RISE

November 13, 2018

This is a throwback post. It was part of the first set of images I made after getting into birding. My first trip to Ranganthittu (gasp) and the wonder in my eyes after seeing pelicans and the glorious Painted Storks. Yes, you can see my inexperience and ignorance of this glorious world of birds. Until then the only birds I knew were the crows, sparrows, mynas and kites (I used to call them Eagles). The exotic of the species were the parrots and peacocks!

Moving on, I seem to have built up a beginner level awareness of the various species and can also identify a few by sound and have started to learn the various methods of identifying birds. The key being sharing the photograph with much more knowledgeable birders and taking their invaluable help to ID the bird for me. And google is yet to disappoint me even with my vague search terms involving obscure details like small black bird with yellow spots and so on.

With all the support and a yearning to see more birds, learning (on the field and off) about them, their seasons, habitats, behaviors and more importantly (for me at least) capturing them on my camera became a priority.

So it was on one of my first outings, I was super excited and had read a lot and watched a ton of YouTube videos on photographing birds, birds in flight, birds in flight against different backgrounds, benefits of shooting in manual vs any of the semi-automatic modes (Aperture/Shutter Priority) and heard arguments the other way around. After all the research, I had decided on the following – renting a Nikkor 200-500 to go with my D750, shooting in Manual and not in Auto ISO. To ensure I quickly make changes to changing backgrounds and compensate for exposure variances, I decided to stick to a specific Shutter Speed and vary my ISO to compensate for changes in environment.

After shooting the hell out of the birds from the shore, we decided to rent a boat all to ourselves (we have since then learnt better to take a shared ride instead). While we were turning a bend in the river, we passed a rock where there were a flock of Open-Bill Storks and while I was shooting them, a Great Egret took flight and I quickly lowered my ISO to compensate for the cloudy and bright sky and took one shot. I was on a rocking boat, hand holding the camera and I pulled out this shot. I quickly moved on to more exciting stuff - Painted Storks, Plovers, Terns, Muggers and forgot all about the Egret. Back on the shore, we caught a few flycatchers and it was evening before we decided to call it a day.

Back home, after dumping my card onto my laptop and going through the images, I chanced upon the shot of the Egret and the thought leapt in my head – I got a potato! (hit the link to know why I call it so). I started editing the image, Cropping it a little, pulling at the shadows, highlights, blacks, clarity and sharpness to pull everything possible to make the image you see above.

I don’t know about you, but this is one of my all-time favorites.

'96

October 14, 2018

Have you ever watched a romantic flick that kept you on the edge of the seat better than a thriller could? That's 96. A masterpiece in story telling, acting, cinematography, music, and whatever else it is that goes into making a movie. You don't know when the laugh turned into a lump and back to laughter. That's the kind of roller coaster ride director Prem takes you for 158 mins. And when it is over, you're not sure if you need to get up and go or wait for some more. I tried, but didn't get any more of the movie. And I hate Prem for it.

While we are talking of Maniratnam losing his touch (I cross my heart and hope to be wrong) and Shankar losing his, well... mind, here comes Prem, a debutant director giving us what will be long considered a cult hit for a few generations to come. True, he has helmed the camera for a couple of good movies before this and has worked as an assistant to a wildlife photographer before. But this is a flash of genius. I hope it's the flash of a spark that will turn into a raging fire. Ok, I've become a raving 'fan'atic. I'm a sucker for good romance and I've been longing to come out of a theater feeling like this for long time. Trust me, it's been a long wait (for any genre for that matter).

I'm not a great fan of Trisha. But, her performance in 96 is simply scintillating. She speaks volumes with just her eyes. They say so many things that no words can ever say. Sethu is in his usual element. The versatile actor adds another feather to his ever growing hat. And those two kids! Where did they even come from? It seems I continue to rave here, and I don't care. Ram and Jaanu will be characters (all four of them) who will be on people's mind for a long time.

This is not a movie review. This is just me gushing.

The director summed up the entire premise of the movie with just one dialogue that keeps ringing in my ear when Ram says "I'm right there where I left you".

