Yes, it was a long-cherished dream shot. It took me nearly 10 years to reach this point.
Ever since I started photographing birds, I have been yearning for this action shot. Every time my friends posted stunning pictures of Oriental darters catching fish, I felt a pang of shame and disappointment.
I too had clicked pictures, but they were all flops. I have waited for hours on end, under the scorching sun and in knee-deep slush, to capture the perfect shot.
But, the bird always seemed to outsmart me. Often, it would dive but never resurface, or it would reappear a kilometre away from where I was stationed, peering through my viewfinder.
Sometimes, it would pop up in front of me, but with an empty beak, leaving me more disappointed than the bird itself!
I’ve heard of Edison’s countless attempts before finally inventing the light bulb. So, I kept clicking and patiently waited for my moment. I held onto the words of Thomas Carlyle: “Try and try and try again, boys, you will win at last.” And finally, the moment arrived on this Sunday morning at the Changaram wetlands in Alappuzha.
