Chennai: For Diwakar, photography has become a pursuit that extends well beyond his professional career in information technology. Over the years, he has travelled to several wildlife destinations across India, documenting tigers, elephants, leopards and a wide range of other species.
Diwakar, who works in the IT sector, developed photography as a serious passion alongside his professional career. His work has primarily focused on wildlife, where he has spent considerable time observing animal behaviour and waiting for suitable opportunities to photograph them.
He has recorded more than 100 tiger encounters during his wildlife photography journeys. His experiences also include sightings of elephants, leopards and several other species.
Unlike conventional photography, wildlife photography offers little control over the subject or timing. Animals can appear unexpectedly, remain visible for only a short period and disappear into their surroundings. This requires photographers to spend long periods observing and waiting for an appropriate moment.
For Diwakar, this aspect of wildlife photography has been an important part of the experience.
Documenting Chennai’s Birdlife
His photography has also focused on biodiversity closer to home.
In Chennai, Diwakar has documented more than 300 species of birds across the city’s wetlands, lakes, marshes and other natural habitats.
The documentation highlights the variety of birdlife found within and around the city despite its rapidly expanding urban environment. His work has involved observing birds in their natural surroundings and recording their behaviour through photography.
The effort has also strengthened his interest in documenting local biodiversity rather than limiting his photography to major wildlife destinations.
Work Beyond Wildlife Photography
While wildlife remains his primary area of interest, Diwakar also undertakes other forms of photography, including weddings and baby portfolio shoots.
Wedding photography requires photographers to anticipate important moments, while baby photography often involves capturing expressions and movements that can change within seconds. Diwakar approaches both forms of photography with an emphasis on observing the subject and being prepared to capture spontaneous moments.
This has allowed him to work across different areas of photography while continuing to pursue wildlife as his principal interest.
Encouraging Young Photographers
Diwakar has also been involved in introducing photography to young students. Through photography sessions and guidance, he aims to help students understand the fundamentals of photography and develop their own approach to visual storytelling.
He places emphasis not only on the technical aspects of operating a camera but also on observation and understanding the subject.
For him, photography involves more than simply pressing the shutter. Understanding light, composition, timing and the behaviour of the subject are important elements in creating an effective photograph.
Balancing IT and Photography
Diwakar’s journey illustrates how photography can be pursued alongside a full-time professional career.
Rather than making photography a replacement for his work in the IT sector, he has continued to develop it as a parallel pursuit. His photographic interests have taken him from India’s forests to Chennai’s urban wetlands, as well as to weddings and portrait sessions.
With wildlife encounters, bird documentation, event photography and interaction with young photography enthusiasts forming different parts of his journey, Diwakar continues to pursue photography while maintaining his professional career in information technology.