Who are you?

May 31, 2018

I continue with my political commentaries. This one sparked by an article thrown up by my dear Google Assistant. Ok Google, here we go. One of the most powerful questions asked in recent Political history - Who are you? The question was posed during the recent visit of actor turning (I guess he is still undecided) politician Rajinikanth to Thoothukudi in the aftermath of the Sterlite protest and the eventual closure of the plant. A tad too late sir. The damage is already done and the people are still fresh from licking their wounds and mourning their deceased (or should we say murdered) although they have succeeded in shutting down the plant (for now).

Considered to be the Superstar and darling of the masses, the star expected a rousing welcome from the people. However, what he encountered showed three things emerging in Tamil Nadu that could be the start of something new and promising. Stardom stops at the Cinema theater. Do not expect the starry-eyed fans to continue worshipping you outside the screen. The angst of the people to apathy from leaders and the absence of blind faith of the people in leaders or stars anymore. More importantly, the people are waking up to the realization that they are responsible for the plight they are in and it is their responsibility to get themselves out of it with each other’s help. We have seen this in two issues already – the ban on Jallikkattu and the Sterlite fiasco.

The conspicuous absence of Rajinikanth or his support to the 100-day protest showed that he could not join the protest or support the people either due to pressure from his (spiritual) backers or he had a completely booked schedule for his upcoming movies. Either way, he missed the bus to visit Thoothukudi to understand the situation there and lend a shoulder to the people. After all, his support could have helped turn things in the people’s favor sooner and ultimately in his favor. Looks like he lost the opportunity and most importantly along with that, the trust of the people.

Don’t take me wrong, I am a huge fan of Rajinikanth and eagerly awaiting his latest release (tickets for Kaala anyone?). I will be more than willing to part with my 120 bucks or even more for a First Day First Show, but, would I vote for him? Given his leanings, no.

That said, leaning or otherwise, we need a new, able, strong leader for the people today and Tamil Nadu more than ever is at a point where with the exit of Ms. Jayalalitha and the indisposition of Mr. Karunanidhi have a lot of raw untested ~~leaders~~ politicians at the helm. This has given way to new entrants with even lesser experience in politics like Mr. Rajinikanth and Mr. Kamal Hassan to throw in their hats. Despite the lack of experience, if they can convince the people of their agenda and principles and back it up with innovative, workable solutions, we might actually have a leader in the making for the people.

While we are on the topic of new entrants, Mr. Kamal Hassan would have got a second-hand glimpse of what he can expect from the people of Tamil Nadu. A glorious career in films or a massive fan following is not enough to gain the trust and faith of the people. You need to think of them, their problems and come up with solutions and take them into the future. He needs to be strong enough to stand up against pressure from his own cadres, political supporters, the opposition and the industry (after all, they are the primary bankrollers for any political party). He needs to ensure always that the people are the Maiam (center) in his Makkal Needhi Maiam.

Lastly, the most important person(s) to be wary of this changing political climate are the people themselves. This time, you need to understand what is more important to you when you cast your all-important vote to decide your leader. Vote for a leader who will work with you for you. Also, have patience to see the fruits of the labor of the new leaders (If you choose to elect them). Ask yourselves the all-important question – Who are you? If you are someone who gets swayed by the glitz and glamour of the personality or if you are felled by the cheap sops that are dished out come election time (think RK Nagar), your situation will remain unchanged. Sindhikkavum. Vaakkazhikkavum. (Think. Vote.)

I believe we need a change.

May 29, 2018

I continue to digress from my photography to write on a topic little known to me. What I am writing is completely based on what little I have gleaned from around me. I don’t follow politics, watch news or read the newspaper. I however scour the internet following photographers and watching them create their art and drawing knowledge and inspiration for my work. I don’t know shit about politics or its workings. So what gives me the right to write this article you might ask. I think I represent a significant percentage of the non-participative population as far as politics is considered. Yes, I vote, but I’ve not heard any strong agenda based on workable solutions or developmental policies or know the principles of the people who are contesting for my vote.

