Wednesday, January 19, 2022

It Came, Made A Difference And Quietly Disappeared Out Of My Life

Like everything else in my life - my professional photographic journey too began as a result of a moment of extreme emotion. Even before that, it began with a bungle by a friend in the US of A. She was due to arrive Bhutan for a visit and I had requested her to buy me a good idiot’s camera – the point-and-shoot variety made by OLYMPUS. She failed to follow through instructions – and instead bought me a DSLR by Canon – EOS 10D – Canon’s first digital SLR. If that were not enough, she paired the camera body with, perhaps, Canon’s sharpest zoom lens to date – the highly acclaimed Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L.

I generally scoff at zoom lenses – for me nothing less than primes. However, this beast of a zoom lens is a class apart. The sharpness and the faithful reproduction of colors is simply incomparable – silky, smooth and WOW!

The truth is that this lens is not designed for bird photography – its focal length is too short. But the karmic truth is that this lens is what started me off on bird photography – never to look back.

When my American friend arrived Bhutan and delivered the camera and the lens, I took them for a field test. While driving past Langjopakha bridge, I saw a grayish bird sitting on a large boulder just before the Convention Center – it had 6 insects jammed in between its minuscule beaks. I stopped and photographed the bird.

Plumbeous Water Redstart (Female)

Much later I got to learn that the bird I photographed was a female Plumbeous Water Redstart (Phoenicurus fuliginosus). It was then Spring – meaning it was breeding season for the birds. Obviously the bird was out on a food-gathering mission – to feed its chicks. When I reviewed the image on my large computer screen –what I saw took my breath away. The mother bird had become extremely scrawny as a result of over work to feed her chicks. My common sense told me that she must have had an unusually large brood to feed, with the result that she had become weak and frail. Generally the bird – both male and female - are well fed and a round ball of feathers as a result of abundant nourishment.

First, the image made me realize just how hard mothers have to work - to care for and bring up their children. No wonder than that they hold a special place in our hearts and minds.

Second, I posted the image on a popular birding website – it immediately hit the top of the charts and set the page on fire. Regardless of the fact that this was my first ever bird image, I got encouraged by the many compliments from birders around the world. Thus began my bird photography journey.

Sadly – I lost the life-altering image – it came, made a difference and quietly disappeared out of my life. To this day I have been trying to acquire a repeat image – without any success.

In memory of that bird image, I present you the following 8 beautiful images from my collection over the years. ENJOY!

Ashy Bulbul

Blue-throated Barbet

Chestnut-tailed Starling

Great Barbet

Orange-bellied Leafbird

Lesser Yellownape

Mountain Hawk Eagle

Scarlet Minivet

Life rarely happens the way you plan it - thus do not fight it - just follow the heart. Atleast you can be happy in the thought that you lived your life the way you wanted it. What will be, will be.

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