1. Tell us about your background and journey.
I'm a 2nd generation landscape architect, born and raised in Chennai. Right from my childhood in the 1970's I was surrounded by nature and wildlife and grew up with a love of the wilderness, birds, and wild animals.
This was a part of me that I longed for when I grew older and the city expanded and all the places that were wild and free were gone, lost under concrete. Wildlife photography has enabled me to share the beauty of our planet with others, to tell stories through my images and to share the emotion of a moment frozen in time.
2. How did you decide to make your passion for wildlife photography your career? Was your family supportive?
All through my life, I dabbled in photography though I was never serious. In 2013 my wife gifted me my first DSLR and that opened the door to a whole new world for me. I enrolled in a photography course with a company that also did wildlife safari tours, and this was the perfect vehicle for me to explore my photography further and reconnect with nature and wildlife.
My family is extremely supportive not just in terms of encouragement, but also in terms of surprising me with photography gear and safari tours!
3. What inspires you about wildlife photography?
We live in an era where the world is shrunk to the size of a mobile phone screen, where people are more interested in WIFI connections and download speeds, than enjoying the beauty of the world outside of our concrete jungles.
I love wildlife photography because it allows me to not only disconnect from urban life, but it also allows me to reconnect with the simple joys of my childhood and appreciate and immerse myself in nature at its purest.
4. What is the level of commitment and time required in wildlife photography?
The beauty of wildlife photography is that it can be enjoyed at so many levels, by a novice on an annual family holiday, or an enthusiast on frequent planned safari tours, or dedicated professionals who completely immerse themselves in the pursuit of a particular species, or moment that they wish to capture and showcase to the world.
The commitment and time invested are commensurate with how serious one chooses to be. The more you move towards the professional end of the spectrum, the higher the level of commitment and time involved.
5. What has been your biggest challenge that you faced while taking wildlife photos and how did you overcome that?
Overcoming excitement and nerves has been my biggest challenge. The first time I saw a tiger in the wild I was so excited and nervous that I messed up the settings and therefore my shots. Since then, I've learned to always check my settings frequently, ensuring that my 2nd camera and lens setup is ready as well, so that I can switch easily and make multiple images.
6. What are the important skills one should have to be a successful photographer?
The first and most critical skill is learning patience. When dealing with wildlife, we are not in control of anything and are completely dependent of the whims of the animals. Without patience it is impossible to be a wildlife photographer. The second and equally critical is to respect wildlife. We are in their world, and we are merely guests.
7. What are some tips you would like to share with amateur photographers?
There are a few simple tips I'd like to share:
Amateur photographers tend to obsess about gear. My advice would be to learn to get the most out of whatever you have. Upgrade your skills first and your gear next.
Don't be a species snob. A beautiful photograph of a common subject is more memorable than an average photograph of an exotic subject.
Don't just point and shoot. Compose your images with thought and feeling. Composition is vital to a great image, especially when you have a dozen people around you taking photographs of the same subject at the same time. How would you differentiate your images from theirs? Composition is key.
Rent gear rather than buy an expensive camera and lens. Why? Because cameras and lenses are very expensive and unless you're out photographing wildlife every few weeks, it makes more sense to rent gear before a tour. That way you can also try different setups and see which works best for you, before buying.
8. What is your long term plan/ future plans?
Looking past this pandemic, I have a few upcoming projects designing wildlife photography hides for clients. As India's 1st professional wildlife photography hide designer, I combine my skills as a professional designer and an award-winning wildlife photographer to design custom wildlife photography hides for individuals and wildlife lodges.
This is great because gives me the opportunity to create a custom setup for other wildlife photographers to indulge in their passion.
9. Which is your favorite book and why?
It is a set of Time Life books that my parents bought me when I was a kid. Brilliant books with fantastic photographs and information on animals, birds, continents, nature, ecology and more.
Those books are my prized possessions because I learnt so much from them and I still read them even today. They fuelled my love for wildlife and played a pivotal role in shaping my love of the natural world.
- Instagram: Zhayynn James
- Interviewed By Kusum Jha
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