What drove me to write this article is the rising hatred and division I encounter on social media these days. There has been a rise in the number of Modi haters and the RG trollers hogging up my Facebook feed which was earlier filled with posts of family photographs of exotic trips and delicious food and everything inconsequential in between. And these hate posts are being posted by the same set of people who were earlier posting nice stuff and liking and LOL’ing other posts. I will not even go to the stuff that is written on the comment sections of these posts and the verbal ~~discussions~~ spats that ensue. Heck, I don’t see as much ads these days in my feed (just joking).

I am not a Modi hater. I think he is an able administrator who has the balls to think up something extraordinary (think GST, Demonetization) and implement them in a fell sweep. I will leave the topic of whether they worked or not for another post (if at all). He has an able tactician and an army of brilliant people behind the scenes constantly working their ass off to present him in the best possible light. They dress him right, write his applause worthy speeches, ship him off to strategic posts to woo voters come election time, put him on well timed flights across the world and keep him abreast of the pulse of the people or the lack thereof.

I am not saying that I am a big follower of the other side(s) either. It’s a toss-up between the devil and deep sea for me.

But let me come to the cusp. What I believe and see around me though is the rising hatred and division. This division is not on the basis of developmental agenda, growth, literacy, employment, or any such trivial issues, but hatred cleverly disguised as religion or the other way around. It's the same either way. We all know how dangerous that can be. It’s not a new phenomenon. It’s a time-tested tool to divide the people, instill hatred and create a diversion for the perpetrators to achieve their selfish cause. As simple as that. The British did that to us when they wanted to invade and take over our land. We fought each other and killed thousands while they settled down nice and comfy. We (Pakistanis and Indians perhaps. O.k., let’s give some credit to the British as well) did that again during the Partition and we fought each other and killed thousands. We did it again in the form of the Bombay riots (Hey Brits… we’re not giving you credits for this one. We did it all by ourselves). We’ve had similar such cases in Gujarat, Malegaon, Karnataka and many more that I cannot recollect or Google right now. I’m not even venturing all the way up to Kashmir. But, I hope you get the point.

Today, we are using media and technology to fight the same battle along with knives, guns and bombs. The penetration of technology is incisive and more devastating than all the weapons of mass destruction we have used to fight over the years and lost (yes we lost them all. All of us). We have hatred and division served to us via Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter without us recognizing it for what it is. Not to mention the numerous News outlets out there stirring it up, slowing it down, drawing red circles so you don’t miss anything and influencing you all day long while playing high paying ads on the side (The recent theory is that the influencing posts paid a lot more than the ads. But we don't want to lose the loose change do we?). The hatred is spreading faster than the most devastating cancer to the most dormant and populous species of the Indian strata – the middle class. The same middle class which sat in the safe confines of their home to drink tea and read/watch the news to find out if the situation outside got any better. They were never overly influenced beyond the price hike, the loss of pay for the days they could not venture out to ply their trade or go to the office or the cinema. They are now being passively influenced by a deep-seated hatred and bias. Yes, forwarding that video on WhatsApp or sharing that post on Facebook is a passive aggression we indulge in from the safe cocoon of our homes or offices from our mobile phones equipped with fast 4G internet provided free of cost. Lap it up.

I believe this needs to stop and change. We are at a juncture where we desperately need leaders to unite us and take us to greater heights in the global space in terms of development, education, job creation, empowerment and wealth. If not all that, I will settle for status quo. But please give the division a skip. We really don’t need people who are striving to influence and send us back to the stone age where we hunt and kill each other. We want leaders to try something different to drive their cause and to win the hearts and minds of the people. Not to mention, their vote. Yes, it is difficult. But, what isn’t?

Religion is big in India and I’m not sure if that will be going out any time soon. I will go to great lengths to say that Religion is the biggest evil today. Drop religion and strive for spiritual oneness with your God. Your relationship with your God should be private and sacred. It's not a cool club anymore. Do not get led astray. Go rehabilitate and clean your systems. Smile at the person next to you. He was your neighbor and friend yesterday. Don’t let somebody you don’t know tell you otherwise. Wise up.

