Eminent wildlife photographer

“Quite a lot of youngsters are evincing interest in wildlife photography now. But several drop out as they are unable to sustain their interest,” T.R.A. Arunthavachelvan, one of the eminent wildlife photographers of the State, tells G. Satyamurty.“I have been involved in wildlife photography for more than four decades though it doesn’t pay. It could prove strenuous and risky. We might even have to forego food,” he adds. Thanks to channels like Discovery and Animal Planet and a lot of photographic exhibitions of the Forest Department, interest in wildlife photography is growing. But the enthusiasts should realise that it is metaphorically and literally full of thorns.

He narrates an incident involving a friend who spent more than Rs. 1 lakh on camera and equipment but gave up wildlife photography saying: “The birds do not wait for me to take pictures.” Many switch over to portraits and landscape which are comparatively easier.Born near Sathyamangalam, his trips with the hunters to the adjoining forests kindled his passion for wildlife.As a Standard IX student of Mani’s High School, Coimbatore, he landed on a Minolta A-5 camera and started taking pictures of landscape, animals and birds. Gradually he started reading books of M. Krishnan, a famous wildlife photographer, both in English and Tamil. When he was doing Standard X in 1965 he could manage to buy an SLR camera of a British major, which was a Russian camera with German lens that could use a 135 mm tele and slide film. It played a crucial role in his elevation as a recognised wildlife photographer.

Later on, as student of Government Arts College, Coimbatore, he started painting as well, mainly oil painting.His photo on two goats at the foothills of Marudhamalai earned him his first award – Agfa Award.“I had absolutely no photographic background and whatever I have learnt is on my own.”Even as his interest grew, he started participating in national and international competitions as well.“I would consider the Indian Best Entry Award and a silver medal that I won in the Photographic Society of America competition in early 1990s as one of the most significant achievements in which I had photographed a white necked kite.” Similar is his feeling for his photographs of barn owl, an action picture, and also “snake swallowing a frog.”

“Most of my productions are slides. At the international competitions our slides are able to get not only acceptance but even prizes. But our quality of printing is not up to the mark and hence our prints do not get even acceptance.” Bringing out a quality print requires a minimum of 15 minutes work which no commercial studio would be wiling to do.Apart from conducting slide shows and expos in schools and colleges, he has contributed to books like Kongu Kalai Kalanjiyam, Vellode Birds, Point Calimere, Tamilnattu Paravaigal and Sanctuary.“Bandipur is the best place for wildlife photography because of its open spaces whereas bushes cause distractions in other places.” Of course, Nagerhole, Mudumalai and Parambikulam are also good spots for this.

In national parks, the ideal time for wildlife photography is 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Special permission should be obtained for taking pictures of nocturnal animals like bear, porcupine, civet, and birds like owl, nightjar, Ceylon frogmouth and some of snakes.Wildlife photography does involve some preparatory study regarding the movement of animals with the help of local guides and setting up “hides” takes a minimum of four days so that the animals passing through that area do not grow suspicious and skip that route. “Of course, thanks to the growth of technology, the camera trap has ultra sensor which can take pictures the moment the animals passes through the particular line.”

While birds accept flash, most of the animals don’t. Common langur, which used to run away from human beings, could be now seen in close quarters as they are more or less domesticated by children dropping edibles. Similarly, spotted deers come near the car.Interestingly, the elephants in Mudhumalai allow human beings up to a certain distance whereas the same animals in Thengumarahada and Sathyamangalam give them a charge.Animals have such a brain that a mongoose is able to return to its habitat even if it were to be taken to long distances.At Gunderipallam, a mother elephant did not leave the spot where its calf died and for almost 20 days it was virtually haunting the same spot.Mr. Arundhavachelvan still sticks to “slides” because he is not happy with the digital technology.“The latter causes variations in colour and involves a lot of work in Photoshop to maintain the original colour.”

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