SIX TOP PHOTOGRAPHERS

Nirmal Kulkarni; A wildlife photographerNirmal has been working withlesser known fauna (reptiles, amphibians and insects) for the past six years. Being a snake handler Nirmal started photography clicking slides which were needed for his work involving wildlife awareness talks and snake education programmes. Spotting his keen interest Nirmal was further encouraged by two of his college professors whotaught him basic techniques in wildlife photography and also lent him a number of books to further his study on the same subject. His work ison display and use at the State museum, in various forest department brochures and in different wildlife books. Most of Nirmals documentation and photography work is carried out at the Mahadai Wildlife Sanctuary and the Molem National Park.

Get the buzz on him at 3107079, 5642234.

Bhargavi Joshi; A wildlife photographer and a street photographer Bhargavi has been attracted to nature since she was a child. Residingin Mumbaimost of herphotography comes from sanctuaries in and around Maharashtra. Street photography as she explained to me simply isfilming of peoplein the street!  Just out of formal studies she has already helped shoot pictures for a documentary done on street children. Her dream though is to get into full time wildlife photography so she continues to shoot wildlife wherever she goes

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Prasad; Prasad worked in a bank for eleven years before quitting his job to get full time into his passion since childhood namely photography. As a commercial photographer Prasads expertise lies in various fields including Industrial, Interior, Hotel, Fashion, Table Top, Nature,and Art photography. He also does photography for wedding and events as part of his profession. Prasads nature photography mainly involves landscapes. For a person living in Goa he says, it is most normal to be drawn to nature as there is so much of it all around. Prasad films nature from all parts of Goa, but his favourite place would be Betul - a small fishing village south of Goa, known for its untouched beauty. Prasad hopes that his photography will bring about more awareness with regard to nature. Goascharm he says lies in its primitive beauty. Do not destroy it. Get the buzz on him at 9822581232

Rudolf Lodwig; In addition to curating the art exhibition at the Down to Earth Jazz Fest Rudy as he is popularly known aswill also be exhibiting some of his own photographs at the festival.Having a fascination for the monsoons Rudy has collected a number of photographs all associated with the monsoons and the changes that take place in the flora and fauna with the wash of the rains over Goa. His work is totally centered on the paddy fields, starting from the time they are green right till they are harvested. With the paddy fields of course come the spiders, little crabs, insects and birds, and this inseparable part of the paddy ecosystem features as well in his monsoon picture collection.

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Parag; Though Parags interest is in all wildlife his specialty has been insect photography. Prags interest lies actually in birds, and when I asked him why he didnt shoot birds instead, his reply was that he didnt posses the expensive equipment necessary for it, so he just photographs insects instead! A good friend and colleague of Nirmal Kulkarni, Parag recently held a joint exhibition on snakes and insects with him at the Kala Academy. What he would like to show through his photographs are the little things that often go unnoticed in nature but which are so important to life all the same. Parag is now involved with the creation of awareness and protection of the Mahadai River which might be soon destroyed.

Get the buzz on him at 9822129811

Akhilesh Kumar Sahay. Though Sahays profession is in banking his interest lies in Wildlife. A life member of BNHS (Bombay Natural History Society) and the IIPC (Indian International Photographic Council) Sahays interest in photography was kindled through frequent trips into the forest. Being transferred from time to time all around the country might have also helped him in visiting places all over India! Sahay explains photography as a necessity for himself, as he is actually a regular writer for newspapers. Explaining about animals and plants through plain text isnt enough he says, consequently he took to photography to provide his readers with a better perception of nature through photographs. Sahay feels strongly about the need to give back to our Earth something in return for all that we take from it, and in all his twenty years as a wildlife protector he has stuck by this rule to guide him through.

Get the buzz on him at 2317570, 2224846