by Yvette Depaepe
Published the 11th of September 2023

Atul Saluja loves nature photography.  He quotes: 'Nature is beautiful, peaceful and serene and is filled with endless sources of wonder and joy. As a photographer I want to present these elements to my viewers. I like to create simple images showcasing the beauty of the natural world and the beautiful beings that inhabit it along with us humans since often they go unnoticed. As long as I have conveyed this aspect of the natural world through my images and the plots and stories they portray, I will be content with my work as a photographer.'

Come along with me in Atul's wonder world through this interview and enjoy!

'Dreamland'

Briefly tell us about yourself, your hobbies and other jobs, Atul.

I was born in New Delhi, India and completed my early school and college education there. I moved to the US in 2001 to attend graduate school. I hold a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Connecticut. I have been in the US since completing my education and now work as an executive at a multinational pharmaceutical company engaged with the production and distribution of life-saving medicines. I am currently based out of Massachusetts, US. Photography has been my hobby since very early years but I have taken it more seriously in recent years, starting to carve out more time for it in the past 6-8 years. With a regular full-time job, I often find it hard to make time for photography. However, I am thankful for my wife who is very supportive of my hobby as a photographer. A few of my images have been published in photography magazines (Amateur Photographer, Practical Photography). Outside of work and photography, I love to spend time travelling with family and keeping busy with our kids - a daughter and a son, listening to music and watching sports. I am an ardent soccer and basketball follower and a huge fan of Lionel Messi and the Boston Celtics basketball team.

'Pole vault'

'Rose lover'

How has your history and life experiences affected your photography?

Since my childhood, I have been fascinated by the natural world around us, the various ecosystems small and large that exist within it and all the beings, plants and animals that give it life, be it the beautiful birds and animals that we see more naturally, intuitively and effortlessly or the ones residing but hidden in the “tiny worlds” that we do not generally see but are equally intriguing and mysterious. As humans we are so preoccupied with our own daily lives and responsibilities that we often do not appreciate the beauty and wonder that exists all around us. Spending as much time as possible outside, away from the hustle and bustle of daily chores and material things, brings me a sense of peace, wonder and gratitude that I portray through my works.

'Nightscape'

Which are your most important experiences that have influenced your art?

Growing up in a busy, frenetic and industrial metropolis like Delhi, where I spent all my life while I was in India, likely made me all the more appreciative of the quiet and serene natural world, perhaps subconsciously, especially once I moved to the US north-east in the early 2000s. Having lived in various suburban places along the US north-east as well as north-west made it easy to appreciate natural beauty that is inherent to these parts of the world. I have come to rejoice and cherish all the seasons that can be so vividly experienced in these places but spring and autumn are my favourite times of the year and I love to photograph in the early slightly chilly morning hours. I also find the changing seasons to be a good time to photograph given the natural transition in the nature of light, temperature and moisture.

'Gentle gaze'

'Moon lit'

What first attracted you to photography?

First and foremost, it is the ability of a photograph to immortalize an ephemeral and fleeting moment and the emotions, both objective and subjective, associated with it. For me it's a way of appreciating the natural world around us and presenting it to the viewer in a very personal and human way. Besides the artistic and emotive aspects of photography, I also find its technical aspects quite intriguing and inviting. I have always been drawn to scientific and technical fields and the mechanistic understanding of the world around us and how things work. Photography in a way is a natural medium for me to explore nature and the inner workings of it.

'Bejeweled'

Can you describe your overall photographic vision?

Nature is beautiful, peaceful and serene and is filled with endless sources of wonder and joy. As a photographer I want to present these elements to my viewers. I like to create simple images showcasing the beauty of the natural world and the beautiful beings that inhabit it along with us humans since often they go unnoticed. As long as I have conveyed this aspect of the natural world through my images and the plots and stories they portray, I will be content with my work as a photographer.

'Dreamy mornings'

'Living on the edge'

Why are you so drawn by animal photography and particularly by insects and birds?

A good question that made me pause and think. I think it is the unknown and often unappreciated aspects of the natural world that I find most intriguing and inviting. It is perhaps the need to see the unseen that pulled me towards macro photography in the beginning.  But as I spent more time with this genre, I was amazed at the level of detail and textures that so often go unnoticed. Most people either dislike insects, bugs and critters or are simply indifferent to them. Through macro photography I wanted to explore the beauty of these small beings and the mystery they present. The other part that attracts me towards this genre of photography is the technical challenge it brings. Macro photography is inherently challenging and can be quite frustrating at times. Learning everyday that I am out in the field and practising and gradually getting better at it keeps the subject interesting for me. The natural world is so immense, mysterious and awe inspiring and yet goes unnoticed by most of us. Specifically for insects and birds, I find them to be very delicate and fragile beings, at least most of them, and perhaps that’s what attracts me to them. And maybe there are other subconscious reasons for my interest in this field that I haven’t yet explored. 

