Light & Life Academy

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Professional Photography Institute in India

Light & Life Academy is the first and only Professional Photography Institute in India situated on a picturesque mountain-top in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, supported by the industry. This Photography College offers four full- time One-Year PG Diploma in Professional Photography.

1.Professional Architecture & Interior Photography and Documentary Filmmaking
2.Professional Fashion Photography and Documentary Filmmaking
3.Professional Food & Beverage Photography and Documentary Filmmaking
4.Professional Travel, Nature & Fine Art Photography and Documentary Filmmaking

Founded by one of India's leading advertising photographers, Iqbal Mohamed, the Light & Life Academy aims at teaching the art & science of photography in a holistic fashion, with equal emphasis on aesthetics and techniques.

24/09/2026

“When we came here, we were total strangers from different parts of India. But once we got into the sessions and started going for shoots together, we felt like we became a family. It’s not even been a month!
We’ve also been getting to know Ooty through all these shoots, and this place is special. The people are so welcoming. When we go to the villages, they offer us tea, take care of us and ask us what we need.
And then there’s the beauty of the place itself. Not just when we are out on shoots - anytime we step out - looking at the sky, the stars, the sunsets and sunrises here, everything is a wow moment. I think that’s what I love most about being here.”
Anjana(artsyvenna), Batch 26, reflecting on her first month at Light & Life Academy.

Swipe to see some behind the scenes moments from Batch 26’s first module.

21/09/2026

“I think the biggest thing I learned in my year at LLA was to appreciate life, nature and light - which helped me develop my way of seeing. It definitely helped my photography, but it also made me a more grounded person.
I had always been interested in architecture and in how light interacts with buildings and walls. But even when I joined LLA, I never thought I would choose it as my path. Two sessions in the course changed that. One was the Color of Light module. Just looking at how light and its color changed over a few hours blew my mind. Then, during the architecture specialisation demos, I started seeing how those ideas could be applied to architecture and interior photography. That was the moment it really clicked for me. It was also inspiring to hear stories from faculty who were already working in this space. Stories of travelling, photographing beautiful properties and creating images that helped market the experience those places offered. It felt like a dream job.
I’ve been working in this space for a few years now, and even today, it’s the fundamentals of photography that were taught at LLA that are helping me in what I do. Light and Life also taught me to be nice to people, to be kind, hospitable and warm. And I think the Nilgiris had a part to play in that. The akkas and annas in the villages would welcome us when we went out to shoot, and the akkas at the college took such good care of us. Everyone being so warm helped us do better work because there was no pressure on other fronts. All we had to do was shoot and not really worry about anything else. Doing that every day for a year definitely helped me become a better photographer.
I’m extremely grateful for the entire experience. I think it’s one of the years I’ve enjoyed the most, and one I will cherish forever.”
Abhishek Manoharan - LLA alumnus batch 21 - is a Bengaluru based Architecture and Interior photographer working with hospitality and luxury properties across India.

Abhishek Manoharan | Photographer

18/09/2026

Every batch at LLA brings together its own mix of people. Over the year, that mix becomes a big part of what shapes the experience of the batch. At the end of their first module, Keerthana, Neela Sreya, Nivya, Robin & Tathagat from Batch 26 made this video introducing all of us to the many personalities within the group.
Their first faculty, Sukil(Sukil Tarnas), had this to say about them:
“The whole batch came in very keen to learn photography, even though some of them didn’t have much of a background in this field. The effort was there from the start, and they created some interesting images in the first session itself.
In the beginning, some of them were hesitant and wouldn’t ask questions. They would come to the faculty room later and discuss with me. Now they’re the ones asking the first questions in class. From the first day to the third week, they’ve already shown an evolution in the way they learn and participate.”

16/09/2026

“We would go and shoot one whole day and get critiqued the next day. On repeat.
That was a new experience for me, and it’s been fun to learn this way. I had learnt some of these things before, but here I’m able to understand them differently and adopt them more easily.
We’ve been learning exposure, shutter and the basics of framing. One thing Sukhil Sir kept telling us was to pay attention to how the image is exposed, aligned and balanced. Now, when I’m looking through the viewfinder, I’m thinking more about the photograph I’m about to take.”
Jayathra(J K R), Batch 26, reflecting on the first module at Light & Life Academy.
Swipe for images from shutter module.

14/09/2026

Life at LLA is as much about the people you learn with as it is about the pictures you make.
Along with learning photographic techniques and concepts, students spend a lot of their time getting to know their peers, sharing experiences and becoming part of the community here. These interactions, both inside and outside the classroom, help them understand different perspectives and begin developing their own point of view.
As Batch 26 settles into life at LLA, here’s what they have to say.

10/09/2026

The first few weeks at LLA have taken Batch 26 out into the Nilgiris, making pictures and getting to know the place they’ll call home for the coming year.
Swipe for some photographs from their first set of outdoor assignments - little postcards from the beginning of their photographic journey in the hills - memories they’ll carry with them long after their time here.
The first dispatch from the Nilgiris, with many more to follow.

07/09/2026

Batch 26 got straight into it. Within the first two days of their course, they had already learnt a concept, done their first shoot (and reshoots) with one-on-one feedback.

At Light & Life Academy, the philosophy is to keep making photographs, keep getting feedback, and keep going until the concept is clear. The schedule is packed, but that intensity is what allows students to immerse themselves fully in the process of learning by doing.

03/09/2026

A week into life at LLA, everyone has already found a corner of campus they keep going back to.
We asked Batch 26 to photograph themselves in those spaces. A small record of the places they were drawn to first, before the campus slowly reveals more of itself over the year.
With constantly changing light, weather, plants in bloom, open spaces and views across the valley, there is always something new to notice. Some days it becomes part of what they photograph. On others, it is simply a place to pause and reset between assignments.

31/08/2026

No two students begin at the same point. Some arrive with years of shooting behind them, others are only beginning to find their way with photography. The year at LLA is designed around that individual journey, helping each student get closer to understanding and realising their inner vision.
Here’s what Batch 26 students expect from their time at LLA.

27/08/2026

After the buzz of the first day, the LLA campus transformed into a space of intense focus. Batch 26 started at the absolute basics — getting exposure right, in-camera. How do you get a camera to see color the way our eyes do? How do you make a good image while you’re at it? There are no shortcuts.
Students got their first taste of assignments and critiques at LLA, and we were genuinely happy with how every student took to it — with patience, and a willingness to keep pushing until they got it right.
Swipe for some behind-the-scenes images from Batch 26’s first assignment on LLA campus.

Address

Light & Life Academy

643003

Telephone

+91 7598287370

Website

http://www.llacademy.org/

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