Challenges before Journalism in the years to come

When I studied Journalism in the early nineties, under the guidance of some of the then well-known stalwarts in the field, Mr B.B. Nagpal former Bureau Chief of UNI, Mr John Dayal, a well-known media person and a social activist, they talked about journalism being the fourth pillar of Democracy. Today when I take the Journalism classes with my students, it is with my mentors in mind that I teach them to be sensitive and fair as young journalists (Incidentally learning to be a good journalist is also about learning to be fair, sensitive and mature).

Those were, however, different times, times, however, that left a deep impression in the mind. The breaking down of the Berlin war, the unification of West Germany and East Germany, the rise of Lech Walesa of Poland, the disbanding of the IRA, the takeover of The people’s republic of Ethiopia by Northern Rebels in 1992, the evacuation of the Jewish Falasha from Ethiopia to Israel, all of them were an indication of a world undergoing a “reset” option. Journalism perhaps saw its best during the period lasting from the late nineteen-eighties to the year two thousand and eighteen.

Some of the best journalists that I remember from that period included Mark Tully - BBC and Peter Arnett - CNN. True, in those times most of our information came from either BBC or even the Voice of America. T.V. was not so prevalent and we learned about the passing away of Leonid Brezhnev from the BBC. In times of uncertainty faced by an imminent attack by EPLF rebels from the North, my father would tune his radio to the BBC for any information about the advance of the EPLF. In fact, radio was the single most accurate electronic media that could be depended on for news that was factual and accurate. The T.V. channel was controlled by the state and it was full of propaganda and misinformation that was meant to lull the people into a false sense of security and prevent a public backlash against the Socialist Government of Ethiopia.

In the Nineties, we were glued to our television sets in India to watch the live coverage of the Liberation of Kuwait under operation “Desert Storm” thanks to Peter Arnett who was based in the Iraqi Capital, Baghdad. Incidentally, he was one of the Journalists who had been in fact asked to cover the events by none other than Saddam Hussein. The fall of the Berlin Wall, the agitations led by Lech Walesa, which started in the Gdansk Shipyard in Poland, and of course the Tiananmen Square agitations by students were all brought to us live by some of the most acclaimed journalists of those time, and we saw everything live on television.

The advent of the cell phone, however, has brought a lot of change in the field of reporting. The invention of the internet-enabled smartphone and the introduction of social networking apps have heralded the rise of what is called “Citizen Journalism”. The use of the smartphone ushered in an era where the latest updates of news could be shared straight from ground zero. It was, however, news that was unregulated, not syndicated and in effect “the camera’s point of view”. Citizen Journalism often catered to the desire for an emotional and vicarious titillation a release of pent-up anger and sadistic pleasure in seeing people being hurt or even killed. The Jasmine Revolution in 2011, the uprising at the Tahrir Square in Egypt that marked the end of President Hosni Mubarak’s 43 years in office was probably exacerbated by the sharing of information and updates from ground zero by ordinary citizens with the help of cell phones.

Citizen Journalism is perhaps one of the greatest challenges faced by professional journalism today. Citizen Journalism has “stolen the thunder” from the services that some of the stalwarts of the world of journalism once offered. Another problem arising out of Citizen Journalism is the proliferation of fake news. Moreover, most of what is shared on social media, social networking sites in uncensored, unregulated, not syndicated and perhaps even irresponsible reportage. While the camera might not lie, the perspective, angle and point of view might be offering a one-sided view of the whole story. Some of the live coverage shared on social media might often only act to whip up emotions, anger and aggression. Sensible reportage by accredited journalists would probably warn about “viewer discretion” before presenting disturbing images, or for that effect even blur any image that might cause distress to the viewer.

Things have changed tremendously in the present times. Journalism is now facing its greatest challenge in times when the very credibility of the news is being questioned. The proliferation of fake news, partisanship in reportage, paid news, selective reportage, favouritism have all been caused by the fear of retaliation by the ruling party. Today journalists are forced to water down their reportage lest they should be accused of sedition. The fourth pillar of Democracy is crumbling and when it goes, it will usher the era of dictatorship, a period marked by hardships, lack of freedom of expression and gagging of what was once known as a ‘free press’! The advent of the Covid-19 Epidemic, the recent incidents of riots in parts of Delhi, the recent proliferation of cases of police excesses against African Americans have all had an adverse impact on the meaning of fair journalism. Partisanship, polarization on the basis of religion, colour, race, language, ethnicity and region have all forced journalists to either toe the lines or else face the metaphorical firing squad. As a journalist, you either support us, our philosophy the party lines or else quit your job! You have to be in sync with the Republican school of thought if the President is a Republican or in sync with the Democratic school of thought if the President is a Dem. As a journalist, you are either with us or you are out, there is no middle path today.

