Wildlife, nature, and cameras captivated Shreyovi Mehta from the time she was a child. Her dad and mom didn’t want storybooks; their adventures within the wild offered infinite materials for probably the most thrilling bedtime tales.
Earlier than she even discovered to stroll, Shreyovi was already becoming a member of her father, a wildlife photographer, on journeys to nationwide parks and safaris. Surrounded by digicam gear and naturalists, she possible heard the names of animals and suggestions for the proper shot earlier than studying her ABCs!
It’s no shock, then, that she developed an early fascination with cameras and yearned to carry one way back to she will bear in mind. At simply two years previous, she acquired her likelihood — due to her dad and mom, who run a wildlife pictures tourism firm referred to as Nature Wanderers.
As a baby, Shreyovi Mehta accompanied her dad and mom, Kahini and Shivang, on many journeys to nationwide parks. She grew up immersed in wildlife, from the plush landscapes of Corbett and Bharatpur to an unforgettable go to to Masai Mara at simply 4 years previous.
She would watch her father, a wildlife photographer, drape his skilled digicam round their shoulders, patiently ready for the proper second to seize animals of their pure habitat.
On the age of two, Shreyovi’s father let her contact his DSLR for the primary time — a second she nonetheless vividly remembers eight years later. She even remembers it occurred throughout a visit to Ranthambore Nationwide Park.
Quick ahead seven years, and at 9 years previous, Shreyovi clicked a surprising {photograph} of two peahens at Keoladeo Nationwide Park. That photograph went on to change into the runner-up within the 10 Years and Beneath class of the Pure Historical past Museum, London’s sixtieth Wildlife Photographer of the 12 months award!
Rising up amidst wildlife
Faridabad residents Shivang and Kahini rapidly seen their daughter Shreyovi’s innate love for nature and wildlife, they usually made it some extent to take her outdoor every time doable. With Shivang spending over 300 days a 12 months within the discipline, it meant lengthy stretches away from the household. Taking Shreyovi alongside on his wildlife expeditions turned not solely a means for her to attach with nature but in addition a particular alternative for father-daughter bonding.
“We seen Shreyovi’s gradual inclination in direction of pictures. She at all times cherished being within the discipline with me. She noticed tools throughout her and needed to strive her hand at it,” Shivang tells The Higher India.
When Shreyovi was about 4, her dad and mom gave her Kahini’s previous point-and-shoot digicam, sparking her journey into pictures. “The digicam had a very good zoom,” Shivang remembers, and Shreyovi cherished experimenting with it.
Surrounded by photographers and naturalists, she had the good surroundings to hone her abilities, receiving steerage from among the finest within the discipline. By the age of six, she had already picked up her first skilled digicam, marking a big milestone in her budding pictures profession.
“It was a bit heavy, however I used to be so excited,” says Shreyovi. With mentorship from the photographers at Nature Wanderers, Shreyovi started studying the finer features of pictures — framing, angles, digicam settings, and extra.
By the age of 10, she had already visited 10 nationwide parks and Masai Mara, spending 30 to 40 days a 12 months within the wild on safaris and expeditions. For a younger youngster, navigating the outside isn’t at all times simple, particularly with the quantity of strolling required, however Shreyovi embraced the problem with enthusiasm.
“Shreyovi is kind of hardy and resilient. She accompanies us on small hikes within the forest and by no means shies away from tough terrains. She could be very disciplined and is up early day by day to observe,” says the proud father.
For the reason that age of eight, Shreyovi has been waking up at 4:30 am to observe her pictures abilities earlier than college. She joins her mentors from Nature Wanderers each morning from 5 to six am, studying and refining her craft. This routine has instilled a robust sense of self-discipline in her. On weekends, her dad and mom take her to wetlands or close by open areas in Faridabad to additional nurture her ardour for pictures.
Her college, Shiv Nadar Faculty, has additionally been extremely supportive of her pursuits, say her dad and mom.
Roughing it out for the proper click on!
Final 12 months, Shreyovi visited the Pure Historical past Museum, the place she stumbled upon the pictures exhibition and was mesmerised by the breathtaking photographs on show, solidifying her personal aspirations as a photographer.
This October, her personal {photograph} will probably be featured in that very exhibition!
The award-winning picture, titled ‘Within the Highlight’, captures two peahens “silhouetted towards a peachy daybreak sky” in Keoladeo Nationwide Park, framed by a surprising cover of bushes.
The photograph was taken in November 2023, when Shreyovi was simply 9 years previous. She had joined her father, together with members of the Nature Wanderers crew and Anish Andheria, president of the Wildlife Conservation Belief, on a go to to Bharatpur. They spent their mornings on day by day walks via the park, and on one moody winter morning, they seen a strolling path alongside the forest observe — a second that set the stage for her outstanding shot.
“The solar was simply rising and we may see this illuminated path. The sunshine was virtually divine, when Shreyovi seen the 2 peahens strolling by,” says Shivang.
As quickly as Shreyovi noticed the scene, she rapidly grabbed one among her father’s cameras, crouched low to the bottom, and snapped the image whereas her father guided her on how you can body it.
Whereas the adults missed the blue bull (nilgai) getting into the body, the sharp-eyed nine-year-old seized the second, capturing the proper shot!
Listed here are a couple of of Shreyovi’s favorite photographs through the years:
- Illuminated spider webs
Throughout one other winter stroll in Bharatpur, Shreyovi seen these spider webs glowing like jewels due to the morning dew. Her mentor Allen Jacob guided her to take the proper image.
- Snake birds
Shreyovi stationed herself for hours to get this picture of a darter or snake fowl touchdown within the pool. Since they go on a feeding frenzy within the winters, she needed to perceive their behaviour first.
- A fantastic reflection
One other image taken at Bharatpur, the younger photographer learnt the idea of reflections to seize this picture of cormorants perched on a dry tree.
- Glowing primates
Clicked in Ranthambore, her mentor Vedant Rastogi helped her click on these glowing langurs.
- Her first tiger
Noorie was the primary tiger Shreyovi noticed on the age of two in Ranthambore. In 2024, she captured Noorie in all her glory together with her father guiding her to click on the traditional image.
- Mynas towards a pristine sky
Shivang and Allen tasked Shreyovi with discovering an ideal topic to match with the gorgeous skyline throughout a fowl stroll at Bharatpur. After strolling for greater than a kilometre, she discovered these mynas perched completely towards the sky.
- Her favorite topics
Shreyovi captured these nilgais throughout the monsoon in Bharatpur.
Edited by Pranita Bhat; Photographs Courtesy Shreyovi Mehta
