Wildlife Sanctuaries of India–Kaziranga National Park

Image Credit: Pradnyesh Sawant

This may be the first national park where tigers aren’t at the center of attention! Located in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of Assam, Kaziranga is home to two thirds of the world’s Great One-Horned Rhinoceroses. Large breeding populations of elephants, buffalos, swamp deer, and tigers reside here as well. Furthermore, this park is recognized by Birdlife International for its diversity and conservation of various species of birds. Kaziranga was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its unique environment and wildlife in 1985. Continue reading

Asiatic Elephants in the Dhikala Grasslands

Corbett National Park is a great place to make some great images of Asiatic Elephants and May is an especially good season to be there. The Dhikala grasslands complements the elephants by providing a great background for your photography.

A zoom lens in the 100-400 or 80-400 range serves best for this area as it provides flexibility to make close-ups or to include the habitat in the shot.

While composing this image I waited for the baby elephant to show itself as it was always behind its mother. Continue reading

Capturing Falling Waters

During my recent trip to Chikmagalur, I visited this small waterfall in Jerry estate which offered a good opportunity to try out various compositions. Unfortunately I wasn’t carrying my vario ND filter so couldn’t get a slower shutter speed than this, but since I’ll be going back there in December I’ll know to be better prepared.

In many circumstances people say that “location is everything”, and that definitely was the case with this waterfall. The maximum depth of the pool at it’s base was probably 2 ft, so we could walk around and check various angles to shoot from with very little risk. The fact that there was no heavy current allowed us to easily stand in the flowing water to get low-level shots. Continue reading

Igor Siwanowicz Photography

Igor 1

Prepare to have your mind completely blown by award-winning insect photographer Igor Siwanowicz.  No artist captures the details like Igor Siwanowicz does with his distinct form of microscopic photography.  Every little bump and crack is accentuated, and every color shines brighter in Siwanowicz’s pictures — Fittingly, this style seems catered to capturing the strange exotic insects that inhabit the world.  Siwanowicz is not limited to just insects though, his portfolio is complimented by equally as impressive stills of reptiles, mammals, and even people.  One should especially note how often symmetry comes to play in the photographs.

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Pedal Powered Ecotourism

Eco Tourism

Pedal Power! photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor

At Raxa Collective we believe in conservation and what better example than Cardamom County, a plastic-free resort with rich gardens where we harvest fruits, vegetables and even eggs. Kerala is a beautiful state with many places to discover and there’s no better way to experience our neighborhood than with zero carbon transport.

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The Golden Light of Kutch

The Short-Eared Owl is another amazing bird found in the deserts of Kutch. The bird is generally very shy, but can be cooperative depending on how you approach it. Understanding the natural history of your subjects is a major factor for making good wildlife images. If you are on your own it’s very difficult to find these birds. Like a lot of birds and animals, these owls are also territorial and the local guide/expert knows their roosting places and can guide you to them. Continue reading

Wildlife Reigns at Cardamom County

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Even Macaques get lost in deep thought

It is no secret that the Periyar Tiger Reserve hosts a magnificently large collection of wildlife, that is what attracts tourists around the world — take a hike within the boundaries of the massive sanctuary and you are likely to see some amazing creatures. However, we cannot forget that the boundaries of the reserve are merely human constructs, designed by our minds to protect and preserve the organisms within. Animals abide by no such regulations, boundaries for them are constrained only by the habitats in which they may successfully occupy, thus, spillover is likely.

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Mud-Puddling Butterflies

mud-puddling

Periyar Tiger Reserve is home to an impressive species diversity of 160 butterflies, underscoring the crucial relationship between plants and animals. Butterflies mainly males need minerals for reproduction, so they are often found gathering together to take salt and minerals from the wet soil and  plants in a behavior called mud-puddling. Continue reading

Wildlife Sanctuaries of India — Ranthambore National Park

Photo credit: Abhinavmnnit

If you are looking for a wildlife sanctuary with a blend of rich history, Ranthambore National Park is the national park for you! Inside the park, the formidable Ranthambore fort lies overlooking the entire park area. There are three Hindu temples inside the fort dedicated to Ganesh, Shiva and Ramlalaji constructed in the 12th century. The fort itself was built in the 10th century and played a critical role in the historical development of Rajastan. Due to its strategic location between north and central India, many rulers coveted and fought over the area. Continue reading