A country of a thousand stories
India is almost impossible to describe in a few paragraphs. After numerous journeys through the country, I have come to see it as a world of immense contrasts, where wildlife, landscapes, culture, colour and human encounters constantly overlap.
My first journey was organised by Yashpal Rathore, and travelling with him I quickly recognised the dedication of a true photographer. He understood that photographing wildlife requires much more than finding an animal; it requires patience, observation and an instinct for the right moment. Later, Vinod Bartokke became an equally exceptional guide. His knowledge of wildlife, patience in the field and understanding of what I was looking for photographically made many encounters possible.
Over the years I have travelled through an extraordinary range of India's wildlife regions, including Ranthambore, Pench, Tadoba, Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Kaziranga, Gir, Keoladeo, Panna, Bandipur, Jim Corbett and the Sundarbans, among many others. Each reserve has its own character and photographic challenges: the tigers of central India, the lions of Gir, the one-horned rhinoceroses of Kaziranga and the remarkable birdlife of Keoladeo.
But India was never only about wildlife.
I became part of Holi, surrounded by clouds of coloured powder and the extraordinary energy of the celebration. In Varanasi, along the Ganges, I witnessed the ancient rituals surrounding death and cremation. It was an intense and deeply personal experience, reminding me that photography can take us far beyond landscapes and wildlife and bring us face to face with cultures and traditions very different from our own.
The Western Ghats, the Himalayas and the Sundarbans revealed yet more faces of India. From high mountains to tropical forests, from sacred rivers to immense wetlands, the country constantly changed around me.
And then there were the people.
Everywhere I travelled, I encountered a remarkable warmth and willingness to help. India can be overwhelming, noisy, crowded, colorful and intense, yet behind all of this I repeatedly discovered a generosity that stayed with me long after I had left.
After more than thirty years of travelling, I have learned a simple principle that I try to carry with me wherever I go:
Give respect, and respect is usually returned.
India has rewarded me with countless photographs, but the images are only part of what remains. The guides who shared their knowledge, the people who opened a door or offered help, the celebrations, the rituals, the long hours waiting for wildlife and the countless small encounters between them have become part of my personal history with the country.
India is not one story. It is thousands of stories unfolding simultaneously, and a photographer could spend a lifetime trying to capture them.
INDIA001 - The impressive Asian Rhino in the high grasses of Kaziranga NP.
INDIA002 - image taken from the view tower showing a tiny part of the area at Kaziranga NP.
INDIA003 -For the ones who want to have a ride on an elephant, it gives another perspective of the rhino and I did not noticed any change in behavior of the rhinos when participating.
INDAI004 - I always have been fascinated by grasses and love to photograph them, their colors the structure, moreover when the wind makes his play it gives me a stronger feeling of freedom.
INDAI005 - Greater Hornbill in flight to it's nest.
INDAI006 - Arrived on his nest having a seed in his beak to feed the female and the chick.
INDAI007 - Asian Elephant in the high grasses, it has something mystical and adds nature to the image.
INDAI008 - Photographed from elevation. The image shows the definition of high grasses
INDAI009 - Water buffalo in a strange movement.
INDAI010 - Image of the Indian grey hornbill.
INDAI011 - Pelicans at Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary which is also known as Keoladeo National Park, this is one of the most famous bird sanctuaries in the world. UNESCO world heritage site.
INDAI012 - Funny Detail, 3 in a row.
INDAI013 - Darter Bird at Bharatpur .
INDAI014 - Purple Heron or Ardea purpurea Linnaeus at Bharatpur.
INDAI015 - Pair of Grey herons nesting along the walkway in Bharatpur.
INDIA016 - Evening is the time all birds return to their sleeping places, Egrets, ibis, Spoonbills and many other species gather and fight for a place.
INDIA018 - Morning time greats the day, Carpe Diem.
INDIA018 - Juvenile White Breasted Waterhen running on azzolla.
INDIA019 -Young painted stork birds at Keoladeo NP.
INDAI020 - Pair of deers standing in the walkway at keoladeo NP. You can also take a rickshaw ride with a local guide who will add to the experience.
INDIA021 - Deer resting on one of the small islands in the waters of Keoladeo NP.
INDIA022 - Sarus Crane, we found them at about 50 km away from bharatpur.
INDIA023 - The typical characteristics of the gharial, very long, narrow snout with over 100 sharp teeth, perfect for catching fish. Males have a knob (ghara) on their snout to amplify sound. This species is only found at Freshwater rivers in India and Bangladesh.
INDIA024 - Mating skimmers along the border of the Chambal River.
INDIA025 - image taken at the entrance of Ranthambore NP.
INDIA026 - The magic of Ranthambore NP.
INDIA027 - Glimp of a Sambar deer.
INDIA028 - Sambar deer at their feeding grounds.
INDIA029 - Spotted deer during rutting time challenge other males and often have grasses in their horns while being engaged in fierce battles for dominance.
INDIA030 - Female Sambar deer at the waterhole eating water plants.
INDIA031 - Hello, it's me I am a Hanuman langur, now my name has recently changed to Black faced monkey.
INDIA032 - Langurs in peace, curious of what happens above them.
INDIA033 - At evening when leaving the NP you find lot's of langurs sitting on the railing of a bridge particularly when exiting from the core zones (1-5) toward Sawai Madhopur.
INDIA034 - The jump to join his fellows on the bridge, nice with the backlight.
INDIA035 - You don't want to mess with him?
INDIA036 - Arrowhead, that was the name of the famous tigress we followed for many day's on a row during full day's safaris.
