Forests are not the traditional ‘manosphere’ they were thought to be. Nor is wildlife photography a male bastion. Meet Nisha Purushothaman from Paravoor, Kollam who wields the camera in the wild.

Photography always topped my list of hobbies. I believe it was a natural spin off from my childhood spent in an idyllic setting with lush paddy fields, ‘kaavu’, lakes and the ocean. A short walk from my home would take me to a world that was literally a feast for the eyes and the soul; a world that forged my wanderlust and the connection with the wilderness.

But the passion took wings only after I attended a photography workshop by Shutterbugs in Dubai. I had finished my BFA from Fine Arts College, Trivandrum and was working at that time. The workshop helped me hone my skills and inspired me to take photography seriously. I started out with bird photography. But soon, I was off on wildlife photography tours in India and Africa.

The forests let you connect with nature in a very deep way. I have felt that the more time I spend in the forests, the more joy and peace it brings. And I have come to cherish these rendezvous with nature so much. Nothing about the daily grind of work will have a grip on you once inside the forest. When I realized that I find happiness in this more than anywhere else, I quit my project manager job and took up wildlife photography. Conducting photography tours and workshops soon became a full-time job.