I believe we need a change. Change in you, to understand the propaganda and not get influenced. I believe we need a change in you, to be a better leader and to unite the people for a greater cause. I believe we need a change in you, to stop supporting, distributing and monetizing the monetizing propaganda that divides the people. I believe we need a change in you to embrace your God and shun religion. I believe we need a change in us.

Note: If you have been offended by this post in any way, I strongly urge you to read my last post.

“God wants spiritual fruits, not religious nuts”

Book Influence: The Subtle Art of Not giving a F#@$

May 14, 2018

Let me start off by saying that this book by Mark Manson is hands down one of the few books that has had an immense influence on me in the last 37 years, and I have not read a page of it yet!

The title sums up everything in a very succinct and simple style than what the rest of the 224 pages can give you. By all means go ahead and read the rest of the book. I'm sure it would be good stuff. I don't give a f#@$.

You can apply the learning in your career dealing with not so nice bosses or colleagues, building healthy relationships. You get the drift? Hell, you can implement this even when you're driving through crazy traffic. No, I don't mean you can run over that jaywalker or crash into that auto rickshaw. That can land you in jail or worse, scratch your ride. The keyword is "subtle". But hey, who am I to tell you.

So, why is an amateur photographer who is mad about birding, wildlife and street photography suddenly go off track and write a book (cover) review you might ask. Go ahead and see if it makes any difference. No one gives a f#@$ what you like to do or what efforts and money you put into getting the (limited) gear, travel and time off from your day job or family to go make those images. It doesn't matter, that there is seldom any payoff at all from all this to show off or justify the money and time invested. Hell, even the birds who I madly adore and stalk don't give a f#@$ and fly off when they see me a kilometer away. They don't care I paid dearly to rent that heavy ass lens I lug around in the hot sun trying to get just a little closer to get a decent frame.

So, does this bother me? Yes. Will I stop doing it? No. Why? I like doing it. Does it make sense? I don't give a f#@$.

P.S. In case you are wondering why I have used such language or why I have not apologized for using it, scroll right up and read the title again. Thanks and cheers.

Asian Brown Flycatcher, Lalbagh, Bangalore

First Shutter Therapy of 2018 at Lalbagh.

January 9, 2018

This has to the shortest birding outing for me so far. I had a couple of hours to pick up my daughter from school, so I set off to Lalbagh. It had two things going for it - distance and more important, had parking. Boo to Cubbon Park.

I set off straight to the point where I knew the Spotted Owlets were usually to be found. In between I stopped at the maze near the lake where I spotted a Common Hoopoe the last time I came here.

Didn't see the Hoopoe, but I saw a little bird flitting down to the ground from a medium size thorny tree. I parked myself firmly on the ground to try and make some portraits of the bird on the ground. Though he kept flitting down to grab a bite every now and then, he did not spend much time on terra firma. He was more at home among the thorny branches where he blended in perfectly if you were not looking for him.

Here are a couple (O.K. more than a couple) of portraits of the little guy. I later ID'ed him (thanks to a member from the TGIS group that I am part of) to be the Asian Brown Flycatcher. A Lifer.

Met a fellow birder who had a great catch - a Golden Oriole with its own catch (a spider) and a couple of sunbirds. Then met another interesting person who was an avid birder on his walks with his wife. She knew this was going to be a long conversation and drifted off to sit while we talked about birds, their sounds and wildlife in general. He was quite a senior person and it was an enlightening talk. We exchanged numbers and I moved on to quickly catch the Spotted Owlets before it was time for me to pick up my daughter from school.

It wasn't too difficult to spot them since I saw these guys - there were 3 of them. I spotted them on that same tree the last time I was here with my daughter. I had my 50mm then and didn't stand a chance. I was more than happy just to spot them then. I mounted my flash to make those eyes shine and made this image. Not the best, but it would have to do for now. Gotta rush.

