Keerti Siag on Learning, Community, and Multi‑Genre Photography (Photo Country Podcast Ep. 64)

Episode 64 of the Photo Country podcast, hosted by Rajeev Nedumaran, is recorded on Waiake Beach in Torbay, Auckland with Keerti Siag, a Sony digital imaging advocate and multi-genre photographer originally from Chandigarh, Punjab. Keerti shares how she emigrated to New Zealand in 2011, ran a Torbay grocery store for five years, then sold the business and traveled New Zealand during COVID, which helped spark her transition from hobbyist to paid photographer with encouragement from friends and her husband. She credits consistent learning, reaching out to photographers, attending workshops, and building community for her growth, and explains why she rejects strict niching despite algorithm pressures. Keerti discusses her teaching background in English literature, her work leading youth workshops with Imagine8, her involvement with Sony Scene workshops and mentors, her belief that photography creates emotion beyond AI, and her advice: find support, join community, and practice.

00:00 Learning Fueled the Journey

00:46 Beachside Podcast Intro

01:47 Firsts and Experimenting

02:36 Burnout and Coming Back

03:37 Serendipity and Names

04:39 From India to NZ Career Shift

08:01 Photography Roots in India

09:04 Why Multi Genre Works

11:35 Mentors And Support

12:26 Problem Solver Mindset

12:58 Workshops And Teaching Path

14:59 Literature Teaching Roots

16:45 Punjab Memories And Landscapes

18:29 Podcasting And Storytelling

20:27 Prints That Move People

22:38 Future Vision And AI

23:32 Three Tips And Farewell