Bengaluru :
Photographing birds, especially the rare ones in the wild, and spending time outdoors are Bopanna Pattada’s passions. He quit his job as software engineer at Wipro to make his passion a profession. When he realised that he is not the only one in love with birds and Nature, he decided to start India Birding Adventures. Now, Bopanna finds places where photography enthusiasts can get good wildlife and avian shots and arranges trips to these locations. His clients vary from engineers to doctors to businessmen. “I plan one-day trips around Bengaluru. Sometimes we also go on longer trips to Ooty, Masinagudi, Bandipur, Mysuru, Nagarhole and Coorg,” he says. He also takes nature enthusiasts to places like Corbett National Park and Pangot at the foothills of Himalayas.
The best places to spot birds in Bengaluru according to him would be Nandi Hills for winter migrants, Hoskote lake for waterbirds, Ramdevarabetta for vultures, Bannerghatta for forest birds.He doesn’t take more than three to four members at a time. “Firstly, with smaller groups, it is easier to give personal attention and secondly large groups scare the birds away,” he says.
“As a trained photographer and naturalist, I instruct people on photography – what settings to use in which situation, and also help them in spotting birds and wildlife.” The job, for him, is an escape from a sedentary life.
“It takes me closer to nature,” he says. It can be challenging to click birds in flight. Bopanna suggests that the best time to click pictures is either in morning or evening, when they are most active. “Birds tend to be shy. They don’t let you get very close for photographs. Part of my teaching is on how to get closer to birds to take better photographs and also how to position yourself so that the photograph has a nice backdrop.” Bopanna’s images were featured in Sanctuary Asia Magazine and Bombay Natural History Society calendar-2015.
He specialises in photographing birds flying or in action.
Photography enthusiasts can reach Bopanna through his website www.indiabirding.com or bopannap@gmail.com
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Pratima Shantaveeresh / February 10th, 2016
