Wildlife & Conservation Photography
Available across India
I document how wild animals like leopards and flamingos live alongside people in cities, using long-term photo stories, camera traps, and drones to show real behavior and help conservation.
Pricing Guide
2-Day BNHS Wildlife Photography Camp
Core Education
- Expert Mentorship: 2 full days of group instruction by WPY winner Nayan Khanolkar.
- Theory Modules: Sessions on ethical photography, equipment care, hide construction techniques, and Adobe Lightroom basics.
- Field Access: Guided nature trails within the restricted Conservation Education Centre forest bordering Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
- Live Demos: Practical demonstration of setting up DSLR camera traps and using natural hides.
Stay and Food
- Dormitory Stay: 1-night accommodation in CEC Dormitory (gender-segregated, bunk-bed style, shared amenities).
- Full Board Meals: Canteen-style catering including 4 teas, 2 snacks, 1 dinner, and 1 breakfast.
- Gear Testing: Opportunity to test specific field gear subject to availability.
Additional Value
- Naturalist Guidance: Biology-based insights into identifying calls, tracks, and signs crucial for photography.
- Networking: Community building with other serious wildlife enthusiasts.
Private 1-on-1 Urban Wildlife Mentorship
Personalized Training
- 1-on-1 Shadowing: Exclusive full-day access to Nayan Khanolkar without group distractions.
- Custom Curriculum: Tailored instruction on specific skills like low-light sensing or flash positioning for nocturnal wildlife.
- Portfolio Review: 1-hour critique of your existing work with actionable feedback on composition.
Field Strategy
- Location Scouting: Visiting prime locations in Aarey or SGNP based on real-time tracking data of wildlife movement.
- Tracking Skills: Learning to identify fresh pugmarks and interpret alarm calls in the jungle.
- Camera Trap Rigging: Hands-on tutorial on deploying professional sensors, flashes, and housing in the field.
Logistics
- All Permits: Includes standard park entry and camera fees for the expert and guest.
- Private Transport: Dedicated vehicle for movement between trails and zones.
Commercial Biodiversity Documentation
Survey & Documentation
- Principal Photographer: Nayan Khanolkar leads the shoot as both photographer and naturalist.
- Camera Trap Array: Deployment of multiple DSLR camera trap units with infrared triggers and weatherproof housing for elusive species.
- Aerial Mapping: Drone photography to map habitat and landscape context where legally permitted.
- 24-Hour Coverage: Split shifts ensuring coverage of both dawn/dusk activity and nocturnal monitoring.
Commercial Deliverables
- High-Res Assets: Edited TIFF/JPEG files suitable for large-format print, billboards, or annual reports.
- Licensing: Commercial or Editorial usage rights for the specific project duration.
- Scientific Context: Detailed captions providing species identification and behavioral analysis for every image.
Production Support
- Field Crew: Assistant staff included for carrying heavy rigs and safety watch.
- Pro Gear: Usage of Nikon Professional bodies, fast primes, and wide-angle lenses for environmental portraits.
About Wildlife & Conservation Photography
Why I Do This
I use my camera to show that living with wild animals isn’t just a forest thing - it happens right here in our cities too. Especially in Mumbai, where leopards and people cross paths all the time. My photos are about breaking that old idea that the wild is far away. For me, the wild is all around us, even in the most crowded places.
Where My Lens Goes
Much of my work happens in the “urban jungle” - I’ve spent years following leopards through the lanes by Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Documenting these big cats, like the well-known leopardess Luna, has given me a front-row seat to their lives alongside ours. I also chase moments like thousands of flamingos landing near Navi Mumbai’s high-rises. But I don’t just stick to cities. I spend a lot of time in Central India’s tiger country, trying to catch moments that show real tiger and leopard behavior, not just pretty faces.
How I Work
- I’m all about slow, long-term conservation storytelling through photos. I might stay somewhere for months, sometimes years, just to get the full story.
- I use camera trap wildlife images to see what animals do when nobody’s watching, and I work closely with forest officers and researchers to make sure my work actually helps.
- Drones help me show things from above - like the way flamingos fill up a city’s backwaters. It’s a different view and makes people see why we need to protect these spaces.
What you get with me is never just a pretty picture. It’s a full, honest story about how our lives and wild lives are linked - and why that matters.
Meet your Expert
Nayan Khanolkar
79 connects in last 3 months
My Story
So, I’m Nayan. Never had any formal training in photography - just picked up my camera and went out. Biology teacher by day, wildlife stalker by night, you could say. Fifteen years chasing Indian wildlife, but leopards in Mumbai? That’s where my heart landed. Saw Luna in Aarey, and she changed everything. Imagine, a big cat sharing city space with us! That’s the story I want to show: the wild isn’t far, it’s right here, sneaking through our city nights.
My Work
Wildlife Photography & Conservation Stories - I take up wildlife photography assignments, create conservation photo stories and offer talks, all grounded in real field experience.
Urban Big Cats Focus - Most of my work is about documenting Mumbai leopards, showing their lives right at the city’s edge. Urban leopard photography is my thing.
Ethical, Patient Approach - Camera traps, lots of waiting, and careful watching. I never disturb the animals - I let their stories unfold naturally.
Storytelling Through Images - I don’t just click photos. I build wildlife coexistence stories that make you see animals and humans together, differently.