Unfortunately, people are angrier and more distressed today than they were a couple of decades ago. The rise of ‘firebrand’ journalism, in the form of ‘the angry young man’ challenging a group of cowering, blundering and stammering politicians has done more harm than good to the credibility of journalism. A lot of people derive a vicarious thrill from programmes where a debate on television becomes a literal war of gladiators where the anchor becomes the master gladiator who dispatches all the others in a war of words, rhetoric, theatrics and drama. Viewers love this kind of journalism because people have become bored with their routine and predictable lives and they need some spice to enliven their dull and boring lives. We have not grown out of the ancient Roman Citizen’s hunger for gore, fights, action all that was to be had in the arena while watching gladiators fight each other to death. It is clear that today the demands from Journalism include not just a need for information but rather a need for entertainment leading to a release of pent-up emotions, a catharsis if you might believe it to be.

‘Firebrand’ journalism can only whip up frenzy anger, animosity in times when people need to stay calm. People in Minneapolis were whipped up into a state of frenzy after seeing repeatedly visuals of George Floyd being arrested by cops leading to his subsequent collapse. The presence of the video of on social media added fuel to fire causing the simmering anger to explode in the form of riots in the city. The only thing that can counteract the venom spewed by “firebrand journalism” is the voice of reason and the voice of maturity. In the midst of all the chaos taking place in Minneapolis, Mayor Jacob Frey’s words ring true when he says, “There is no honour in burning down your city. There is no pride in looting businesses that have become institutions of your neighbourhood.” The Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta, while sending out a message on the riots did not mince words when she exhorted people to go back home. She went on to state that as a mother of four she was concerned for her children and that she had especially told her eldest son to stay at home. The way CNN handled the arrest of its team of journalists in Minneapolis recently speaks volumes about the importance of maintaining calm in the face of chaos and uncertainty. A debate on television on the whole incident would have had an adverse effect on the whole situation.

Journalists are not safe today, even those who are accredited and belong to some of the best-known news agencies of the world. The recent arrest of Omar Jiminez and his team on the 29^th of  May, 2020, who were reporting on the riots in Minneapolis, Minnesota resulting from the unfortunate death of George Floyd while being arrested proves that being a reporter with a new agency cannot guarantee your safety even at the hands of Government law enforcement agencies. It is unfortunate that Cops often end up using excessive force while apprehending possible suspects. While one might argue that the SOP for Cops making an arrest needs to be re-visited and re-written, it would bewilder one to see accredited media persons being arrested in their own country for doing their jobs! Ben Smith a well-known Journalist with the New York Times recently remarked in an interview about how Omar Jiminez acted with “incredible composure” while being arrested. Ben Smith went on to remark that if this can happen to correspondents associated with CNN, then one can guess how much worse it might be for independent stringers and journalists, especially those who did not have anyone to back them up.

The way POTUS treats journalists during press conferences and press, statements is also an indication of how poorly journalists are viewed by the powers that be. An independent and free press has become a dream today. This is proved by the way POTUS responds to journalists who dare to ask him honest and meaningful questions. April Ryan was ordered to sit down, and POTUS remarked in one of his press statements, “She doesn’t know what the hell she is doing!” Some of POTUS’s favourite tactics to silence an inquisitive journalist include instructions to “Keep your voice down,” or even, saying to the journalist, “You ought to be ashamed of yourself!”- all this to Wejia Jiang - CBS News when she asked him questions related to the spread of COVID-19 in America.

Does this exchange of POTUS with journalists indicate the end of a free press in today’s times? Things have changed and somehow or the other the freedoms promised by democracy have become figments of imagination. Democracy has outlived its times and efficacy and like Socialism and Communism, it will soon fade away. Journalism too will fade away with Democracy, though one can’t help wonder what will come next!

