7 things I'd like to Photograph Before I Die

Presenting the list of seven things I'd really like to photograph in this lifetime. The fact that this quest would take me far and wide across several continents is a pure coincidence.


  1. The magnificence of an erupting volcano.
Just imagine – A dark sky. An ominous looking mountain. Lava spewing out from the top. Yellow, red and every other shade in between. And me being there to witness the destructive, yet awe-inspiring phenomenon. I think this'd be as close to moksha as I'll ever get. The picture I have in mind is this


[This photograph of Pacaya volcano in Guatemala is sourced from wallpaperweb.org]


  1. The impossible colour riot of a coral reef ecosystem
Innumerable species and countless variety of life. Fish. Mammals. Plants. Un-categorizable life forms. Colours that can never be captured in lens. Now wouldn't that be one hell of a visual treat?




  1. Migration of Wildebeest
This is the largest migration spectacle seen on earth. I would love to get a shot from above – where all you can see are wildebeest (not even an inch of the land visible). And of course, the dust that they kick up! More details about this migration at wikipedia. Or just tune in to Discovery/Animal Planet :)

[Image courtesy Burrard Lucas Photography]


  1. Northern Lights
This is yet another spell-binding natural phenomenon. I don't know whether my camera (or any camera) would be able to capture the real beauty of aurorae, but it's worth a try.


[Image source: NGC photography]


  1. The Emperor Penguin Huddle
During the peak of the Antarctic winter, thousands of emperor penguins huddle together to beat the brutal blizzards. This huddling generates heat that keeps them going. The birds take turns being on the perimeter of the group. What a sight that'd make!
ARKive image - Emperor penguin colony, backlit by sun



  1. Aerial view of the Pantanal
Pantanal is the largest swamp in the world. It is part of the Amazon basin. The marsh is home to thousands of species of wildlife – including the famous anaconda. I'd trade a kidney for the chance to get a shot of Pantanal from the air. Who knows, I might even get a snap of an anaconda while at it.

[Photo sourced from NGC travel]


  1. A wild animal nursing its newborn – in the wild
That bond between mother and child – nature's biggest gift of life. I hope to capture that one moment that portrays several emotions. Something like this:


[Photo courtesy: The Big Photo]

So, what's on your list?

Thursday, November 11, 2010 | Category: , , | 4 comments

3 Jobs I'd Give a Limb For

We all have our own “dream jobs”. Now here's my list of three that I'd give a limb for.

Ian Wright's in GlobeTrekker
Who wouldn't want to tour the world and get paid for it? Although I think that to do this job role any semblance of justice, I'd have to become a lot less particular about my food habits (read: give up vegetarianism!) There are so many places on this earth where you cannot survive without eating meat – aren't there?
An interesting tid-bit I read somewhere: Ian Wright is a vegetarian – except for the show :)

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May in Top Gear.
They get to drive every car that we lesser mortals can only drool over. They get to drive on the best roads in the world. They get to be part of crazy experiments. And of course, they get a paycheck at the end of it all!

Imagine a job which combines the above two – you get to tour the world, driving some of the most desirable cars along the way. Now that'd be heaven, wouldn't it?

Cameraman for Discovery/NGC
I think this would be the most challenging of all. I just wonder what the cameramen go through when they shoot all those mind-blowing scenes – especially wildlife and nature sequences (like volcanoes). Let me also take this opportunity to doff my hat to them!


What's your dream job?

Saturday, June 26, 2010 | Category: , , , | 7 comments

Are You Happy With Your Country?

I just returned from a trip to Europe (snaps here; and travelogues to follow shortly). Met lots of interesting people and had nice little experiences and anecdotes. I'd like to share one here.


I was in a villa in Spain run by a retired British couple, Liz and John. One fine evening they were entertaining me with stories from their travails all over the world (they've travelled far and wide); and I was giving them snapshots into Indian life. Suddenly, Liz asks me:

“So, Kiran, are you happy with your country?”


Now I know this is not a question that can be answered in a yes/no manner. But I'd still like to know how you'd respond to that. Are you happy with your country of origin? Your country of residence?


As for me, I stuttered and stammered and changed my answer between “yes” and “no” several times before throwing up my hands and saying that it is a really tough question to answer – especially when asked out-of-the-blue.


Its amazing how people you barely know and whom you meet far away from home can inject such stimulus into your thought process!


Tuesday, November 10, 2009 | Category: , , , , | 11 comments
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