Something about Wildlife Photography! :)

***Before I could write about any topic, I want to declare one very important thing. That is – whatever I write here regarding what so ever topic, is purely my feeling and opinion or may be based on my own experience. Anything that you read here is NOT generally applicable and it’s purely my perception!***

So here I go!

Wildlife Photography:

So what is wildlife photography to you? Is it shooting Tigers? Snakes? Leopards? It may be Yes to you or may be No! Everyone will have their own definition for Wildlife Photography. One of my good friends Girish says, “Shooting wild animals in forests not in zoos is wildlife photography.” That’s right. That is purely his opinion. 

 

When I explain it, there will be no much difference, but there will be some additions and alterations. Wildlife Photography is something where you shoot (photograph) wild animals in their natural habitat without controlling anything than the camera. You cannot ask a Tiger or a Deer to pose for you, obviously, but capture the best possible by waiting for it. Wild animal is any or every animal that is not domesticated. It can even be a Macaque (Monkey) or an insect, even Mosquitoes. Choose the place, Get geared with the right equipments, and keep going! Some photographers love to shoot mammals, some love reptiles and some birds and so on! Something about wildlife fascinates or attracts photographers that they invest so much of time and patience in shooting them. For Example – Bird Photography is one of the toughest kinds of Photography. It needs a lot of Patience, in depth understanding of the behavior of birds, the habitat they prefer and more. Sometimes, days are spent in one single place waiting for that one “Dream Frame”! 

Having said that, I would love to quote some basic rules of wildlife photography (Rules of the Jungle Rather):
1. Respect the nature and the wilderness
2. Do not smoke or consume alcohol when in field (forest)
3. DO NOT make noise or talk loudly
4. Phones MUST be in SILENT mode if reachable
5. Do not throw plastic and litter the nature
6. Carry water, fruits and a first aid kit
7. DO NOT wear vibrant colors like Red, yellow or any color that does not mix with the forest environment.
8. Do not use deodorants or perfumes – Animals will easily spot you!

That was about the Rules here are some tips:
1. To shoot an animal, go to its eye level.
2. Focus on the eye of the Animal\bird.
3. Minimum requirement is a 300mm (and more) lens – you will be lucky if the animal gets closer.
4. Never try to handle any wildlife*.
5. Know your memory card and battery limits – Its frustrating when card goes full n battery nil.
6. Be Natural – Example- A burrowing frog placed on the tree or a water snake to be on a tree is unnatural. Show the natural habitat.
7. Capture the action – Capturing action is the important thing in wildlife photography. A Tiger Running looks better than a tiger Jus sitting.
8. Know what you are shooting – Know your subject well. Read, study and hear about what you want to shoot..! Do a research and go ahead! Its sometimes difficult and dumb to shoot something that you do not know in wildlife as you can get a better frame when you know the behavior of what you are shooting.
9. Background – A good contrast of the subject should ideally be the back ground. Keeping a green BG looks always better than White BG for a White bird.

So, to conclude, there is no hard and fast rule in the world of photography! Try out new things.
It’s said that, a Tiger sees you 4 to 6 times before you spot it for the 1st time!! So, be careful, be serious. Wilderness and it’s a different world out there. Test your patience but not of a Wild animal.
 
Happy Clicking!

Aren't we too small in front of Nature??? Think!!!

Hi folks,

Phew! I am back.. Finally.. Took a long gap. I am gonna keep this post a very crisp n a short one, to begin with, after a long gap. 

Had been to my native(even that was after a long time). As usual, parents were so very glad to see me n there was a different kinda happiness in my heart and a smile on my face. had Yummy breakfast and started towards my farm which is approximately 15kms from my house. A Traffic-Less Ride!!!

Its a lush green farm. Teak, Banana, beetle-nut, sapota(chiku), couple of sheep n hens n a couple of sandalwood trees :) 

After roaming all over the farm, while coming out, One thing attracted my attention..! A Tamarind Tree.!!

Yes, a Tamarind Tree. I had seen her many times before but that time she seemed really different and trying to tell me something. She's a huge, green n a very old tree that's grown right in front of my farm. I remember seeing her since the day I  went to the same farm some 20 years back as a kid. Today, I am standing in front of her n trying to listen to the Enigma that was being emitted from her.. Hmm.. Sigh!

