Story of the Wild Felines
-Dr. Sehrat Demiroglu
camera and started shooting with an angle not many people can have.
She stayed there for more than 20 minutes and then jumped to another
vehicle. This was a memory forever engraved in my mind.
What kind of equipment do you use and what did you start with?
My camera is Canon 1Dx
My lenses; EF400mm F/2.8L IS II USM, Canon 70-200 F/2.8, Canon
24-70 F/2.8, Canon 16-35 F/2.8. My
first camera was Canon 350D.
Treading Stealthly
Canon EOS 1Dx 400mm F/4.5 1/2500s ISO320
A
doctor by profession but a photographer by heart, Dr. Serhat
Demiroglu left his career of a medical doctor to pursue his
dream of becoming a wildlife photographer. Not many of us take
such chances and his risk paid off very well as today he is a renowned
wildlife photographer and his work has been recognized all over
the world by some of the most prestigious awards like National
Geographic, International Color Community and he also won 2nd
place in International Photography Awards 2011 in wildlife category
plus 3rd place in travel category. He is known for his vivid display of
wildlife. Today we present to our readers an exciting interview with
this well known wildlife photographer.
Dr. Serhat says, "For me photography is a passion. Having spent years
working as a doctor with only enough time to make photography a
hobby, l have now decided to fulfill my dream and focus full-time on
photography." PRABHJOT KAUR from Chiiz got an opportunity to
interview him over the emails due to his ever lasting excursions. Here
is an excerpt:
How did you get into wildlife photography?
My interest in wildlife photography began back in 2009 when I first
visited Kenya. Maasai Mara amazed me. l used to love photography
so much, but l was not sure which category l should concentrate on
until that time. When l saw Mara, l was fascinated by its beauty, the
place, the animals, nature. I found my way through photography by
seeing this.
What made the wild cats so special to you, and please mention any
special moment with them?
When you see their strength, their speed, their beauty, you just admire.
l think they are the miracle of mother nature. l had one unforgettable
day in Mara. l was taking photos of a cheetah and its cub when within a
second she jumped on to the roof of the vehicle, which was completely
open. l was alone at the backside and there was just 30 cm distance
between the wild cat and us. l knew cheetah's behaviour as they want to
teach their cubs to climb the highest place around to watch their prey
and enemies, anyway it was a wild cat and l could even feel its breath
on my face, i couldn't move for couple of minutes and continued to
watch this beauty. She was so calm and then I remembered about my
What
are
the
difficulties
encountered
by
a
wildlife
photographer on a regular basis
according to you?
l can say it’s not easy to make a
living out of wildlife photography.
Travelling
cost,
expensive
equipment, etc are the issues faced
by photographers. You are doing it
not for money, but because you just
love doing that.
Do you think wildlife photography may change people’s attitude
towards endangered species?
Photographs can convey much more than words, I believe wildlife
photography creates awareness and connects people to nature which
is the reason of mankind existence.
Can you share some tips from your expertise for aspiring wildlife
photographers?
l am following the light, my priority is simple "no light, no photo". Most
wild animals like sunrise, after chilly night, they enjoy to meet the first
light of the day which is the perfect time for a photo as you know, and
they take their place on the hills, on the trees, in the open fields, etc
take your place before them. l think one of the most important thing
in wildlife photography is to understand the animal behaviours, if you
know them, you can get ready to shoot before their action.
Another thing, you need to know your gear inside out. At the moment
of shooting your subject, your fingers shouldn't hesitate, sometimes
even one second is important. It should be your second nature.
Planning a photo is also very important to me, most of my images are
planned and were already taken in my mind.
We thank Dr. Serhat for providing us with an opportunity to interview
him.The curious readers who want to know more may visit the official
website of Dr. Serhat, www.serhatdemiroglu.com.
Prabhjot Kaur
[email protected]
Prabhjot Kaur is an Ambala based assistant professor
who has a passion for writing and loves to explore
new genres in creative writing. She wishes to write a
biography one day.