KOCHI: Growing up in the remote yet picturesque village of Olavanna in Kozhikode district, visited by dozens of migratory birds every year, Nigin Mohan always imagined freezing them in a frame mid-flight, with their radiant wings spread out in full glory. That impulse grew so strong, that he not only taught himself photography, but also decided to discontinue his education and become a full-time freelance wildlife photographer. “The village I grew up in is quite beautiful.
I would always spot different species of migratory birds. But barely anyone else noticed this or documented them. So I took up that task. That is what eventually led me to a photography career. Even now, I am the sole wildlife photographer in the area,” says Nigin.
Over the past two years, his vocation has taken Nigin to some of the most famed wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and reserves in the country, capturing vivid and striking pictures of India’s rich eco-diversity. For most wildlife photographers from the subcontinent, it is indeed a rite of passage or a matter of privilege to capture the majestic royal Bengal tiger in its natural habitat, but Nigin’s ardour still lies in his earliest inspirations.
“I really like spending time following a bird and observing its movements. For example, where it nests, where it gathers food from. I have taken pictures of animals at sanctuaries in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. I cherish all those experiences and would like to have more of such encounters, but nothing beats capturing a bird in motion. It is all about getting that moment right,” says the 27-year-old.
A recipient of All Kerala Photography Association Award 2019, Nigin wants to travel to Nelliyampathy in Palakkad to capture Hornbills once the pandemic threat subsides. His other dream destination is the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand.
Heart breaking frame
There is however one series of pictures Nigin is most proud of, something that also breaks his heart every time he recollects that encounter. The pictures, taken close to Thamarassery in Wayanad a little over a year ago recently went viral on social media. The picture depict both a disturbing tragedy and cautionary tale on the perils of reckless driving and man’s destructive influence on nature. A mother monkey holding her dying baby that was run over by a vehicle — it was disheartening. “I was travelling with my friends on a rainy day to Wayanad. On the way, we observed that people were throwing half-eaten mangoes and biscuits on the road side, lowering car windows.
A baby monkey jumped out from the bushes to pick up the mango. Suddenly another car zoomed by, running over it. The tiny monkey was dead in a few seconds. The mother came running and picked her dying offspring. She dragged the body into the bushes. It was a painful experience but I needed to capture that moment,” adds Nigin who won the Sahyadri
Wildlife Photography Award last year for the photo series.