Belagavi (Karnataka), Jul 15 (IANS): Passionate over photography, ace lensman Ravi Hongal has built his dream house in Karnataka's Belagavi city in the shape of a camera, while his three sons are named after popular Japanese camera brands.

"My love for cameras and passion for photography made me build my house in a camera's shape with lens, a flash a show reel, a memory card and a viewfinder.

"I built the 3-floor house on 22x50 square feet site in Shastri Nagar in this shape so that people can identify the building easily and recognise my life-long hobby as I grew with cameras and they have been my source of livelihood," Hongal told IANS.

But, cameras do not only determine the configuration of Hongal's home.

"My eldest son Canon is 20 years old, Nikon 18 years and Epson 13 years.... their first names are the brand names of Japanese cameras, which I bought over the years after starting with the conventional Zenith and Pentax, with black and white roll in the 1980s," Hongal said.

The stylised house has cost Hongal Rs 71 lakh. He got it designed by his Bengaluru-based brother-in-law and interior consultant Y.R. Jadav.

"My childhood hobby for photography and love for cameras since young age turned into a life-long passion and occupation. I have set up Rani Digital Studio here with the help of my wife Kripa Rani, who is a partner in the business," said Hongal.

Besides taking photos in the studio, Hongal covers weddings, cultural events and public functions in the city. He is also fond of shooting wildlife and flora.

The camera-shaped building has become a centre of attraction in the residential colony and has been attracting visitors to see its inside which Hongal has also designed like the interior parts of a camera.

"The first floor has been built in the shape of an Epson printer, the second floor with a window in Nikon lens shape in the centre, and the bedroom window on the third floor in the shape of Canon flash and the terrace wall with a button to click," said Hongal.

"Though we could not perform the housing-warming ceremony in April due to Covid-induced lockdown, we moved into the house after doing simple pooja. Since then, lot of people have been visiting the house and taking selfies standing in front of it," he said.

Hongal's second son Nikon has shown interest in carrying his father's legacy after his studies.