Bhubaneswar, August 19: For most people, a camera is simply a device to capture memories. For some, however, it becomes a window to the world—a way of documenting moments, emotions and the raw beauty of nature. On World Photography Day, the stories of three passionate photographers from Odisha show how far dedication can take a person behind the lens.

For these photographers, photography is not merely about pressing the shutter. It is about waiting patiently, travelling into the unknown and sometimes taking risks to capture a fleeting moment.

When the wild becomes the subject

For Dr Soumendra Sarangi, 68, photography has been a lifelong passion alongside his profession as a dentist. His love for the camera dates back to the 1980s, when he was still a student.

Even after becoming a doctor, he never allowed his passion to take a back seat. Whenever work permits, he heads into forests and wildlife destinations with his camera, often travelling with friends in search of the perfect frame.

From Similipal and Debrigarh to Tikarpada, Satkosia, Koraput and Bondaghati, Dr Soumendra has explored several wildlife destinations in Odisha. His photographic journeys have also taken him to Kanha, Pench, Corbett and the Sundarbans.

Wildlife photography demands patience, but for him it is also an adventure. When he encounters a tiger in Similipal, he jokingly asks it to “pose” for his camera. In Chandaka, he has followed elephants to capture them in their natural surroundings.

Over the years, his camera has become a means of documenting the diverse wildlife he encounters, keeping his passion for photography alive even today.

Chasing adventure for the perfect frame

For Manoj Kumar Sahu, 48, photography often means going where others may hesitate to venture.

An adventure photographer by passion, Manoj climbs trees to photograph birds and animals from unusual angles. At times, he enters water to capture crocodiles, fish and aquatic vegetation. He also climbs hills and searches for vantage points that allow him to present a subject from a completely different perspective.

For Manoj, courage is an essential quality for a photographer.

When an extraordinary moment appears, the photographer cannot always wait for ideal conditions. Sometimes, capturing the image means taking a calculated risk or even performing a stunt.

A resident of Raghunathpur and a retired IT professional, Manoj has been pursuing photography professionally for years. In around 18 years, he has captured nearly seven lakh photographs.

His passion has taken him far beyond Odisha. He has travelled across India and visited countries including Thailand, Russia, Iran, Dubai, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh, photographing everything from wildlife and birds to people, temples, mountains and water bodies.

His work has earned him recognition and awards at both the national and international levels.

From a mobile phone to a wildlife archive

For engineer and photographer Shubham Rout, 30, the fascination lies particularly in the lesser-noticed creatures of the wild.

Whenever he finds time away from work, Shubham ventures into forests, sometimes spending hours in search of snakes, frogs, lizards, crocodiles and bats. His distinctive approach to reptile photography has also brought him opportunities to work with the Forest Department.

A resident of Bhubaneswar and currently working in Rayagada, Shubham's journey began rather modestly. In 2013, while working as a resource person with the Wildlife Department, he accompanied officials to forests including Chandaka, Bharatpur and Kapilash.

It was during these visits that he began photographing wildlife and reptiles with his mobile phone.

But the limitations of a mobile camera soon became apparent. Determined to improve, Shubham participated in a wedding photoshoot in 2017, where he learned how to operate a professional camera.

That experience changed his photographic journey.

Since then, he has continued to explore the world of wildlife through his lens. He has now captured around one lakh photographs, with nearly 80 per cent featuring reptiles.

More than just a photograph

For these three photographers, the camera is more than a piece of equipment. It is a passport to forests, mountains, rivers and unexplored corners of nature.

Their journeys also underline the essence of photography: patience, curiosity, courage and the ability to recognise a fleeting moment before it disappears.

On World Photography Day, their stories remind us that behind every remarkable photograph is often an equally remarkable story of the person who waited, travelled and sometimes dared to go beyond the ordinary to capture it.