Flora and fauna, nature, and cameras captivated Shreyovi Mehta from the time she was once a child. Her oldsters didn’t want storybooks; their adventures within the wild equipped unending subject matter for probably the most thrilling bedtime tales.
Prior to she even realized to stroll, Shreyovi was once already becoming a member of her father, a flora and fauna photographer, on journeys to nationwide parks and safaris. Surrounded by means of digital camera tools and naturalists, she most probably heard the names of animals and pointers for the easiest shot prior to finding out her ABCs!
It’s no wonder, then, that she evolved an early fascination with cameras and yearned to carry one way back to she will take into account. At simply two years previous, she were given her likelihood — due to her oldsters, who run a flora and fauna images tourism corporate referred to as Nature Wanderers.
As a kid, Shreyovi Mehta accompanied her oldsters, Kahini and Shivang, on many journeys to nationwide parks. She grew up immersed in flora and fauna, from the luxurious landscapes of Corbett and Bharatpur to an unforgettable talk over with to Masai Mara at simply 4 years previous.
She would watch her father, a flora and fauna photographer, drape his skilled digital camera round their shoulders, patiently looking ahead to the easiest second to seize animals of their herbal habitat.
On the age of 2, Shreyovi’s father let her contact his DSLR for the primary time — a second she nonetheless vividly recollects 8 years later. She even recalls it took place throughout a shuttle to Ranthambore Nationwide Park.
Speedy ahead seven years, and at 9 years previous, Shreyovi clicked a surprising {photograph} of 2 peahens at Keoladeo Nationwide Park. That photograph went directly to transform the runner-up within the 10 Years and Underneath class of the Herbal Historical past Museum, London’s sixtieth Flora and fauna Photographer of the 12 months award!
Rising up amidst flora and fauna
Faridabad citizens Shivang and Kahini briefly spotted their daughter Shreyovi’s innate love for nature and flora and fauna, they usually made it some degree to take her outdoor each time conceivable. With Shivang spending over 300 days a 12 months within the box, it supposed lengthy stretches clear of the circle of relatives. Taking Shreyovi alongside on his flora and fauna expeditions become now not just a approach for her to connect to nature but in addition a distinct alternative for father-daughter bonding.
“We spotted Shreyovi’s sluggish inclination in opposition to images. She at all times cherished being within the box with me. She noticed apparatus throughout her and sought after to check out her hand at it,” Shivang tells The Higher India.
When Shreyovi was once about 4, her oldsters gave her Kahini’s previous point-and-shoot digital camera, sparking her adventure into images. “The digital camera had a excellent zoom,” Shivang recollects, and Shreyovi cherished experimenting with it.
Surrounded by means of photographers and naturalists, she had the best possible atmosphere to hone her talents, receiving steerage from one of the most highest within the box. By way of the age of six, she had already picked up her first skilled digital camera, marking an important milestone in her budding images occupation.
“It was once a little bit heavy, however I used to be so excited,” says Shreyovi. With mentorship from the photographers at Nature Wanderers, Shreyovi started finding out the finer facets of images — framing, angles, digital camera settings, and extra.
By way of the age of 10, she had already visited 10 nationwide parks and Masai Mara, spending 30 to 40 days a 12 months within the wild on safaris and expeditions. For a tender kid, navigating the outside isn’t at all times simple, particularly with the quantity of strolling required, however Shreyovi embraced the problem with enthusiasm.
“Shreyovi is slightly hardy and resilient. She accompanies us on small hikes within the wooded area and not shies clear of tough terrains. She may be very disciplined and is up early day-to-day to observe,” says the proud father.
For the reason that age of 8, Shreyovi has been waking up at 4:30 am to observe her images talents prior to faculty. She joins her mentors from Nature Wanderers each and every morning from 5 to six am, finding out and refining her craft. This regimen has instilled a powerful sense of self-discipline in her. On weekends, her oldsters take her to wetlands or within reach open areas in Faridabad to additional nurture her pastime for images.
Her faculty, Shiv Nadar Faculty, has additionally been extremely supportive of her interests, say her oldsters.
Roughing it out for the easiest click on!
Closing 12 months, Shreyovi visited the Herbal Historical past Museum, the place she stumbled upon the images exhibition and was once mesmerised by means of the breathtaking pictures on show, solidifying her personal aspirations as a photographer.
This October, her personal {photograph} will probably be featured in that very exhibition!
The award-winning symbol, titled ‘Within the Highlight’, captures two peahens “silhouetted in opposition to a peachy crack of dawn sky” in Keoladeo Nationwide Park, framed by means of a surprising cover of timber.
The photograph was once taken in November 2023, when Shreyovi was once simply 9 years previous. She had joined her father, along side participants of the Nature Wanderers staff and Anish Andheria, president of the Flora and fauna Conservation Accept as true with, on a talk over with to Bharatpur. They spent their mornings on day-to-day walks in the course of the park, and on one moody iciness morning, they spotted a strolling trail alongside the wooded area monitor — a second that set the degree for her outstanding shot.
“The solar was once simply emerging and shall we see this illuminated trail. The sunshine was once nearly divine, when Shreyovi spotted the 2 peahens strolling by means of,” says Shivang.
Once Shreyovi noticed the scene, she briefly grabbed one in every of her father’s cameras, crouched low to the bottom, and snapped the image whilst her father guided her on the way to body it.
Whilst the adults overlooked the blue bull (nilgai) getting into the body, the sharp-eyed nine-year-old seized the instant, taking pictures the easiest shot!
Listed below are a couple of of Shreyovi’s favorite pictures through the years:
- Illuminated spider webs
Throughout every other iciness stroll in Bharatpur, Shreyovi spotted those spider webs glowing like jewels due to the morning dew. Her mentor Allen Jacob guided her to take the easiest image.
- Snake birds
Shreyovi stationed herself for hours to get this symbol of a darter or snake chicken touchdown within the pool. Since they cross on a feeding frenzy within the winters, she needed to perceive their behaviour first.
- A fantastic mirrored image
Every other image taken at Bharatpur, the younger photographer learnt the idea that of reflections to seize this symbol of cormorants perched on a dry tree.
- Sparkling primates
Clicked in Ranthambore, her mentor Vedant Rastogi helped her click on those sparkling langurs.
- Her first tiger
Noorie was once the primary tiger Shreyovi noticed on the age of 2 in Ranthambore. In 2024, she captured Noorie in all her glory along with her father guiding her to click on the vintage image.
- Mynas in opposition to a pristine sky
Shivang and Allen tasked Shreyovi with discovering a really perfect topic to check with the pretty skyline throughout a chicken stroll at Bharatpur. After strolling for greater than a kilometre, she discovered those mynas perched completely in opposition to the sky.
- Her favorite topics
Shreyovi captured those nilgais throughout the monsoon in Bharatpur.
Edited by means of Pranita Bhat; Photographs Courtesy Shreyovi Mehta