Have Immense Amount of Patience and Be Flexible About Things - Mayuresh Hendre

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1. Tell us about your background and journey.

My name is Mayuresh Hendre and I am a Nature and Wildlife Photographer. I have been passionately observing and photographing wildlife since past 7 years. As a child, I was always fascinated by nature. While other kids enjoying playing cricket which is the most popular sport in our vibrant nation, I was drawn towards the natural world.

Not that I didn’t enjoy playing cricket, but the sound of gushing winds, the abundance of torrential rain and the smell of the soil after the downpour always had more power to draw me towards nature. I still remember the days of looking outside the window and sometimes climbing on the roof of our ancestral home, trying to look for colourful birds, little insects and butterflies.

Later as a teenager in December of 2012, I went to Sundarbans National Park and that started my journey as a wildlife photographer. Over the years, I have learnt a lot about the art of photography, conservation through photography and it has only increased my love for nature. Since past two years I work as a Naturalist, a job which bridges gaps between people and nature. I post my works on my Instagram page and YouTube Channel (Way To The Wild).

I have been working as a Destination Manager, Wildlife Photographer and a Naturalist in Assam, on MV Mahabaahu – A luxury Cruise ship which sails on the river Brahmaputra. The role of a Naturalist has helped me come closer to nature than ever before as I experience the best of nature every day in my daily work.

2. How and when did you realise your passion for photography?

As a child I was always fascinated by the stories of Jungle Book, I vividly remember watching the animated series on DD National and the song ‘Jungle Jungle pata chala hai…’ Later, keenly watching the series ‘Earth Matters’ by India’s legendary wildlife film-maker Mike Pandey inspired me a lot.

The beginning of a new universe for me was when my dad bought me my first camera. It opened my eyes to a whole new world which looked more picturesque, diverse and engaging. My love for nature coupled with my camera, transformed me into a nature and wildlife photographer.

I always wanted to tell stories through my photographs. This led me to pursue Bachelor’s in Mass Media (BMM) in St.Xavier’s College, Mumbai, as this course taught me ways in which I could tell my stories. As time progressed, this hobby of taking pictures became a passion as I understood more about nature through photography. That’s what drove me to pursue a career in it. Before doing this full-time, I was a Media professional working in a Production House in Mumbai.

3. What are some tips you would like to share with amateur photographers?

Never stop learning. In today’s world it is very easy to pursue photography. Smart phones can do what some professional cameras can’t. I feel everyone who is looking at photography seriously should always try to work hard to make powerful images. The internet is the best place to learn photography and perfecting your skills.

Follow the right set of people like NatGeo Photographers, Photo journalists, Magnum Photographers who have spent years in the field doing their job. Always look at your images and think about ways that could improve them. Try to push boundaries with new techniques, don’t worry about making mistakes, because they are a crucial part of becoming a better photographer.

And if you’re pursuing wildlife photography, then try to become a good naturalist first. Try to understand animal behaviour and research about your subjects before venturing out in the field. You also need to develop good amount of patience when photographing animals in the wild.

In the end, I would just like to say that don’t just take a photograph, always try to tell a story through your photographs.

4. What are the important skills one should have to be a successful photographer?

To be a successful photographer you need to first have a thirst to learn. Along with that it is very important to have creativity and imagination. Photography is an art form and a good photographer should be able to look at something ordinary or even extra-ordinary and find different ways to interpret it through his art.

You should have immense amount of patience and be flexible about things. Things will always go wrong, you will face many challenges while photographing your subjects. But having lots of patience will always be the key to make the best photographs. You should also have an eye for detail to see the tiniest differences in terms of composition, lighting, emotion and story-telling.

You should be ready to take on any challenge and having passion for your work will always make you work hard to achieve your objectives. Along with that you should have good people or networking skills. It’s not just essential to be good at your work, you should always find ways to market yourself and showcase your work through the right channels.

Lastly, it is very essential to be technically strong, you have to constantly change yourself and adapt yourself to new technology which is available in the market.

5. What are various opportunities available for aspiring photographers?

I think today photography has become easy. But it means there is also a lot of competition in the industry. So you have to always prove yourself by doing consistent good work. There are many opportunities available for aspiring photographers. But it is hard to get them. You have to put in a lot of hours honing your skills by assisting eminent photographers. You have to do many odd jobs first to actually land an assignment or project.

There is always great scope in Event Photography, Wedding Photography, Photo-journalism, commercial photography, fashion photography. If you’re a Wildlife photographer, then you have to remember that you’re in it for the love of nature and not to make any money. It is very difficult to earn money by just doing wildlife photography. If you’re going to be applying to photography jobs, you absolutely need to build your online portfolio.

Some specific jobs could be – an on-set photographer for a film/TV show, product photographer for various brands, Food Photographer etc. There are many opportunities for a freelance photographer who is ready to put in hard work and some-times long hours to get the job done, but don’t do it for free. Because your work requires appropriate remuneration and you should never hesitate to ask for the same.

6. Which is your favourite book and why?

This is a very difficult question! There are many and to choose one from them would be injustice to others. But I will select three, instead of one. One is ‘Animal Farm’ by George Orwell. The book tells the story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy.

Ultimately, however, the rebellion is betrayed, and the farm ends up in a state as bad as it was before, under the dictatorship of a pig named Napoleon. It is a classic political satire. The other one is ‘Kane & Able’ by Jeffrey Archer. The book tells the stories of two men born worlds apart. They have nothing in common except the same date of birth and a zeal to succeed in life.

Third one is ‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho. The Alchemist follows a young Andalusian shepherd in his journey to the pyramids of Egypt, after having a recurring dream of finding a treasure there. I read these books, when I was quite young. And they have had huge impact on my life. They have shaped my thinking about the world and they have taught me to never give-up on my dreams and to always work hard to achieve your goals.

Interview By - Benil Joesph