Happy Birthday Dr. Salim Ali

November 21, 2017

This post would have been titled Shutter Therapy in Ranganathittu - 3 (for my third visit here) had not for the fact that we visited the place unknowingly on the 12th of Nov which happened to be the 121st birthday of the Birdman of India. As I was winding up for the day by sinking my teeth into a nice masala dosa in Mandya, I got a message from a dear cousin (Thanks Rishi) reminding me of the occasion. So, this post would fittingly be a dedication to the dapper bird man.

The cliche states the early bird gets the worm. But the poor photographer is up a lot before to get the damn birds while they have a go at their worms. A 5:30 a.m start from Bangalore is best to beat the traffic (does not always work if the route involves Mysore Road. Ahem), have breakfast and a pitstop for birds (of course) en route and be in time for the opening at 9 a.m. We found a lake as we drove through Channapatna and stopped to try our luck there. But, instead of birds, all we got was a sunrise on the other side of the lake. With a 200-500, you are kinda I'll fitted for a sunrise, foggy lake and joggers in burqas. And the position just sucked for shooting birds. "You need to get the sun behind you to make some spectacular images" they said. Yeah right. Nevertheless, we found some ducks, bitterns and a lone Brahminy kite (yay) to interest us before we were back on the road.

We arrived a little late and the sun was already beating down in all its mighty fury for a supposedly cool November. The approach roads at Ranganathittu had been fixed since our last visit and we took the less scenic view to reach the sanctuary.

I had my customary welcome again with the white-breasted kingfisher awaiting at the lotus pond and a female Koel ambling up a palm tree trying to get our ISOs warmed up. While we were making some images of the kingfisher, I spotted some movement to my right and the shape of the bill immediately had my bells ringing. It was a pair of Grey Hornbills. I am still relatively new to the birding circuit and seeing these birds for the first time got me all excited. They are not so easy to spot in the dry foliage without a 500mm, but once you do, you can click away to your heart's content as they seldom move beyond the occasional hop to a nearby branch or turn around to preen. As long as you don't come too close and you do not agitate them, they provide a great opportunity to observe and make some great photographs. They are beautiful in flight with their wings outstretched, but I was a tad too slow for that.

From there, we decided to hit the boats first thing for a change as it was not too late to blow the highlights. At the waterfront, it was a shock to not see the sea of white that would usually greet us. The resident Spot-Billed Pelicans and the Painted Storks were conspicuous with their absence. Instead, we were met with a wave of black - the Indian Cormorants. What was interesting is that the fledgling of the glossy black cormorants were a brilliant white.

Along with them, there were the Australian White Ibis, the Muggers, a Darter and one tiny Plover.

Overall, a disappointing outing on the boat. The only plus is that we paid the touristy price for the boat ride rather than the birder's price for an exclusive boat. Did I mention they have hiked the entry prices for visitors, boating and zoom lenses. A cool 500 bucks for anything upwards of 200mm!!! Any lesser, and all you can shoot are the signboards there. What were they thinking? Must have been the brainchild of some wise guy in a board meeting trying to up the earnings. For a change, I was thankful for being an Indian. I would have had to shell out five times to enter this place as a white man. Enough of the rants. Back to the birds then. Sigh.

With no birds on the lake, we had to make do with what were left hiding in the dark trees outlining the lake. Other than the trusty and bold Tickell's Blue Flycatcher, a twitchy White Throated Fantail and the elusive Asian Flycatcher, we had written off the outing as a complete washout.

So, just before winding up for the day, we paid (Rs. 2 per person) a visit to the restroom. That's when I heard the tap tap of little Woody. Again a first for me. A Flameback Woodpecker. But, this guy had a tuft of gold for a crown unlike the red crowns on the flamebacks you see in a typical Google search. My conclusion is that this guy must be a juvenile or female or a juvenile female, in which case, it was a gal. Yeah, that must be it.

A Bronzed Drango sat nearby as little Woody laboriously tapped away and helped itself to a feast of bugs. Talk about living off another. Altogether, not so disappointing in the wake of spotting the Grey Hornbills and the Flameback.

