“Pulicat Lake: A Serendipitous Exploration Through the Lens”
"On a day filled with anticipation, we, a group of friends, set off for Pulicat Lake, our hearts set on capturing the ethereal beauty of the migratory Greater flamingos. However, nature had a different plan. An unexpected overnight downpour had driven the birds away from their usual habitat.
Yet, every cloud has a silver lining. In our case, it was our boatman, Mr. Sikendar. A local fisherman with an uncanny knowledge of the area and a surprising understanding of bird habitats, he became the unexpected hero of our story.
As the day unfolded under a bright sun, punctuated by moving clouds and occasional dark, rain-laden ones, I found myself reaching for my IR converted FUJI XPRO 1 camera. The landscape, vibrant and ever-changing, presented a different kind of challenge and excitement.
With the lake as my canvas, I experimented with different setups and ND filters, ranging from 590nm to full spectrum (B&W) conversion. Each click of the shutter, each change in the light, brought a new perspective, a new story.
In the end, the flamingos were all but forgotten. I returned home, not with pictures of exotic birds, but with a collection of environmental landscapes and portraits that were just as captivating. It was a day of unexpected turns and memorable shots, a day that celebrated the joy of photography in its purest form
