Best of 2011 in photographs
The year 2011 has been one crazy ride. I ended up spending most of the time in the field – photographing and filming across India, Africa and southeast Asia. This also explains the lack of updates on my journal the last few months. Below is the collection of some of my favourite photographs from the field.
The year started with a long filming assignment starting in Rajasthan and then Kutch in Gujarat. After filming there, we moved to Tadoba Andheri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, where we spent 2 months filming tigers. Then again back to Gujarat to film lions in the famous Gir National Park. Spending long periods of time in each of these places was very rewarding in terms of the individuals we were able to follow over time. Watch out for the film ‘Secrets of Wild India’, which will air sometime in 2012.
After the filming assignment, I spent July in Borneo, August in Anamalais and September in Kenya. The year ended with a personal trip to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in northeast India.
Below is a selection of some of my photographs from these journeys
Some of the small hills in Rajasthan are excellent habitats for leopards and they are quite easy to see in human dominated landscape
A langur gives out an alarm call having sighted a leopard sitting on a boulder below
A beetle on the dunes in the Desert National Park in Rajasthan
Demoiselle Cranes in Keechan
Thousands of Demoiselle Cranes come to Keechan village during winter every year
A Hedgehog rolled up in defence on a highway
A Desert Cat kitten in Banni Grasslands, Gujarat
Desert Fox from Little Rann of Kutch
Desert Fox pups playing while the mother is out hunting
Flamingos in Kutch
A young male tiger from Tadoba Andheri Tiger Reserve
One of the tigers who would sit inside the bushes all day long and only venture out when all the tourists had left
Known as the Telia tiger, he was the dominant male in the area and had the best places of Tadoba as his territory
My most memorable moment in Tadoba was when this tigeress walked towards us, while we were on foot, setting up camera traps
Cicadas are sap suckers and excrete a spray of water. During summers this is a common sight in central India
A young male Lion in Gir
Lion cubs sit with one of the mothers as the other one goes out hunting
A lion cub sleeps in the shade of a tree
Lions in the shade of a large ficus
A Jackal tries to catch winged termites that emerged after a downpour
Lioness
A Koompassia tree in Borneo
Slow Loris, one of the small, nocturnal primates from southeast Asia
A Spider, with excellent camouflage
A male Orangutan in Danum Valley, Borneo
Tarsier – a small, primitive, nocturnal primate, Borneo
The Long-tailed Macaques enjoying a grooming session
Impatiens growing on wet rocks along a stream in the Western Ghats
Extreme close-up of veins of a dried leaf
Imago emerging
A stream in the Western Ghats during the monsoon
A close-up of Indrella ampulla — a snail endemic to the Western Ghats
A White Pelican joining a group of foraging Pelicans at Lake Nakuru, Kenya
A Masai Giraffe rests under a Balanites tree in Masai Mara, Kenya
One of the highlights of my trip to Masai Mara was the time I spent watching this playful family of Cheetah with her three cubs
Two of these cubs were later predated by Eagles
Cheetah hunts an Impala in Masai Mara, Kenya. This is probably the best picture I made this year
A tower of Masai Giraffes. Two of them are necking — a ritual to establish dominance
A female Southern Ground Hornbill forages in the grasslands of Masai Mara
Rains on the grassy plains of Masai Mara
A Stream Sapphire damselfly in Pakke Tiger Reserve
Two male Stream Sapphires try to impress the female sitting on the twig
The Himalayan foothills in Manas
Forest floor in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary
Fantastic Pics Kalyan sir! You are an inspiration! Thanks for sharing… Have a great year ahead.
Superb photos.. a very nice way to start the new year.. thanks a lot..
Kalyan, The Cheetah chase silhouette is not just the best photo you have shot this year, but also the best I have seen. Wish you greater success and am sure you’ll rock this year.
Awesome photos!!!
wow Kalyan…a fantastic collection. 2011 was clearly a great year for you. the Cheetas hunting is alos my favorite. Hope you have a great 2012.
Amazing clicks..totally stunned!!