We drove out and walked a few kilometres around Ranganathittu trying to see if there any birds that had strayed outside the jurisdiction. No such luck. I won't mention the exact location lest I land myself in trouble. But I think I know where the Crocs of Ranganathittu go to when they are bored of sunning themselves up front. But apart from a ton of Bee-eaters, Munias, Swallows, a herd of cows and a group of tipsy locals who wanted to hit us and take our cameras (quiet knowledgeable chaps - they had a good ballpark estimate for a D750, D810, Nikkor 200-500 and a Sigma 150-600 put together).

Bee-Eaters and their antics. A 500mm is no match for these tiny F16s.

Barn Swallows. Striking a different note.

I heard that the 200-500 is a capable macro lens with a great working distance. Got to test this on a couple of dragon-flies for good measure. Not a 105 killer, but definitely not bad at all.

In all, an eventful day, even if it did not involve a ton of birds. A word of caution - do not plan on returning via Mysore Road on a Sunday evening if you don't like shifting between the first and second gears. More so, if you are being driven by a not so tolerant driver (Couldn't resist that jibe AT). Rounded the day with a kingfisher back home. A great birthday party indeed.

Shutter Therapy at Lalbagh with Jeff

November 10, 2017

Kingfishers are brilliant, sparkly, extremely shy and fast as hell. They are every birder's delight and nightmare. So it came as a surprise when Jeff flew in to greet me as I stepped out of the car at Lalbagh and slung my camera over my shoulder. Jeff is a White Throated Kingfisher and looking at his bright blue plumage, he was definitely an adult (the young are more muted in colours). I usually don't name my birds, but this was special and the name popped into my mind the instant I saw him, so it stuck. They have those large stork-like bills unlike the Common Kingfisher (the little blue guys) and they generally prefer crustaceans, insects and fish on their typical everyday menu. He gave me a couple of great shots at close quarters and then flew off. I then set off to find some Cuckoos this time. Last week, I was concentrating on the Black Kites which are found in large numbers in Lalbagh.

The first image on top uncannily looks like the bark or Jeff is giving you the finger. And in the third he is trying to give a High Five. What about the second you ask? He is just yawning. Go on.

The Asian Koels and the Greater Coucals are a regular fare in Lalbagh. I wandered off to the less popular/populous parts of Lalbagh where I know them to frequent. These guys are pretty shy and go off into hiding in those thorny brambles they so prefer. These brambles are dense and focusing through them is hell (of course). I spent a lot of time trying to track them and get a little closer (yeah, sure). After a couple of shots of both a male and a female Koel, I resorted to amuse myself with the antics of the scores of squirrels that abound here. I found a path I had not explored earlier and found a deserted, dirty and moss covered pond and started watching some black kites circling the skies above and a yellow bittern on a tree nearby. As I was watching, one black kite took a few attempts to scoop fish or snails from the pond.

Asian Koel (Female)

Asian Koel (Male)

The Cheeky Squirrel

A confrontation.

Look Ma. I'm walking on two hands.

Black Kite through the foliage

Black Kite in flight

Brahminy Kite

That's when Jeff decides to make a comeback and lands bang in front of me in the pond! As if that was not closer to, he flutters closer still, almost on the bank of the pond where I was standing. I could reach out and touch him (but I would fall in the pond, of course). The 600mm on the Sigma 150-600 was a little too much (I never thought I'd ever say that) to get the little fella in my frame. He was too busy turning in all possible directions and giving poses to beat any high street fashion model. I guess he was fully aware that I had no chance of grabbing him and all the poses he was giving (in my opinion) were his attempts to get a good look at the whatever was going to be his lunch. Right on cue, he dives in and flies off to a branch further up the pond.

And fly he did in style. As I watched him, he flew right over the head of a beautiful greater coucal standing/hiding in the middle of the pond in the midst of some thorny branches. It was like he was saying, Hey! don't miss this guy. He then flew away to the other side of the pond and perched on an overhanging twig and waited for me to have a go at the coucal. I made some great images of the handsome and fierce looking guy before he got all shy on me and darted deeper into those thorny bushes. Coucals aren't great fliers preferring to walk and hop through the branches. When they do fly, they do so with an ungainly gait and agitation as if it takes a lot of effort to do so. But they are beautiful gliders and the brown of their wings lends a beautiful relief to their shiny jet black body. And unlike the Asian Koels, with their ruby red eyes, the Coucals have a bright brownish orange eyes.

