A wild image

1st Prize: Demoiselle crane, Khichan, Rajasthan, by Yashpal Rathore

The image of a lean cheetah leaping over open grassland can perhaps evoke an intense emotional response. But Dr Parvish Pandya, director - science and conservation, Sanctuary Nature Foundation says, "That is exactly what we're not looking for."

Pandya is also on the panel of judges for the 19th Sanctuary Wildlife Photography Awards - a platform launched in 2000 by Sanctuary Asia, a wildlife magazine that has been around since 1981. The purpose behind these awards, Pandya tells us, is not just to select three of the best images from almost 5,000 entries this year from all across Southeast Asia - including countries like India, Pakistan. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand - but also to identify those that marry ethics and aesthetics. The reason why this is paramount to this particular competition is because it was launched with the vision of making wildlife photography a conservation tool.

Joint 2nd Prize: Sloth Bear and Tiger at Ranthambore National Park by Abhijit Sinha

"We are looking at conservation photography. So, the image should move people enough to want to save that species and their habitat. At the same time, if the picture has been taken in a manner that has disturbed the subject or its habitat, it will not qualify for the award. To ensure this, we also look at, for example, what lens has been used for the image, so as to see how close the photographer actually was."

Parvish Pandya

This year, apart from the first prize, two images have been awarded a joint second prize and two the joint third prize. Eleven images have also received honourable mentions and merit certificates. The winners were felicitated at an awards ceremony at the NCPA yesterday, and the images are on display at the Piramal Art Gallery.

Joint 2nd Prize: Elephant, Palakkad, Kerala, by Aneesh Sankarankutty

What is interesting is how these awards, and therein wildlife photography itself, has evolved over the last two decades. Today, many entries and even some images that have made it to the cover of the organisation's magazine have been taken using the phone. Pandya stresses, "We want to encourage people to take these photographs because images are like the soul of the magazine. But we want to remind them that you don't always need high-end equipment for it."

TILL October 28, 12 pm to 8 pm
AT Piramal Art Gallery, NCPA, Nariman Point.
CALL 22029483

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