Reminiscences of a Wildlife Photographer PHOTOGRAPHY

Preface
“Some unknown, unseen forces direct one’s life, Perumal,” were the words of my esteemed
friend and mentor, the late Shri M. Y. Ghorpade of Sandur. How true! It is my firm belief
that the good deeds of my parents and the benevolent directions of our family deity—
Angalaparameshwari of Thiruppazhanam, Thanjavur—have been watching over me and have
directed many friends and well-wishers to touch my life.
From a traumatic start to an enriching new life
I have no recollection of seeing my mother. She delivered me into this world and left me
when I was ten months old. I lost my father to meningitis when I was in school. Turmoil
and helplessness followed, days filled with fear of penury and relentless family tensions and
squabbles.
My hobbies—radio, electronics, reading, wildlife and shikar literature, to name a few—were
passports to a new world; one that exposed me to mentors, friends and new situations ... As
I have said in my essay, later in this book, “a new chapter opened for me, which has been an
eventful one filled with travel and enriching wildlife and photographic experiences”.
Evolution: from gun to camera
I was introduced to the discipline and intricacies of target shooting. As a rifleman, I made
forays into forest and jungle with shooting of one kind in mind. Thankfully, my shikar days
and experiences were limited. I soon exchanged gun for camera and embarked on more
enlightened adventures. I must say, however, that my short stint as a hunter, when I studied
wildlife at close quarters, gave me a valuable understanding of animal and bird behaviour,
body language, habits and vocalisations. This knowledge has served me well in my career as a
photographer.
Sharing the journey
I have visited fascinating forests and jungles, swamps and sanctuaries, across India. I have even
been fortunate enough to go on a photo safari in East Africa. Wildlife photography rewards
the patient photographer with exhilarating moments and memories, often set in magical
environments. I have had many. For years, my family and friends have been trying to persuade
me to record my experiences and their natural outcome—photographs—in a book. Their
consistent encouragement has given gave me the confidence to overcome my trepidation and
bring out this book of my life’s work.
The rationale of ‘Reminiscences’
The task of selecting photographs seemed intimidating. Having a rationale to guide the
selection helped (it also gave a logical flow to the book).
For a brief while, early in my career, I was interested in pictorial photography. Some of
my work in this genre makes its appearance in the first section of this book. The two
following sections feature the results of my lifelong passion: wildlife and nature photography.
I have experience in all three mediums of photography—conventional black-and-white, colour
transparency and digital. So I have selected photographs that seem to best represent my work
in each, under the broader categories of black-and-white and colour.
I share the rich experiences my career choices have gifted me in an initial essay. My
thoughts on the changing nature of nature photography in India, a practical guide to wildlife
photography and notes on some selected photographs appear at the end of the book.
There are many people who have contributed to, and vastly enriched, my journey as a
photographer. They are gratefully remembered on the following page.
I hope going through this book gives you some of the joy that creating it has given me.
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