For Ravi Shankar Hongal, a 49-year-old commercial photographer in Belagavi district in Karnataka, photography is more than a profession. His passion for the art of capturing images is clearly evinced on his newly built home that resembles a DSLR camera with a flash mounted on it.
The three-story house, named 'Click', located on 5th Cross, Shastri Nagar in Belagavi has become a social media sensation ever since the house warming ceremony in May 2020. People have been coming to see the house and take selfies which eventually land on social media, making the house to go viral.
The facade of the house resembles a camera, and has lens, a film strip designed in glass, a flash, memory card and a viewfinder. It also has the names of his three sons, but you might be a bit confused if you try to spot these names as his three children are named 'Canon', 'Nikon' and 'Epson'. The interior of the house has graphics related to photography and a room that resembles the darkrooms of bygone days.
The facade of the house resembles a camera, and has lens, a film strip designed in glass, a flash, memory card and a viewfinder
Ravi and his photographer wife Krupa have three children. Twenty-year-old Canon is a BBA student, 18-year-old Nikon is in PU and is also doing a long distance course, and the youngest son, 13-year-old Epson is a Class VII student. Krupa manages their commercial studio in town whenever Ravi goes out for shoots.
Canon said in school, many of their classmates used to ask if they were Christians, because of the names. “Now everyone is used to our names and we feel proud because our names are unique.”
The interior of the house has graphics related to photography
Ravi recalled how teachers asked the couple during school admissions if they were sure of naming their children these and added that they said 'yes' without any second thoughts.
Ravi said the pandemic is making things difficult. “It took a few extra lakhs for the camera design. If I had gone for normal design, the loan burden would have been less during these difficult times. But I feel I am living inside what I love—camera and photography.”
