A Work in Progress

Welcome to my Online Home!
7 Second Bio ⏳
Hiya! I’m Ishan Shanavas, and I’m a Photographer, Artist and Student of the Natural World. Here, I write about the Environment, Creativity and the Human Condition.
- I’m a Fine-Art Photographer and Artist—Woodworker, Sculptor & Pen Illustrator.
- I write about ideas that interest me, while taking up many side projects (Ecological, Artistic, Photo-Stories, Resource-Curation, Creative Writing).
- I send a weekly newsletter with my work, thoughts & favourite links from the internet. These broadly orbit Nature, Art, Creativity and other interesting ideas.
- I grew up in Bangalore, and I currently study at Ashoka University, India🇮🇳.
More about my story below👇
Start with these Articles 📃
What I learnt from David Yarrow
Lessons from my favourite Photographer
Understanding the Humble Vine Snake
How this snake came to be one of my favourite animals
Ishan, Why Do You Keep Risking Your Life?
Why I keep jumping into harm’s way in pursuit of wildlife
My Photography Style in 3 images 📸




Subscribe to my Newsletter!
At The Owlet, I send out an email every week with my work and favourite links from the internet!
My Story 🐯
I am an ardent wildlife and nature enthusiast. From tracking snakes in rainforests to following sharks in the depths of the ocean, I live for the wild. Much of my time is spent reading and learning about our natural world. I frequently find myself in the company of some of the most fascinating creatures on the planet.
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.
My fascination for wildlife got amplified when I joined Rishi Valley School. With plenty of wild creatures around, I learnt to identify individual species of snakes and birds. I’d rescue animals from buildings, often holding these tiny lives in my hands.
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.
My goal is to distil my passions into blog articles. My writing, while diverse, is united by one goal; to encapsulate my interests and provide value to the reader.
Simultaneously, I work on many projects that intrigue me. These include, but are not limited to photo-series, journalism, compilations are more.
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!
Check out the various projects I am working on!
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 blog 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. You can also check out my résumé if you’d like.
I am from Bangalore and I study at Ashoka University, India.
Subscribe to my Newsletter – The Owlet🦉
Every week I send an email where I write and curate links about the Environment, Creativity and the Human Condition!
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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.
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Here are some more articles!
My Introduction to Fine Art Wildlife Photography
Art in photographing wildlife
Humanity and Elephants in History
A shift in the way we treat these behemoths
Creativity vs Originality
The new creative approach
Living with Tigers by Valmik Thapar
Writings on the tigers of Ranthambore by a legendary naturalist
What Searching for Snakes taught me about Writing
Finding writing inspiration – how to search for ideas
Photographing Layered Narratives – A Technique
A method I use to create immersive images