Sonalini Khetrapal
My passion for animals, coupled with my acquired skill at photography, resulted in my love for travel specifically to pursue wildlife photography. My first safari in the wild impacted me in many ways. I wanted to capture it all – the expanse of the Savannah, the clear blue skies, the stark emptiness of my surroundings… It was something I wanted to preserve for ever. What started as an aesthetic outflow – took on a more persuasive role with each successive trip. I felt an urgent need to raise awareness of the myriad lifeforms threatened with extinction, not by natural selection or cosmic events, but by both the actions and inactions of man. I believe that wildlife photos are indispensable tools to inspire everyone towards a cause – conservation of the wild by creating a connection with nature and the need to protect it. I hope that my photos can help you establish that connection – whether it is admiring the raw beauty of wild animals or being captivated by their behaviours. Some of you might be drawn to travel to explore the wildness of the world which is rapidly diminishing. It doesn’t matter what be the interest. Whatever interest my photos spark in you – I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed taking them.
I have travelled more than half the world and have lived in several countries including India, United States, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. My undergraduate degree in Engineering is from Cornell University, Ithaca and my Masters from Columbia University, NYC. I completed my PhD in Health Economics from the University of London. But my time in the wild has taught me the most important lessons – among them being patience and perseverance. I have learnt to push myself harder and while doing so remain unperturbed. I have learnt to accept challenges which are out of my control – the vagaries of the weather, difficult terrain, and my subjects with a strong mind of their own – and still persevere. Stay with the subject for as long as possible – often the whole day to get that perfect shot. It’s that focus of pursuit that has been the greatest learning. Both ethereal and enlightening/exciting.
Sonalini Khetrapal
sk@sonalinikhetrapal.com
sonalini.khetrapal@gmail.com