 Location Chennai, India Profession Chartered Mechanical Engineer(1968 Batch) Equipment Nikon D700 & D300, 105 macro, 24 120 VR, 18 200 VR 80 200 f/2.8 AF ED D, 80 400 VR Manfretto tripod SB 800 Flash and few necessary filters Fotoflock Member since Nov 2008 Favourite Genre -- Best POTM result WINNER (November 2008) Enlarge +  POTY Entry | 
 | About me
|  | I completed my Bachelors in Science (Chemistry) in 1964 and Engineering (Mechanical) in 1968. I took photography seriously from 1989 and started participating in national and international competitions. To this day, my work has earned 3500 acceptances in national and international salons and my prints and slides have won numerous awards, medals and certificates of merit in monochrome, colour, nature, wild life, travel photography and photo journalism. These include a FIAP for my colour slides and an IIPC and FFIP for my nature slides. A book on Sidhpur with 130 of my pictures has also been published. I have been using and continue to use Nikon system for photography. Professionally, I trade steel cold rolled strips. |   | Q&A | | | Why do you think your photo should win the Photo of the Year (POTY) Contest?
The picture of the Sunbird approaching the nest to feed the chicks took me three days to shoot; to capture that fraction of a second when the bird is sharp and correctly exposed.
Who do you think is your biggest competitor?
I don't remember the other photographs and hence I can’t say who my biggest competitor is. I would like to mention that photography is not Mathematics that two plus two is four. Here the entire experience and knowledge of the jury will decide which photo is the Photo of the Year. If a member of the jury has never shot a nature picture how he can judge my photo? I have been participating in national and international salons since Dec 1989 and have more than 3500 acceptances. At one place a photo gets a medal and in the next salon it is rejected. It entirely depends on the taste, experience and knowledge of the jury.
How long have you been a photographer?
I took photography seriously from 1989.
What does photography mean to you?
When I was shooting slides, each click was an exam because after clicking you cannot change anything in the picture. With digital, it is different because you can convert a bad picture into a prize winning one with Adobe Photoshop.
What does your ideal day with a camera look like?
When I go out with my camera, I forget every damn thing. I enjoy my photography. I always wait to go to different places to shoot places, people and wildlife. I have a tentative booking this year for the Puskar Mela Boondi and Ranthambore from 29th Sep to 8th Nov. Am eagerly waiting to shoot both pictorials and wildlife.
Why should the flock vote for your photo?
If the jury has little knowledge of speed and the behaviour of the Sunbird, my picture will stand out to win the first prize. | |
Photo of the Year
You have got a great dexterity.
Keep it up.
Cheers
Varadharajan