With the coucal out of the way, Jeff now flies back again to my side of the pond once again making the 600mm redundant. He gives me some amazing show of the brilliant blue on his back this time before he dives in and comes up with a little crab. He decides to take his kill up to a branch in a tree and gives me a nice show of flipping the crab several times to ensure it is in the right position to swallow.

Did I say these guys are fast? In the blink of an eye, he had swallowed the crab and had taken off to a twig further up the pond. He then sat for a few minutes before flying to the middle of the pond to catch a dragon fly as blue as himself for dessert.

If you go by looks alone, he is a mean, sour looking guy, but trust me, he's all fun.

By this time, my feet were aching and I drifted back to the more popular and crowded part of Lalbagh - the Lake. Home to a few Grey and Purple Herons and a ruddy tortoise sunning himself on a fallen tree trunk on one side and cormorants, spot-billed ducks, pelicans and a lone painted stork on the other.

The Chinese Spot-Billed Ducks were a treat to watch. Getting to make their portraits, was a bonus.

No birding trip is complete without the customary shots of the beautiful Egret. Starting with the Little Egret first...

The Great Egret with a catch next...

It would be unfair to have a Shutter Therapy in Lalbagh and not have mention the Black Kites. Their numbers are next only to the Crows and the Mynas. You can spend an entire day just watching them swoop in and out with their fine display of ariel manoeuvres.

This little group of four black kites were chasing each other for one little mouse. In the end, one of them dropped the mouse altogether.

Here is another group of kites trying to wrangle a Purple Heron's catch.

Other than not spotting a single damn owl in all of the 240 acres, a great day for a birder in Bangalore. Thanks to Jeff, for the tour.

Happy Streets - Bengaluru

July 1, 2017

Spot-billed Pelican in Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Mysore, India.

Shutter Therapy at Ranganathittu

January 22, 2017

Shutter Therapy at Ranganthittu, Mysore. After making portraits of people and a couple of weddings, I wanted to do a personal project to unwind. I had a couple of options - landscape, macro, wildlife or my personal favourite street. I have not done wildlife and the nearest place in Bangalore for a one day trip was Ranganathittu. It was still the fag end of the season and it made sense to go there before all the birds head out. So I planned this with my friend and photography enthusiast Aravind to head out early on Saturday. we rented a couple of telephoto leases from Toehold, emptied our memory cards, recharged our batteries and set out at 5 a.m. A brief stop at Mandya for breakfast and reached Ranganathittu at 8 a.m. We were early and there were a couple of cars ahead of waiting for the ticket counter to open.

Since this was our first trip, we were not familiar with the terrain or what birds to expect. We just went with the flow. We wanted to head out on the boat, but we wanted to ensure that we were absolutely comfortable with our settings and was getting the right exposure. So we decided to walk around first and board the boat in the evening. The layout map of Ranganathittu helped us make a rough plan for the day. We decided to head in the opposite direction of the boating area and cover those places on foot. We reached the banks of the river and saw what lay in front of us. The islands in front of us was buzzing with birds - pelicans, painted storks, open billed storks, spoonbills and marsh crocodiles. The trees housed tiny shy birds that were hard to get a good look.

Initially, it was a little frustrating since we were getting a hang of birding for the first time and trying to get our exposures right. This was difficult since the birds were cruising at 50 kmph switching from bright open skies to bamboo backgrounds and dark and shining waters. We had to ensure we maintain the lowest possible ISO and maximum shutter speed to freeze the birds. I did not know the names of the birds, their behaviour or mannerisms. It was an induction to the most beautiful world of birding and I was hooked. I got to know the names from the signboards all over the place and made a mental note to google more about the birds I was capturing.

I shot close to a thousand images and below are the ones I think came out all right. I edited the images on Lightroom and made changes to colour, contrast, highlights and shadows. Enough of the process and on to the images themselves. Drop in your comments with feedback.

Click the images and go through them in fullscreen. Cheers.