Celebrated Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho wrote in The Alchemist, “You must always know what it is that you want. When you want something to happen, the whole world conspires to help you achieve it”.However, only a few recognize what they exactly want in their life. It is such a realization that urged Rathika Ramasamy, the first female wildlife photographer of India to relinquish her job as a software engineer to pursue her interest in wild life photography and reach the acme overcoming all hurdles.
While quitting her job, she had nothing but passion for nature in mind. And the country witnessed the female bird flapping around the jungle freezing the unrevealed secrets of wildlife.
Specialized in bird photography, Rathika hails from Theni, a district in Tamil Nadu. She pursued her higher studies in Chennai and after marriage moved to Delhi which opened a path to actualize her passion.
On woman's day, Rathika who had conquered gender gap by walking an untrodden path, shares her experience with Manorama online.
“I started photography as a hobby during my school days itself. When I was in 10th standard, my father gifted me a D70 camera. I was very keen about photography since then. Whenever we go for traveling with family or friends, I was on side of taking photographs,” said Rathika. She had been doing professional photography for a decade visiting various place around the world.
Bird Photography
According to Rathika, Bird Photography came to her naturally. “Delhi is surrounded by bird sanctuaries and it is the main migration route of birds. I used to visit sanctuaries in weekends to keep my zest alive. It is there I got introduced to the world of birds. Slowly I got accustomed to it and took up bird photography as my profession,” explained Rathika.
Another feature that she finds peculiar about bird photography is variety in subject. “There are more than 1300 species in India. During summer days we would have resident birds to shoot. Above all it is a challenging and exciting profession.,” she said. “When I started photography, wildlife meant elephant and tigers. Very few were into bird photography. So I took up bird photography which has variety,” she added.
The spirit that keeps her alive
“Every time I press the shutter, it takes me one step closer to mother nature” reads the tag line in Rathika's website which indicates her affection towards mother nature. It is her love and respect towards nature, animals and their habitat that help her move forward in her career.
“One should never disturb the natural habitat while shooting; that is the ethics of wild life photography. It is essential that a wildlife photographer should posses love and respect towards nature” said Rathika.
'Knowing your subject' is imperative
Research and planning has a great role in producing great shots. Rathika opined that knowing your subject is the most significant lesson to be kept in mind to bring excellent shots. Sometimes it takes months of effort to prepare for a project.
“Before embarking on new a project I have to do a preliminary study about the sanctuary, the exact place, the climatic conditions, and the perfect time for shoot. If its a new place, then I have to find a reliable local guide who would be able to help me find various birds inside the jungle. Before a shoot I will equip myself with knowledge regarding birds variety, their behvioural pattern, habitat, time of action and even bird calls,” explained Rathika.
“All birds, especially water birds are very sensitive to nature. They will fly jiffy with our presence. In that case I have to depend upon hides (a camera shooting technique) and anticipate for the perfect time for their action. Once you missed, you would have to wait, sometimes for hours to get such a shot. In order to capture these shots, I have to learn about my subject,” she added.
Favourite shots so far
All shots are favorite to Rathika. Yet when we asked about favorite shots she cited two shots. “In case of birds it is the spotted owlets kissing and in animals it is the two lion cubs sleeping and I call that shot 'sleeping beauties',” chuckled Rathika.
Favourite shooting locations
“In India my favorite shooting location is Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. From my observation what I realized is that birds in sanctuary are easier to shoot than those in jungles as they are prone to human presence. Besides Bharatpur, I like to shoot in Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand which is the oldest national park in India. In abroad my favorite place is Serengeti National Park in Tanzania,” said Rathika who travels around the world to capture photographs.
Dream Shots
Rathika believes that dream shot is all about visualization. “I have two dream shots in my mind. One is a rhinoceros in a misty background and a tiger crossing the long Ganga river,' said Rathika.
“A subject can be taken in many different ways. I like to take action shots. Profile shots are documentations. They are easy to take. I want my picture to essay a story. Hence, I prefer action shots which are exciting,” she added.
Unforgettable Experiences so far
“The first time I spotted a tiger near water body in Kanha National Park in 2005 and 'the close up shot of the big male lion' in Africa. He was very handsome,” giggled Rathika.
Woman and risk factor in job
Asked about the risk factor faced in wildlife photography as a woman, she retorted, “Can a woman walk in the streets of Delhi without fear? Risk is there every where. Its all about will power and ensuring security. For example, when I think of going to some new place, I would inquire thoroughly about that place through known sources. I would inquire about the person I am talking to, who would be accompanying me, and where I am going to stay. Because I would be alone in the journey,” she said. Sometime they go in groups too.
“From my experience, most of the sanctuaries in India are safe,” she added.
The convenient time for photography
“India being a tropical country, the perfect timing for bird photography is early morning and just before sunset. Whereas in Africa we can shoot all the time as there is adequate light throughout the day. Moreover, in morning birds will go in search for food. So we will get them easily,” she said.
Rathika's Kerala experience
“It was during my visit to Kerala's Thattekad Bird Sanctuary that I freezed the Sri Lankan Frogmouth, seen only in the Western Ghats. In Kerala I had been to Eravikulam, Thattekad and Munnar,” she said. She is planning to visit Kerala this year or next year.
Role models in Photography
Rathika has no special role models in photography. However, she likes Arthur Morris, the pioneer of bird photography as reference. “I take reference even from amateur photographers. You have many in Facebook,” she noted.
Rathika's suggestions to female photographers in Kerala
Rathika said that to pursue in photography, one need family support. “Please believe in the talent of your daughters. This is my humble suggestion,” said Rathika.
In her opinion, those who want to shine in wildlife photography must love mother nature. “you must feel connected to nature. Sometimes, I revisit many jungles. Its a kind of magnetic power that pulls me,” proposed Rathika.
She feel contented to see many female photographers from Kerala posting their clicks in Facebook. “Passion is all that you need. Besides, it is an outdoor job and therefore you have to be physically fit, for sometimes you have to walk miles in the jungle,” she said. She also suggested that besides a photography courses, one must do self-study to do wonders in photography.
A jovial person, she finds time to travel, read, listen to music and spend time with friends and family. When we were doing this interview, she was getting ready for a week-long expedition in Kaziranga National park. She would be visiting southern India this year or next year.
In 2003, Rathika has founded Photography arts Association of India, a web based forum for encouraging interaction among photographers. Her works had been showcased in national and international publications.
For amateur photographers she conducts workshops in all over India and major cities such as Kochi, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
Thanking for this opportunity, she concluded the talk by conveying her wishes to all upcoming photographers.Source: http://english.manoramaonline.com/