INDIA037 - Arrowhead with one of her cubs.
INDIA038 - Feeding on the rest of a Sambar dear.
INDIA039 - Danger lurks.
INDIA040 - I was lucky to have a encounter with mating tigers, although not in the best position to photograph them, Happy with this shot .
INDIA041 - Here you see clearly the head of the sambar deer and the tiger in a treathening position.
INDIA042 - Arrowhead before crossing the river inside the NP.
INDIA043 - Noon silence broken, while most visitors had left, we raced to the spot where Arrowhead had made her kill, dragging her prey to a quiet corner to feed her cubs. Nature’s raw drama, frozen through the lens.
INDIA044 - Arrowhead, dragging her prey with unparalleled strength, a striking display of the sheer power and majesty of tigers in the wild.
INDIA045 - Arrowhead on patrol during early morning.
INDIA046 - Sloth Bear one of the formidable predators in Ranthambore.
INDIA047 - Sloth bear with cub on her back.
INDIA048 - Spotted deer taxing each other.
INDIA049 - Nice landing of a Painted Stork.
INDIA050 - Spotted Deer at sunset.
INDIA051 - Rose ringed parakeet as if he say's stop to the female.
INDIA052 - Red jungle fowl.
INDIA053 - White-crested kalij pheasant, (Lophura leucomelanos).
INDIA054 -Partial view of the National bird of India, photographed in strong contrast.
INDIA055 - Simply magnificent these birds.
INDIA056 - Greater Adjutant Stork Guwahati, Assam.
INDIA057 - Buffy or Brown Fish owl.
INDIA058 - Crested serpent Eagle at Kabini NP.
INDIA059 - Grey Indian jungle fowl early morning while fighting for dominance at the Indian peninsula.
INDIA060 - Grey headed Fish Eagle, Icthyophaga ichthyaetus.
INDIA061 - Indian wild boar eating on the left-overs from a carcass. Jim Corbett National Park.
INDAI062 - Indian elephant photographed with back light.
INDIA063 - At dawn in Jim Corbett National Park, we positioned ourselves along the trail, chasing the first golden rays and hoping the elephants would appear by the water. In wildlife photography, timing meets patience, and a little bit of luck.
INDIA064 - On their way to the river.
INDIA065 - Arrived on the border of the river were the first beadings will happen. See the mighty backdrop. Jim Corbett NP.
INDIA066 - Happiness in the water.
INDIA067 - Scenery in the lush forest of Jim Corbett NP.
INDAI068 - Another early morning image, it was a pleasure to be able following the group of elephants.
INDIA069 - Playtime first then up to the forest.
INDIA070 - At evening, enjoying the last minutes of this spectacle before returning to camp.
INDIA071 - First sight at morning when leaving our stay inside the Jim Corbett NP.
INDIA072 - The Indian Swamp deer commonly known as the Barasingha deer and one of the most endangered mammal species in the world. Kanha NP.
INDIA073 - One of the most successful and formidable hunters, the Dhole dog. It has the look of a fox, this (Cuon alpinus) also called the Asiatic wild dog or Indian wild dog. Kanha NP.
INDIA074 - Image of a Gaur resting in the high grasses. They are also called the Indian bison, and are the largest and most muscular wild cattle species in the world.
INDIA075 - Red Barking deer at Nagarhole NP.
INDIA076 - Spotted deer at evening. Pench NP.
INDIA077 - Another early morning shot when the mist is adding a layer over the grasses. Pench NP .
INDIA078 - Hanuman Monkey or langur in their play at Satpura NP.
INDIA079 - Evening gathering. Satpura NP.
INDIA081 - The contrast, something every photographer is looking for. Hunaman langur or now called black-faced-monkey. Kanha NP.
INDIA081 - Always on the look out for contrast, small langur against the big tree trunks.
INDIA082 - Mother and baby. Kabini NP.
INDIA083 - Golden Jackal (Canis aureus). Kanha NP.
INDIA084 - Spotted deer feeding her calf. Pench NP.
INDIA085 - Nilgai (blue bull), the largest Asian antelope. Jim Corbett NP.
INDIA086 - Mahouts in India are traditional elephant caretakers who form deep, lifelong bonds with the animals they work with. Kaziranga NP.
INDIA087 - Close up of an elephant trained by the mahout. Mahouts play an important role in cultural ceremonies, forest work, and wildlife care.
INDIA088 - Spotted deer on a waterhole in Kanha NP.
INDIA089 - A leopard stalking his prey. Satpura NP.
INDIA090 - This leopard was in his mating period, although we stayed as long as possible we were not able to make some shots of them mating, each time they went down in the dense bushes, no luck this time.
INDIA091 - Spotted deer at early morning in Kabini NP.
INDIA092 - A fine greeting at early morning.
INDIA093 - It should not always be animals. A lone corpus of a dead tree.
INDIA094 - Dhole on the prowl early morning on the roads of Kabini NP.
INDIA095 - We drove to Tadoba Np and heard there was a competition going on. Men and cow/bull racing in India comprises traditional, rural festivals celebrating agricultural, community.
INDIA096 - Tiger sighting. Kanha NP.
INDIA097 - 2 juvenile tigers in the rocky area at Tadoba NP.
INDAI098 - Youngster sharpening his claws at a tree. Tadoba NP.
INDIA099 - Mother with her 3 of her 4 cubs at evening. Tadoba NP.
INDIA100 - A nice sunset at the Bandhavgarv NP.