'Hang on'

'Afloat'

What is more important to you, the mood,/story behind your images or the technical perfection?

I would say both but if I have to pick one over the other, I’d say the story and mood.  I think and certainly hope that this aspect comes across in all my images. For me the mood/story of an image is critical. With the advances in photo editing software, an image can always be improved/altered technically, to some extent, in post-process. However the story and mood is set through composition and lighting for the most part. That’s where I spend the most time planning an image carefully evaluating the subject, light and most importantly the background which is critical conveying the overall mood in viewers mind.

'Perched'

'Solitary'

What generally is your relationship to your subject matter beyond being an observer?

Respect and harmony is critical when I am photographing my subjects. I try to be minimally intrusive and disruptive to them and their ecosystem and ensure their well being is not compromised in any manner.

Do you carefully prepare the locations where you are intending to photograph?

Most part of the photos I take are usually in or close to my backyard. Given the job, young kids, and an otherwise busy lifestyle, I find it hard to make time to explore farther locations for my creative pursuit. In fact, in some ways that's one of the reasons for my love of macro photography. I don’t have to wander far to be mesmerized by the beautiful creatures around us. I can find plenty in my own backyard, parts of which I tend to leave a little wild to attract wild insects and small birds and animals. Once I have located a subject and as much as they allow, my first goal is to get a clean background. Sometimes just by changing the angle and perspective slightly, the background can be improved significantly. I try to get the background to complement the subject and not distract from it. Sometimes I need to remove distracting elements from the foreground or background. I try to do it in the most gentle and respectful way so as not to hurt the vegetation in the vicinity. I then focus on the lighting to assess if natural light is dramatic enough or if I need to use diffused light from flash. Lastly, I try to assess the need for stacking or single shot depending on the size and complexity of the subject and if it is more still and cooperative or too jumpy or skittish. I mostly shoot in the mornings and evenings, especially since natural light isn’t too harsh at those hours and allows me to create a bit of drama in my images.

'Morning light'

What gear do you use (camera, lenses, bag)?

I started toying with the idea of photography with a Sony point and shoot back in the early 2000s and then moved to Nikon D90 a decade later. Currently I shoot with a Nikon D500. Most of my macro images are taken with a Tokina 100 mm macro lens - a true gem for macro photographers - that I bought about 8 years ago. Most of my stacks are taken using a Manfrotto 454 micromeretic sliding plate. More recently I have bought a Nikon 300mm PF f/4 and 70-200mm f/2.8 with the intent of expanding more into wildlife photography. I also own a Nikon 50mm f/1.4, Sigma 135mm f/1.8, Laowa 15mm f/4. I use a Lowepro ProTactic 450 to carry the gear. For lighting macro subjects, I use a Nikon SB-700 flash mounted with a self-designed diffuser.

What software do you use to process your images?

I use Adobe Lightroom to process the images, Topaz De-noise AI to optimize noise mostly and adjust a bit of sharpness and Adobe Photoshop for healing and final adjustments. For focus stacking, I use Helicon focus mostly with some images being stacked in Photoshop.  

Can you tell us something more about your work flow?

I do most of my image processing in Adobe Lightroom.  I generally start by removing chromatic aberrations and applying the correct lens profile. I then work the image in Topaz de-noise to lower overall noise if necessary. I then use photoshop to remove blemishes and heal any lens artefacts. Sometimes I remove distracting elements in an image especially if they interfere with the overall mood and story but mostly this is minimal. I do not do compositing in my images. I then take the refined image back into Lightroom to adjust for overall exposure and light, colour and textures followed by slight but separate adjustments to subject and the background.

What is your most important advice to a beginner in insect and bird photography and how do you get started?

I call it the 3Ps- practice, patience, and persistence. This will be my single most important advice to anyone starting out in the field of photographing natural beings be it insects, birds or animals. Since your “models” do not understand directions or your language and are quite unpredictable, especially in the beginning when you do not know their habits, it is critical to be patient and not lose focus and heart. Then there are aspects of composition and available light to consider unless of course you want to add light through setups but that is an added task to plan for. There have been times when I have waited and spent hours out in the field and had no good images to show for it. On other occasions, I have persisted with the same difficult subject repetitively (sometimes on multiple days) to get one good shot. In the end, these difficult photographs are the most gratifying ones. Once you have practised the skill and have the element of patience covered, you can focus on the key aspects of storytelling through composition, light and editing. As you practice the skill and get to know your subjects and their habits better, it gets easier and more fun.  

