BENGALURU: It’s August, and nature and wildlife enthusiasts and photographers can look forward to the sixth edition of the Nature inFocus Festival. The three-day festival, which will see participants from across the country, will start in the city on August 2, and close on August 4.
This year, the Nature inFocus Film Awards will also be launched in an attempt to attract a wider set of audience. “While the festival itself is a recognition of a fragmented environmentally-conscious community and attempts to bring them together, the awards are a recognition of the photographers’ and filmmakers’ ability in the creative space and their empathy for nature,” said Rohit Varma, founder of Nature inFocus, adding that so far, they have received 9,800 images across six categories. The final awards will be given away during the three days.
The event will also include a photography exhibition, where 120 images will be on display, including the winning images and selected short-listed pictures from the NiF Photography Awards. It will also include an exclusive film showcase, involving screenings of the winning natural history and conservation films from the NiF Film Awards, where the respective filmmakers will present their films and talk about them. “Over the last five years, we have witnessed a steady growth, and are expecting a high turnout this time,” Varma said.
The edition will see the presence of some powerful speakers from across the world, such as environmental historian Mahesh Rangarajan, wildlife filmmakers Rolf Steinmann and Joanna Van Gruisen, wildlife conservationist Vivek Menon, scientist Aparajita Datta, biologist Ravi Chellam, wildlife photographers Dhritiman Mukherjee and Anish Andheria, and ecologist Harini Nagendra, among others.
“We offer a platform for passionate nature and wildlife photographers to showcase their work, learn from fellow photographers, discuss interesting topics, and build awareness about nature conservation within the community,” said Varma.
The sixth-edition of Nature inFocus will be held at Chamara Vajra, Jayamahal, from August 2 to 4.