That's when I thought of clicking a Picture with her. I set the camera on the tripod, set it on self timer n "Click".. I See the photo later and ........

..... and It was absolute silence in me for a while trying to comprehend the picture. I am standing like a fool who is not even fit to be compared with that of her Huge, green and solid make..! So tiny, so confused, like an inconsiderable thing. Only one thought was prominent among the thousands that visited my mind - "Aren't We Too Small In Front Of Nature???" 

Just think, its just one tree and we are nothing in front of it, think about the nature as a whole...!!!

Now its your turn. Look at the image, think n let me know what YOU feel..

Cheers!

My First Blog..!

Hi Photography Lovers,

I am making an attempt to write about an never ending topic. Though my favourite, it has irritated many people. May be they are the ones who come along with me expecting a great time and fun rather a long sessions of Setting and pressing the shutter. That's what it is..!

I don’t want to begin this blog following the same old methods that are prescribed by writers or whatever. I consider this place as a platform where we learn and share information and knowledge irrespective of the subjects. As I always believe in fun-filled learning, I will make an attempt to share my views about photography in my own language and style, with examples and by introducing the people from whom I have learnt and been learning photography.

Photography : Photography is the process, activity and art of creating still or moving pictures by recording radiation on a sensitive medium, such as a photographic film, or an electronic sensor. Light patterns reflected or emitted from objects activate a sensitive chemical or electronic sensor during a timed exposure, usually through a photographic lens in a device known as a camera that also stores the resulting information chemically or electronically. Photography has many uses for business, science, art, and pleasure – WIKIPEDIA.

After you have read the above paragraph, it’s my duty to explain the same thing in common language and my view point. It’s simple…

Photography is playing with light, shade and your imagination, keeping them more or less when needed.

Photography is all about keeping the same imagination intact in the photo you take, that you imagined before.

Photography can be explained in different terms by different photographers. Above are two of my views among many.

I started photography (taking photos) probably when I was in class 4 when I used to take my dad’s Yashika film camera and run away just to click, click and click. Bikes, cars, dogs were the ones which attracted me. Without my knowledge this “Running away with the camera” thing developed so strongly that now I feel like a physically challenged person without a camera with me and my mind doesn’t work. I know there are many who feel the same.

The person who introduced me to the world of digital photography is Mr. Sunil Sachi, one of my good friends. I used to wonder and sometimes even get shocked by looking at the photographs that he has taken. It was a real good time and a lovely learning experience that I had with him. Then it was Mr. Vishwas Naidu, my cousin, who nurtured my passion with the camera he bought. But I was the one who used to hang around with it all the times. It was a Fujifilm S5800. Then it was a Canon 1000D, thanks to Prem.

I sincerely follow one very important rule or a statement in photography. I do not remember who has told it, but I swear, IT MAKES SENSE.

“There are no bad subjects. There can be only bad photographers”. I am sure you are smiling.

It was Mr. Achyutan who entered the scene and started speaking about few terms like Aperture, DOF (Depth of Field), Exposure, Metering, Focus, Shutter Speed and what not.. Phew..! They all really went over my head. That is when I tried my hand on the Masterpiece, Nikon D90. I was literally stunned. I will talk about D90 later.

Orkut: I have to thank Orkut for giving me a chance to showcase my photographs and most importantly to gain so many Friends, Fans, Critics, well wishers and supporters. It feels good, feels better when someone appreciates someone’s work, when someone corrects the mistakes, someone teaches about how to do things better and when someone’s always there to support us. While talking about that, I have to thank loads of Photographer friends who have always been there for me. It’s tough to name them all as it would fill up the whole blog.

Well, how many of you here think different? How many of you here think out of the box? How many of you here feel that you have that fire in you that can take you to the heights of your achievements? Answer them to yourselves.

You may wondering, why am I talking about achievements and all those things in this blog related to photography. Yes, because I or any photographer feels, its an achievement when a good shot has been taken. It happened with me too. Lots of times.

Well, may be I have written too much or may be I have written nothing. Photography is like that, no matte what photo you take, there is always a better photo than it. Having said that, I am concluding this, the very 1st blog of mine with a promise that there will be lot more following this.

What is there on earth that gets you close to something and creates a feeling of belongingness than photography?Photography is not just just clicking, but for us, our heart never beats, but it just clicks...!

Happy Clicking Guys :)

Click..!