Immerse into the thicketed world of Achintya Singh, a fast-evolving naturalist and wildlife photographer. Raised by a forest officer parent, Achintya’s interaction with the wild began when he was only 4-year-old. Ever since, he has volunteered for wildlife rescue programs, awareness drives, and educational projects in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India, the Corbett Foundation and the Turtle Survival Alliance. Although at 26 he associates most with his cause as a naturalist, Achintya’s accompanying camera lens kit opens up a fascinating world from the tiniest insects to big cats and everything in between.
Q. Tell us about your species of fascination?
A. I am fascinated by reptiles and the smaller world. I shoot everything, from insects to birds to big cats.
Q. Which is your preferred wildlife photography destination?
A. India’s Western ghats and the lesser-explored rainforests of India are no less than a visual treat to the eyes. They are also home to not so common animals and some very rare and endemic species live in these beautiful rainforests. New species of frogs amongst other wildlife are being discovered to date, which proves how biodiverse and unexplored these habitats are.
Q. What is the most challenging aspect of wildlife photography?
A. Not knowing whether you will get to see your target species at all. Several times while looking for wildlife to photograph, we don’t even see our target species, leave alone taking good photos, but that’s all part of the game, however, when we do see our subjects in favourable light or atmosphere, the adrenaline is just sky-high.
Q. What is your favourite part of the genre?
A. Finding the animal while looking for something rare or unique, be it snow leopards in the Himalayas or a critically endangered frog in Western ghats, there’s a story behind finding the animal that makes each shot unique in itself. It is easy to spot animals in captivity, such as zoos and biodiversity parks, but that wouldn’t be as wonderful an experience as finding and photographing species in their natural habitat. Sometimes, we experience very thrilling moments in terms of animal behaviour. I once saw a leopard take down a newborn Nilgai calf and offer it to her sub-adult cubs. Another time I saw a snow leopard call out her cubs in a snow-filled gorge in the high-altitude Himalayas. The whole experience of visiting different national parks, forests, and habitats makes the genre so interesting.
Q. Tell us about your current lens kit?
A. I am a Canon user, I currently use the following equipment :
Camera bodies: Canon 1DXmark 2, Canon 5d mark4, and Canon 7d.
Lenses: Canon 600 mm f4, Canon200-400 mm f4, Sigma 150-600 mm f5.6, Sigma 70-300 mm f3.5 Canon 70-200 mm, Tokina 11-16 f2.8, Tokina 10-17 fisheye, Tamron 90 mm f2.8 macro, Canon 18-135 mm, and Canon 50 mm.
I use different camera bodies and lenses depending upon the situation and the kind of image I want to capture. I also use GO PRO HERO9.
Q. Which is the best wildlife photography kit in the market today?
A. There are new cameras from Sony and mirrorless cameras that have changed the way photographers are shooting. Investing and getting new gear is a good thought, but acquiring skill and perception is even better. New technology keeps coming as time passes by, but as a photographer, I really like the current set of gear I own and aim to master my equipment to the fullest.
Q. Are mirrorless cameras a major breakthrough in the photography world?
A. Mirrorless cameras have changed the game for wildlife photographers but many of these camera bodies are compact and not as sturdy as DSLRs. I’ve seen a lot of mirrorless cameras die and fail on rough use on field days. Like I always say, no matter what equipment you shoot or own, you must learn how to use it to its maximum capability and take good care of your camera gear, there’s nothing like “bad camera”. It’s just a myth, it’s more to do with who’s shooting rather than what it’s being shot with.