A major challenge faced by Journalism today is that of providing factual, fair, sensitive, and mature news in times when it is dangerous to counter the official line of thought. In most cases today, assured success as a journalist or media person happens only when one conforms to the popular school of thought (even it means turning a blind eye to facts). India too needs to create an atmosphere for factual and fair journalism. We need to do away with reportage that thrives on the sensationalism of news. We need journalists who are bold enough to be unbiased, honest and sensitive towards the people as a whole. For that to happen we will have to create a culture of tolerance and a culture of inclusion in our people. Cut-throat journalism cannot help the country in the long run. Responsible reporting is the need of the hour.

Today we hardly have newspapers except to wrap up stuff, and there seems to be no vision except television, according to my friend, Gaurav Loyall! In a world deluged by fake news, sensationalism, so-called 'fire-brand' journalism, the common man seems to be gasping for more! With this hunger for TRP ratings, sensational news, and a morbid fascination for gore, gore and gore, the world is not any better than the people in the Roman times shouting out to the gladiator to make the final cut! The need of the day is a rational voice of reason, a calming voice that can soothe fevered, polarised minds and make them see reason in chaotic times where the future of mankind is at stake because of a Global Pandemic! People who try to whip up communal hatred are in fact feeding on the frenzy that people get into when they are shown content that is sensational. Often it can be seen that paid Journalism or even Bent Journalism is a Succubus that feeds on chaos.

The challenge before Journalism for the coming years is to provide accurate, rational, and balanced news about things happening all around us. Fake news is fake news because of the clever manner in which people spread disinformation. One cannot blame consumers of fake news for the dissemination of the same, rather we should take the sources of fake news to task. In many cases, people who spread fake news have an ulterior motive probably as they want to create chaos and dispute, or they are lobbying for a specific political entity. It is unfortunate that people who initiate fake news and sensationalism enjoy political patronage globally.

There is a greater need for professionalism in journalism today more so than ever before. The reason why there is a greater need for professional journalism is that the dissemination of the smartphone has resulted in a breed of quasi journalists who would not hesitate in sharing sensational information without even considering its impact in the long run. Professional journalism is threatened by a smartphone-wielding layman who would rather video the death of an accident victim than even deign to contact the emergency services. You have provided an amateur with a weapon of mass destruction by giving him a smartphone and unlimited connectivity so that he can share pictures, videos and sound bytes much faster than Reuters did in the early days when it used the telegram as a means of sending information to faraway places in the world. Citizen journalism and quasi journalism spreads news much faster than what would be reshared by news agencies. The rate at which misinformation is being spread is alarming indeed and it is a matter for news agencies and professional journalists to consider. 

The latest conflict between Ukraine and Russia has created a lot of challenges for authentic journalism. Reporting from ground zero has not only become difficult and dangerous not only because of the bombs and missiles raining in but also because authorities have been refusing access to sensitive areas. The recent sanctions and boycotts imposed on Russia by the West, NATO and EU countries alike have made it risky for accredited correspondents of Western news agencies to report from the Russian side. During such times of paucity of information, social media has begun to play an important role in disseminating information relating to the Ukraine-Russia conflict these days. While of course, at times it might be the only information coming out of the warzone, it might, also, be a source of disinformation or misinformation. World leaders have begun turning to Social Media sites like Facebook and Twitter to pass on their messages to people. Another interesting spinoff of the role of social media in times of conflict is the emergence of the Citizen Journalist, an ordinary person with an internet-enabled device and a decent camera posting images from ground zero on a social networking site.

Challenges before Journalism in the context of the 2022 Ukraine-Russia Conflict

The biggest challenge before journalism today is to provide information that is authentic, trustworthy and crisp. With things changing so rapidly in the world, stale news might as well be equivalent to misinformation. The proliferation of  Social Media platforms on the internet has also led to an unbridled sharing of information that is not only outdated but also taken out of context. One glaring example is that of a little girl confronting a soldier, preventing him from moving forward. The persons sharing the video claim that it was shot in Ukraine and that it depicts a Ukrainian girl confronting a Russian soldier. The truth, however, is that it was shot two years ago in an entirely different location (the Middle East) and it shows a Palestinian Girl confronting an Israeli soldier.