The image below was made over a period of two days. I found this little robber fly in my backyard a few days ago and tried photographing it, unsuccessfully so, from various angles but the natural light wasn’t perfect as it was quite late in the evening and the angles were pretty odd. I also wanted to avoid flash for this subject given its dark colour and deeply reflective texture which made photographing it at that hour all the more difficult.  However, I was slowly able to get it on the leaf pictured below and clamp the leaf on top of a tripod. All along, the little fly was quite cooperative and did not fly away.  I left it there for the night. To my surprise it was still waiting in the morning on that leaf, perhaps waiting to be photographed. It was in the morning light that I was able to successfully capture this image with the morning light falling on the grass and vegetation, still moist from overnight dew, in the background. A few minutes later once the sun was fully out, it flew away. This image is a stack of 50 odd images in natural light only taken with Okinawa 100mm at f/5.6 and ISO 200. I wanted to get front to back sharpness to do justice to the fly’s natural beauty and also show the textures of the leaf against the soft and smooth background.

'Upside down'

Who are your favourite photographers and more importantly, how has your appreciation of their work affected how you approach your own photography? 
I have come to appreciate a number of photographers through 1X and various other forums and channels online. To name a few, I much appreciate the works of Javier Ruperez, Christopher Schlaf, Jimmy Hoffman and Thierry Dufour. The elements of both technical perfection and storytelling is vividly and crisply presented in all their images. Each has his own unique style and I have appreciated their work for a long time now. However, if there is one photographer that has impressed me the most and is a big reason for me to fall in love with macro photography, it is Roberto Aldrovandi. I came across his work on another site a few years back and have since been mesmerized by his images. He has since shown on 1X as well. The composition, colours, light, mood and storytelling in his images is exemplary, for me personally, and I often go back to his work to find inspiration. Each and every one of his images is a true gem in my opinion. It’s unfortunate that he has stopped publishing online or on 1X and other forums. I wish him well and hope to see more of his work soon.

Is there any specific photo taken by another photographer that has inspired you a lot and why?  

Another very hard question since there are so many fine works I have come across but if I must, I would like to highlight the image below from Roberto Aldrovandi as one of my personal favourites for reasons I point to above. The mood, light, drama and story in this image are truly appealing and engaging. In my humble opinion, it is enough for anyone to fall in love with nature and macro photography. I did a few years back. 

'Alien predator' by Roberto Aldrovandi

Are there any specific directions that you would like to take your photography in the future or any specific goals that you wish to achieve?

I consider myself a novice and as a young student in photography so there is still considerable learning to do. But that is the fun part. More specifically though, I’d like to expand further into wildlife and bird photography while I continue honing my skills in the macro genre. Given my love for nature, that would be an obvious area for growth, creatively.  I’d also like to further advance my skills in photo editing and use of tools like photoshop.

Describe your favourite photograph taken by you and why it is special to you?

This is a very difficult question since all my images are special to me in their unique way as they have all helped me grow as a photographer. But if I do need to pick one, it will be the one I took recently of a rufous hummingbird feeding on fragile red salvia flowers. I have been wanting to photograph more birds lately and thus my investment on the two long lenses in my collection. Hummingbirds have always fascinated me with their speed, agility and the ability to hover or fly forward and back at will. These are challenging little birds to photograph. I had been watching these hummingbirds play in the woods behind our house for quite a few days and wanted to attract them to a location that would make for a simple clean composition. Also I wanted them near a location where I could wait for them for extended duration if needed. I ended up putting together a setup in my backyard of a hummingbird feeder and a couple of red and pink salvia plants to provide contrast against the mostly green background. It took a couple days of planning and another couple of hours to get the timing, light and technical aspects correct. The image below is one from my recent collection. This is taken with a Nikon 300mm PF at f/5.6 mounted on D500 at 1/1000s and ISO 1600. Nikon SB-700 with a diffuser was used to lift shadows. The image brings me immense joy when I look at it and now hangs on my study wall.

'Thirsty'

Is there anything else you wish to add  and what do you think about 1X as a home base for your work?

So far in my photography journey, nothing has been more instrumental and consequential as 1X. While I have explored many other online sites and forums to further develop my skills as a hobbyist photographer, the community at 1X has been a true blessing. The works shared by photographers on this site are truly magical and artistic and such a joy to experience. I have benefited immensely not only from the deeply gifted artists who choose to share their work here but equally from the critiques of both my own images and those of others. I often review the feedback and comments provided by curators and other photographers in the Critiques forum to 'see' an image from another person’s perspective. It is one of the most valuable features of this forum for me personally.  Thank you to the entire team at 1X for all that you continue to do to further the field of photography.

'Just landed'

'Spring is in the air'

'With pride'