How do you picture a wildlife photographer – A person in camouflaged clothes carrying an array of huge lenses and heavy camera bodies, patiently observing the wild, from a distance. What if all those camera innovations could just fit into his pocket? Nothing like innovation packed in a sleek body that slips right into your pocket making not just your movement easy but your shots flawless.
National Geographic Photographer & Explorer, Prasenjeet Yadav captured the cover shot for the March edition of National Geographic Traveller India in the sky islands of the Western Ghats using Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G.
Life of a wildlife photographer can be both exciting and daunting. Here’s our conversation with Prasenjeet Yadav about his adventures in the wild.
How was the experience of shooting the cover for Nat Geo Traveller India with the Galaxy S21 Ultra?
OMG! This was one of the craziest assignments I have ever done. I was using the new Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G with 108MP lens and its great camera capabilities to tell an extensive story of the landscape of sky islands in the Western Ghats and the species living there.
At first, it seemed unimaginable to photograph the wild using a smartphone but the results were just amazing!
How did the 8K Video Snap help you in capturing ‘the moment’?
When I was told that I could shoot a video in 8K and then extract a high-resolution photograph from it, it seemed hard to believe. I realized it delivered incredible videos and photos and I could do much more. I didn’t have to choose between shooting videos or taking photographs. That’s how I got my perfect shot with the 8K Video Snap feature, which became the cover of National Geographic Traveller India.
Which feature of Galaxy S21 Ultra did you like the most?
The Pro Mode on the Galaxy S21 Ultra! The kind of control it gives you – from changing the aperture to shutter speed to ISO to white balance. These are all the features that I actually need to get a great shot. The camera has its own range and algorithm to create these pictures but sometimes you have to override those algorithms to bring in your own creativity. The fact that Galaxy S21 Ultra allows me to make that switch and allows me to add my creativity makes it extremely unique. A big advantage of the 108MP Galaxy S21 Ultra is that you can take photos from a distance without disturbing the wildlife.
Never before have I used a smartphone camera that has given me this level of control.
How close were the images to what you actually saw?
It is tough to compare any camera lens with human eyes, but the reason I enjoyed using the Pro Mode is because it helped me figure the right lighting and controls to get bright lights and colours into the camera lens.
Availability
The Galaxy S21 series comes with an attractive offer; Free Galaxy Buds+ with S21 Ultra or S21+ or 50% off Galaxy Buds+ with the S21, available to purchase across island-wide authorized dealers of Softlogic Mobile Distribution and John Keells Office Automation which can easily be identified by the Samsung logo placed outside the shop. The range is also available at authorized partners; Softlogic Retail, Singer, Singhagiri and Damro and via Network Partners Dialog and Mobitel and through online portals; Samsung Estore, Daraz.lk and MySoftlogic.lk.