SBE Captain and resident “shutterbug”, Puja Yadav, MSBA’26, shares her favorite moments behind the lens.
Through the Lens: My Top 5 Photo Memories from 2025
One of the most joyous parts of my time at Brandeis has been taking photos for the CSE as a Captain. As the year comes to a close, along with my time at Brandeis, I’ve been scrolling through hundreds of shots, and narrowing them down to just five felt nearly impossible. But these images capture what made 2025 unforgettable, the laughter, the community, and the moments that remind me why I love this place.
Collaboration in Action at DeisHacks 2025
There’s something magical about catching students in their element. This shot of a group huddled around a laptop, surrounded by coffee cups and sticker-covered laptops, is my favorite photo I took at Brandeis this year.
You can see it in their faces, that mix of focus and excitement when an idea finally clicks. The natural light streaming through the windows and the whiteboard full of brainstorming notes in the background tell the story of hours spent building something together. These are the moments that happen every day but somehow feel special when you pause to really look at them.
Learn more about DeisHacks here
When Waiting Turns into Karaoke
At the Asper Pitch Summit, students were waiting outside while the judges deliberated, and I could feel the nervous energy in the room. Then someone pulled up karaoke on the big screen, and suddenly everyone was singing along, cheering, completely transformed. Watching it unfold through my viewfinder was pure joy. I’m so glad I was there to capture it.
The “Candid” That Wasn’t
This one still makes me laugh. I walked up trying to get a natural shot of students having lunch, and the moment they saw me, they immediately started posing and cracking up. “We’ll give you the best shot of students pretending to be in deep discussion!” they announced. And honestly, they nailed it. Sometimes the staged moments are the most real.
Ashwini Strikes a Pose (Again)
Taking my fellow Captain Ashwini’s picture became this running thing between us. Every time I’d walk into the CSE with the camera and see her at her desk, completely in her own world, I’d capture it. Different seasons, different outfits, but always that same focused energy. She was always serving looks while doing serious work, and I loved documenting those little moments throughout the year. It became my unofficial photo series without either of us really planning it.
The SBE Staff and Faculty Party
Walking into the 2025 School of Business and Economics Holiday Party for Staff and Faculty, and seeing everyone gathered at World Court with the floor-to-ceiling windows, the scene was perfect. The winter trees outside, the warm light inside, faculty and staff from across the school all in one room. There was something about the contrast between the cold December day and the warmth of everyone together that felt like the perfect way to close out the year.
Looking back through these images, I realize how much I’ve loved being the person behind the camera this year. Every photo tells a story, and I’m grateful I got to witness and capture so many of them.
Here’s to another year of moments worth remembering.
