Gaurav Mittal | Blog
27
Apr
Nature & Wildlife Photography: Shoot With a Purpose
- By Gaurav Mittal
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Like most nature & photography enthusiasts, shooting birds in flight is my passion, a craft very close to my heart. When I first started bird photography, like most nature & wildlife photography newbies it was an instant reaction to shoot a bird flying by. My reaction would be, “Wow look at that bird in flight, I have to get that shot”, and then my trigger-happy finger would fire away the camera like a machine gun! A lot has changed since I started out, for one; I started to question the need for shots that all very much looked alike and second, what did I wanted my audience to learn from my images? Whether you are into bird photography or any type of nature & wildlife photography, one thing is certain; you need to shoot with a purpose. Your images should have an impact and tell a story. While this may sound simple enough, but without planning and proper execution, the purpose will remain oblivious and the story will be confusing. I decided to write this post and share my thoughts on what it takes to make story-telling images. Read more…
18
Mar
Bird Photography for Beginners
- By Gaurav Mittal
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March 18, 2012
I am intrigued –and delighted- by the enthusiasm of beginner bird lovers who spend days on end preparing for a “trip” to do Bird Photography in the wild. They get books, read the latest articles, and make intricate preparations before they venture out. And there I am, dying to tell them a thing or two that would save them a lot of frustration. Naturally, I always leave them to it, for fear of dampening their enthusiasm.
What I would tell them though has nothing to do with the intricacies of photography and everything to do with bird-watching. You see, birds are birds, whether on the slopes of Kangchenjunga, or on that pine tree behind the house. And before venturing out with a backpack full of lenses and accessories, it is important to acquire basic knowledge of bird behavior, as well as basic knowledge of Bird Photography. Doesn’t it make sense that the hit-and-miss nature of the learning process be undertaken from one’s porch rather than from an exotic destination? Read more…
15
Dec
Karma – The Parakeet Auklet
- By Gaurav Mittal
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As the year comes to a close I’m sitting here and reflecting on those moments that defined my progress as a Avian photographer, I had the privilege to visit places that I have always dreamed about and meet some very talented photographers. I have also met some incredibly dedicated pro’s without whom my own dreams would, well probably be just dreams. Alan Murphy and Greg Downing are two such pro’s who made this trip a memorable one.
While you may have seen this post on my Facebook page or Google + page, I’m re-posting this as an edit with an uncompressed image. I will be posting images with techniques and pointers in the coming weeks, however this post reflects emotional insight into the desire, effort and the eventual outcome involved in creating an image and how persistence will give you the desired results. Well, here is how it happened!
I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason. It’s 9:00am and I’m packing my luggage, we have a flight to catch back to Anchorage. I’m seriously bummed out about my failure to capture a satisfying image of the Auklets in flight on this trip to St. Paul, Alaska. To make matters worse, the weather is miserable, cold, misty and rainy. Read more…
15
Dec
On Sacred Grounds
- By Gaurav Mittal
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It is only fitting that my first blog post be about the place that gave me a sense of purpose in life, a reason to go on and discover my passion for birds and photographing them. I have just completed my first year as bird photographer and returned back to celebrate it at a place I consider my holy grail of bird photography, Bosque Del Apache National Refuge near Socorro New Mexico is that place which has so much to offer
The wetlands of Bosque attract wintering birds like the Sandhill Cranes, Snow Geese and various species of ducks, which are the primary attraction here. Up to a 100,000 birds fill the refuges wetland and agricultural fields. The refuge has two main loops, the North Loop and the South Loop, which are easily accessible by vehicle. The North loop is extremely popular with visitors and photographers alike for it’s spectacular sunrise and snow geese blast offs along the flight deck. As you move along, there are observation decks for viewing the masses of snow geese, ross’s geese, sandhill cranes and the spectacular landscapes.
It is a dream for any bird photographer to be able to visit this beautiful refuge and take advantage of the unending image making opportunities available. It is also my hope that the images I made here convey my feelings about this refuge that I have come to love and cherish as sacred. Read more…
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