Cheetah hunting Impala is priceless ..absolutely stunning photograph.
Hi Kalyan
Awesome photos!!!Kudos to you…wish I could do a workshop with you.
Can you send me the lens details
Brilliant as ever 🙂
Thanks for Posting
totally cool!! amazing … love them!!
Absolutely amazing photographs. When someone starts feeling like \Hell! Now I am a good photographer\ he should see these pictures to understand what good photography really is.
great, simply great
Hard Work Never Fails…Every Shot is a Timing Shot…ACTION…Very Gud 2 See Ur Pics…
“Genius is the ability to act rightly without precedent – the power to do the right thing the first time.”– only words i can say…
Amazing photos..
The Cheetah hunting an Impala in Masai Mara, Kenya is the best picture of the lot… Amazing colors and the background.
Magnificent pictures ! Keep clicking.
Beautiful Collection Kalyan.
My personal favorites are Desert Fox of LRK & Beetle in Snad Dunes of Rajasthan.
Wondeful pics.. amazing shots…
Kalyan these images are Beautiful, the Cheetah hunting just blew my socks off,for some reason there very essence of life on the plains of Africa seem to be imprinted on that image.The image of the Koompassia tree is also great,its come out really well.
Best.
Amazing pictures. Fantastic.
Amazing pictures. Fantastic
Just speechless! You should have a voting for which of these is the best. I vote for Cheetah hunting impala!
NO WORDS TO SAY BHAI ! IT IS A VISUAL TREAT FOR ME IN THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE YEAR!
WISH U A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012. PLZ KEEP UPDATING US WITH SUCH GREAT VISUAL TREATS!
Good one’s Kalyan, Best of the lot Cheetah hunting Impala in Masai Mara. All the best for 2012.
Just inspiring and great captures Kalyan. Defines the subject. Wish you all the best for your adventures in 2012 too.
Just brilliant! Hats off!
Sujoy
http://www.sujoydas.com
hi kalyan really outstanding work the demoiselle cranes,the jackal catchin the termite is really unreal and the obvious cheetah chase where the mood is jus surreal
Something to learn from each of your photographs.. I liked the ‘A Masai Giraffe’ very much.. Thanks for sharing..
Kalyan,
What do I say ? Lost for words to describe some of them. Magnificent. May the Gods allow you more such incredible sighting
Best
What a great set of photo’s, you should be very proud of them. Looks like you had some brilliant adventures.
What a great set of photo’s, looks like you had some great adventures last year.
Stunning. Especially the picture of the giraffe under the Balanites tree. Something very post-apocalyptic about that one.
A treat for the eyes…..Awesome pics!
Amazing Pal…To me that silhouette of the Cheetah Hunt is uffff…absolutely orgasmic :)… a potential BBC winner eh ??..:) Wish you an even better 2012 !!… Cheers
Excellent Images , Kalyan ,Your eyes are superb
Fabulous stuff!
Great work.
Great photos..!!! simply great..!!!
Ultimate collection!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Amazing snaps…the Cheetah chasing is definitely the best snap! Surprised at the shots of TATR. Know that Atul Dhamankar is in your friends list somewhere. But never heard of you being there. Great shots though. That Telia tiger has remained elusive for us…tried for 3 years! Amazing photos. Some snaps make a difference purely because of the way they are clicked. Leopard cubs, tiger sleeping behind a bush. Quite a few photographers would nt click these snaps jst coz the subject is nt clearly visible. Great!
Your pictures are simply outstanding!
Awesome pics!
Not enough words to describe these snaps kalyan….. …. thanks for the year end write up…. awesome
Excellent.
THANKS for posting.
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Sir, as i said before your work is an inspiration for me… It gives a lot more confidence to move on and face the challenges…
Awesome work.. I wish you have an even more eventful 2012 year…. 🙂
Best shots sir
Best
Beautiful collection Kalyan. Inspiring!
Wishing you greater opportunities in 2012 to document the natural world and share them with us.
Superb…for a budding amateur taking baby steps into the world of photography, this is manna from heaven….thanks for sharing.