeep looked at each image closely, pointing out what worked - whether it was composition, light, framing or the moment captured - while offering practical suggestions on how the photograph could be strengthened. The feedback gave participants a chance to look at their own images differently and understand how small changes in the way they see and frame can make a big difference.

It was an afternoon of learning, experimenting and seeing familiar surroundings with fresh eyes. 📱📸

Here are some photographs made by the participants during the breakout session.

Darpan Doon Photo Collective, phone photography, mobile photography, smartphone photography, photography workshop, photography basics, visual storytelling, creative photography, composition, exposure, dynamic range, white balance, decisive moment, photo walk, photography critique, image making, framing, smartphone camera, Dehradun photography, Kala Kendra taken in Kala Kendra Dehradun by @starrysolace

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📱 See Differently. Shoot Creatively.

Your phone is already a camera. The real question is: what can you see through it?

Join Darpan -- Doon Photo Collective, for an engaging Phone Photography Workshop at Kala Kendra, facilitated by writer and photographer Hardeep Singh.

With a background in photography and visual communication, Hardeep brings a thoughtful approach to making images—one that looks beyond expensive equipment and focuses instead on seeing, composing and telling stories through photographs.

Whether you’re someone who casually photographs your everyday surroundings or you’re looking to take your phone photography a little more seriously, this workshop is an opportunity to explore the creative possibilities of the camera you carry with you every day.

📅 Sunday, September 6
⏰ 3:00 PM – 6:30 PM
📍 Kala Kendra, Dehradun
🎟️ ₹500/-
📲 Limited seats | Register via WhatsApp/SMS: +91 95577 71160

Come with your phone, your curiosity, and a willingness to look at familiar things a little differently.

Let’s make better photographs—with the camera already in our hands.

[Darpan Doon Photo Collective, phone photography, mobile photography, photography workshop, smartphone photography, visual storytelling, photography, composition, creative photography, Dehradun, Kala Kendra, Hardeep Singh] taken in Dehradun by @starrysolace

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2 months ago

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When the rain gods relented,
The heavens were fully painted
With hues so endearingly glorious,
That made me feel somewhat victorious

As the birds circled the orange sky,
My heart bid all worries goodbye
I filled myself up with a joy sublime,
Gazing at this magic for a long-long time...

A BIG thanks to Priyam the Poet (@doonbloom) for inspiring me to write a rhyming poem. 🤗
To more such glorious evenings! 😌

[Monsoon sky, Dusk in Dehradun, Amateur Poet, Poets of Instagram, Nakronda, Places to visit in Dehradun, Monsoon Magic] taken in Nakronda, Dehradun by @starrysolace

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2 months ago

On Independence Day (August 15) last week, we at Queer Collective Dehradun joined hands with Darpan -- Doon Photo Collective, to organise a screening of the film 'Roohrangi,' directed by Tusharr Madhavv, at Budaan, at Dalanwala, Dehradun.

Roohrangi explored the themes of belonging, freedom, desire, kinship, ancestry, camaraderie, etc. with a queer twist. The film was very well received by the audience. The screening was followed by an interactive Q&A session where Tusharr answered each question meticulously.

It was a truly befitting way to celebrate this year's Independence Day. We sincerely thank Budaan for hosting us, the awesome people at Darpan for being the perfect collaborators, and especially Tusharr who not only agreed to let us screen Roohrangi, but also travelled to Dehradun all the way from his hometown Lucknow for the screening.

We are looking forward to more such meaningful collaborations in the future.

Except the group photos on the first slide, all photographs have been made by Hardeep (@starrysolace) 📷 taken in Dehradun, Uttarakhand by @starrysolace

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2 months ago

Irony

On World Photography Day today, here's a reminder that in a world of reels and carousels, a single image still stands tall.

I took up photography more seriously in 2017 with the conviction that photographs have the power to change the world around us / within us. 9 years later, I still stand by that conviction. ✨️

Here's hoping that our love affair with photography continues till the end of time.

Happy World Photography Day everyone! 📸 taken in Rajpur Road, Dehradun by @starrysolace

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2 months ago

On behalf of the Doon Photo Collective, it was great to attend the screening of Tusharr Madhavv's beautifully evocative, poignant and, I should add, courageous film 'Roohrangi'.

My thanks to @doonbloom and @antardrishya , my fellow collective members and to everyone who showed up and made the evening special by staying back and interacting with Tusharr.

Through 'Roohrangi', Tusharr explores difficult themes of queer identity, memory, belonging while asking what it means to be in spaces where one can simply be oneself.

Incidentally, it also felt especially meaningful to watch a film about identity and the freedom to be oneself on India's Independence Day ! taken in Dehradun by @starrysolace

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2 months ago

I have always been afraid of sharing my deepest thoughts with the world at large. In this case, I'm referring to the online world.

2026 has been a year where I am actively shedding my inhibitions. So here you go, world! 😀

A BIG thanks to my dear friend Atul (@atulsarsi) for recording this video. ^_^

And more gratitude to Isha (@notalwaysisha), Yash, Jyoti, Aakash (@khamosh.insaan) and the rest of their team at the Dehradun Chapter of @kommuneoffline and @malang.openmic for organising an evening of poetry at @cafe7ate9 yesterday. It was a lovely evening. ✨️ taken in Cafe 7 Ate 9 by @starrysolace

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2 months ago

July has been a tumultuous month. With widespread crackdown on peaceful expression, it has been a struggle to remain calm.

However, during such difficult times, it is important that we take care of our health and well-being. Feeling angry and frustrated during difficult life situations is natural, but we should try and not let these emotions overtake our entire life.

With this thought in mind, I'm facilitating an online group breathwork session tomorrow, i.e., on Saturday, August 1, at 5 PM IST. The session will be held via Zoom, and will last about 40 minutes.

Factoring in the time taken to introduce myself and my breathwork practice in the beginning, and conducting grounding activities to conclude the session, the total duration will be about 1.5 hours.

The energy exchange for the session is ₹499/-

To register, please contact me at +919557771160 via WhatsApp / SMS.

Let's breathe together and learn how to be in a state of calm during difficult times.

#BreatheWithHardeep

[Mental Health, Breathwork Facilitator Dehradun, Online Event, Peace of Mind, Student Protest] by @starrysolace

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3 months ago

The Cockroach Janta Party-led protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, bore fruit yesterday, on July 25, when Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation. The protest, which began on June 6, drew concerned citizens from all walks of life.

The main demand of the protesters was Pradhan's resignation over exam paper leaks. Eminent activist Sonam Wangchuk also joined the protest. The newly formed Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) was founded by 30-year-old Abhijeet Dipke in May 2026.

CJP garnered enormous support from youngsters across the country, leading to one of the biggest protests in India during the last few years. When Pradhan's resignation was announced yesterday, the protesters were ecstatic! From chanting slogans to playing card games and dancing on catchy songs, the 'cockroaches' celebrated their victory with immense fervour.

Here's hoping that Pradhan's resignation is the first step in the series of positive changes that the youth of India will bring about for the betterment of the country.

#InquilabZindabad #LongLiveRevolution

[People's Movement, Youth Protest, Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Student Protest, Anti-establishment Protest, BJP] by @starrysolace

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