Nature for me was trees and I have been blessed with a family that loves plants .. We have always had plants around us and that remains the case even now.. When I started working I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by people who loved to travel to the jungles hence I always landed up at Bandipur(innumerable times) , Sakleshpura , Coorg , Chickmangalore etc being the bangalore frog that I am these were the closest accessible places and we ended up driving down there . I was not someone who liked silence I found it eerie to be in the midst of forests , I used to be scared of animal calls, I dreaded the paw marks the guide showed me when we went on a trek . This went on and gradually these things grew on me and I started liking , rather loving this relationship I shared with the Jungles, I realised wildlife was a part of Nature and they belonged to the Mother (Nature)
(The image I fell in love with instantly when I was at R SQUARE for the first time 🙂 )
I never understood why these photographers all dressed up with innumerable pockets on their pants , jackets , a hat and with these hugee lenses paraded in the jungles. I couldn’t ever fathom why people chased animals for clicking their pics. I felt they should be left alone and people should not invade their privacy. . I kept wondering every time I travelled and then R SQUARE happened and thanks to Rohit , Nature InFocus took birth . After working with the regular people (read me) , working on NatureInFocus was a little different basically it was not unnerving, i never understood why because events were stressful , coordinations , running around etc But NIF was calmness for me .. There was something very serene about this project. I loved watching pictures so all the images clicked by the speakers was a treat for my senses .. I then realised if the photographers didn’t visit the Jungle and get pictures how will people like me or the future generation see what is there ? I realised Picture was documentation, it was proof of existence and it was a repository the future generation will appreciate .
(I was around when this image was shot .. So this is very dear to me .)
After the first edition of NIF, I understood what Passion means, the people under the festival roof were oozing of like mindedness and were so passionate about what they have seen, done , achieved and yes! it was beyond money. Grounded is a word we hear so often , where do you generally see them? Be it Steve Winter, or Romulus Whitaker the legends i met in the first edition or Jishnu and Gaurav the latest generation , they loved what they did and are an epitome of passion . I feel so blessed to be a part of this world where people are willing to go a step ahead to save nature, save animals, adopt structures , educate people more on nature and most of all tell stories and I love to listen to them :).. People who are willing to talk and and create more awareness , for we need more people like them to conserve our mother, Nature .
(This image blew my mind and its like a dream each time I see it)
If you love Nature or would love to contribute to her, be there on 8 and 9 of July 2016 . You will love the energy and pictures .. I promise .. More details on
http://www.natureinfocus.inPic Courtesy : Rohit Varma
Bindu Gopinath 