Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 10: A young man fuelled by an all-consuming passion for wildlife is known for capturing some of the most breath-taking pictures of wild animals in their natural habitat. His calling and expertise are for tigers as he loves TRACKING them. Harsha is popularly known as the ‘Catman’ in recognition of his acute sense of intuitions and skill when it comes to tiger tracking. He believes and tells people that Photography is a form of digital painting and one has to give life to a lot of emotions in a picture. Harsha strives to make original, inspiring, and thought-provoking images that raise awareness of nature and wildlife in our ecosystem.
The ace wildlife photographer, Harsha, has won many awards in recognition of his remarkable work. Some of his notable achievements include Winner of Askary Awards 2016 and Winner – ‘Best Tiger Picture’, Animals Category, YPS Salon 2016, and finalist at the Saevus Youth for Clicks. He is very popular on the social media platforms like Insta, where he has a huge fan following. One of the video footage of a slow-motion of a peacock has fetched him millions of likes on Instagram and has been one of those videos trending for a year now. Some of his works have been published in leading papers across the world. Two tigers fighting from Ranthambore and a leopard drinking water at Gir are some of the most notable pictures across the world.
Harsha’s passion for wildlife began during childhood when he would spend many hours observing nature and learning about the various bird and animal species. While pursuing his bachelor’s degree in 2010, an NGO came to his hometown to screen a movie on a tiger. This re-sparked the young boy’s interest and he started learning more about tigers. He recounts buying his first camera from the money. After college Harsha started working for an NGO called Watchers India Trust in Karnataka as a part of a volunteering team going to the forest. As he got involved in this work and clicked pictures, he fell in love with nature. He then decided to pursue Photography but realised it was a really tough journey in India as Wildlife Photography doesn’t give you money.
In 2014 an opportunity came to him in the form of a competition called Youth for Clicks which was hosted by one of the leading wildlife magazines called Saevus and he was one of the top 8 finalists. This motivated him to take up wildlife photography as a profession. Initially, he had to face many challenges and after fighting through a lot of hindrances, he joined a leading photo tour company and gained a lot of experience.
In a short period, with his dedication and support from his mentors, he became a mentor for many. Since then, he has trained and guided numerous photography enthusiasts across different parks in India, Sri Lanka, and Africa introducing them to the amazing world of natural history. Mostly seen in dull-coloured clothing with his trusted Nikon Binoculars, Harsha is full of fun and joy says his clients.