Hiya! I’m Ishan Shanavas, and I’m a work-in-progress. I am a Photographer, Artist and Student of the Natural World.
Here, I showcase my work and write about the Environment, Creativity and the Human Condition.

7 Second Bio
- I’m a keen wildlife and nature enthusiast. Be it tigers, elephants, birds, or snakes—I LIVE for the wild.
- I’m also an ardent Fine-Art Photographer and Artist—Pen Illustrator, Sculptor & beginner Woodworker.
- I send a weekly newsletter with my work, thoughts & favourite content – videos, podcasts, articles and books orbiting several topics.
- Here, I write about Nature, Photography, Art, Culture, and Books, while taking up many side projects.
- I grew up in Bangalore, and I’m currently pursuing my undergraduate degree at Ashoka University, India.
My Newsletter

Every Saturday, I share my work along with links about ecology, photography, creativity, and the human condition from across the web to hundreds of friendly readers. Join them and get my Wild-India Reading List as a bonus!
My Photography in 3 Images



My Story
From my childhood, encyclopedias and National Geographic’s TV shows fuelled my love for nature. I sat mesmerised by scenes of gazelles striding across the grassy plains and the herds of elephants caught in a silhouette at sunset. Growing up, I remember watching squirrels from my balcony for hours, trying to decipher their sounds.
From tracking snakes in rainforests to following sharks in the depths of the ocean, I frequently find myself in the company of some of the most fascinating creatures on the planet. Almost everything I do orbits around the natural world.
I also pursue photography and other forms of art (See my portfolio). These artistic mediums help me show the world to others as I see it. I love learning about subjects related to science, culture, media, art and so on. Whether it is books, podcasts or Youtube videos, I spend my time attempting to satiate my curiosity.
I am a voracious reader. Books are my gateway into other worlds. Fiction or non-fiction, they allow me to see the world through another person’s eyes. I attribute most of my education to the books I read. I break down some of my favourite books into reviews to consolidate my learnings and deepen my understanding of the subject.
Here, I distil my passions into blog articles and larger, more in-depth projects. They are my intellectual quest to make sense of the world. My writing, while diverse, is united by one goal; to encapsulate my interests and provide value to the reader.
I have mentors from various fields. Some of them are Valmik Thapar, George Schaller, David Attenborough, Ullas Karanth, David Yarrow, Paul Rosolie, JK Rowling, Austin Kleon, Yuval Harari, David Perell, Ali Abdaal, Tiago Forte, James Clear, Scott Christian, Hamish Mackie, Mark Coreth, Rick Lewis and so many more. The funny part is that most of them don’t even know it yet!
My writing is a dialogue, not an exhibit. I’m far from an expert in any of these fields—I gladly wear the label of an amateur. There is always room for improvement. I encourage you to provide suggestions so that the content can improve.
Therefore, dive in! And if you find it fascinating, please subscribe!
If you want to get in touch, drop me an email at ishan.shanavas@gmail.com or head over to my contact page.
Featured
Joining Write of Passage
Taking a course on how to write on the internet
How a Tiger Forced Me to Start Writing
Taking my passion for wildlife online
What Birdwatching taught me about Writing
How birdwatching can make you a more observant person
Image Use Policy
With my permission, anybody can use my pictures from this site. Additionally, you’re welcome to buy any of my pictures. Please contact me at ishan.shanavas@gmail.com in either case.
Photographs not taken by me will be given due credit. Permission to use those pictures must be taken from the respective copyright owner.