At 80, still dedicated to the call of the wild

Octogenarian Kunj Tiwari thinks nothing of trotting the globe for wildlife photography, and keeps himself fit for it

Octogenarian Kunj Tiwari thinks nothing of trotting the globe for wildlife photography, and keeps himself fit for it

Dressed in track pants and a matching black tee-shirt, Kunj Trivedi at 80 is all set to enter a new phase of his life ufffd he is joining a gym. Age is certainly not a deterrent when he has set his mind on achieving something.

And for this businessman-turned-photographer, capturing some of nature's finest creations on camera is his focus.

How it started
Born and raised in East Africa, Trivedi developed a passion for photography when his father gave him his first camera at the age of 15. There has been no looking back ever since. Initially, he took pictures of members of the family.

His first extensive series of photographs were shot on a trip to Kilimanjaro in 1960.
u00a0
Then, as a businessman based in Hong Kong, he did not have much time to pursue his hobby. After he retired from active business life, he managed to take his hobby to a more professional level.

Around the world
His main focus is wildlife photography. Trivedi spends his time visiting and revisiting wildlife sanctuaries across the country and the globe in search of the perfect shot, the best angle, just the right lighting.

Digital photography has added an exciting dimension to his passion and he spends a considerable amount of time honing his skills with online tutorials, photography workshops and expeditions with other photographers.

Despite his age, his thirst for knowledge in his chosen field is unquenchable. If he is not away on a photography trip, he is busy cataloguing and working on the pictures he has taken. As a rule he prefers not to tamper with his pictures and he is glad that going digital has allowed him the technology to ensure his pictures look as close to reality as possible.

His travels have taken him to the cold climes of Norway for polar bears and Canada for brown bears. He has photographed puffins in Iceland and visited monasteries in Bhutan. He has circumnavigated Mansarovar and bumped across India's national parks perched atop elephants.u00a0 On safaris to South Africa and East Africa he has managed to capture sights which make people gasp in awe.
u00a0
Pursuit of big cats
His first love is photographing the big cats, and among them his muse is the tiger. He has over 15,000 pictures of the tiger alone in his bank of images.

Wildlife photography can be physically demanding, but Trivedi has strong will power.

Strength of mind
"I never give up once I have made up my mind. All it takes is patience and determination and you can become a successful photographer," says Trivedi. "I study my destination and am diligent in my preparation."

Once he has taken all precautions in terms of gear, necessary equipment, the right clothes and the like, he will take any situation head on.u00a0

Even now he is preparing to go on a trip to Antarctica.

"I have to photograph penguins in their natural habitat,' says he.

On that note, he signs off. And sets off for the gym to prepare for a potentially taxing trip.