There is apparently a big difference between disinformation and misinformation. Disinformation is deliberate. It happens when people, journalists included, create false or misleading information to make money, create political influence, or to spread trouble or harm, or create a communal rift in the society. Misinformation, on the other hand, is not so deliberate. It happens when people share disinformation, without realizing that it is false, concocted and planted! People share such [dis]information believing that they are trying to help a community or be part of it. People share misinformation because of fear, righteous anger, because they want to protect a community, or even connect with others.

Most of the news or footage being shown on Social Media, purportedly from Ukraine might not be authentic. According to a Washington Post tweet on Twitter, 'Across social media, posts are flying up faster than most fact-checkers and moderators can handle. The newspaper has even shared a guide on how to avoid falling victim to disinformation and misinformation. But, without going through an entire checklist of what to do and what not to do, I very strongly believe that the first step toward authenticating news to check the source. Another tweet by Washington Post advises the reader to 'Slow down' and 'Assume everything is suspect until you confirm its authenticity.' Another tweet by the Washington Post suggests that one should, 'Make a collection of trusted sources.' and 'Trust the professionals, seek out context, mix information from established experts.' The last but not least suggestion by the Washington Post is to use 'fact-checking sites and tools'.

Painted Storks of Gurgaon

You must be wondering what makes Gurgaon a famous city in the National Capital Region of India, well, I would like to point out that the city is famous for the wildlife that abounds in and around the city! Surprising? Well, Gurgaon stands testimony to the impact of rapid urbanisation and development that did not take into account the famous Painted Storks, Bar-headed Geese, Ducks and other resident species. The net result is that all these wild birds try to co-exist with human beings, in the midst of an urban jungle that they seem to have readily taken over! I have, in my photographs of the famous Painted Storks of Gurgaon attempted to show them against the backdrop of the buildings that have been cropping all over the region like weeds!

I have attempted to share with you a landing sequence of a juvenile Painted Stork that has come up so beautifully. I hope you enjoy the snaps!

But then, wait, you thought Gurgaon is famous for just Painted Storks? No, apart from Painted Storks, there are many more exotic birds that frequent the city. Amongst these are the famous Red-naped Ibis, but then that is for another post.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana

Pheasant-tailed Jacanas are unique birds which have a colourful plumage during the breeding season and also a rather melodious call that is bound to be responded to by the other bird in the vicinity. Seeing them on the ground is an amazing experience, but seeing them fly is an even more satisfying one. It was a dream come true when on a visit to the Basai Wetland I was able to spot a pair of male Pheasant-tailed Jacanas flying around. The male Jacana has a long tail that seems to billow in the bird's wake while flying. It is rather like an advertisement banner being towed by an aeroplane.

Pheasant-tailed Jacanas are found over a wide range from Asia and Yemen in the west to the Philippines in the east. Incidentally,  The Pheasant-tailed Jacana migrate long distances with plumages that change according to the breeding season. Females are larger than males and are polyandrous. They lay several eggs that are raised by different males in their area.

The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is an eye-catching bird. Resplendent in its breeding plumage, the flash of gold on its nape that catches the rays of the rising sun, and the billowing tail are sights that are amazing to watch. To be able to capture these beautiful birds in flight is simply a dream come true!

As you might notice, Pheasant-tailed Jacanas have disproportionately large feet with very long toes. That is because they are waders, and can be found foraging in shallow water for molluscs, and other small Crustaceans, roots, tubers, insects and seeds. You can often see them treading on vegetation or nesting on clumps of weeds above the water level.

Unfortunately, the number of Pheasant-tailed Jacanas is dwindling fast as a result of environmental degradation. The loss of wetlands, fresh-water bodies, rivers and lakes is an indication that they will soon disappear from sight as a result of shifting to other breeding grounds. A lot of scientists who study migratory birds believe that a shift in migratory behaviour and migratory patterns of birds is a cause for concern. They believe that this shift in migratory patterns of such birds is an indication of the exacerbation of climate change and global warming, all resulting from human activity. Till then, I guess photographs such as these will bring good cheer to those who love nature. India is fast losing its wetlands, lakes and even rivers due to the need for more and more space to accommodate a growing population.

My Thoughts on the Corona Virus Pandemic

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We are today facing the consequences of our own doings. These words might bring a chill to our hearts but the facts support the statement. We have wantonly destroyed our ecosystems in our single-minded activities to achieve success, materially or monetarily! The fact is that our hunger for success without serious thought of how we are affecting nature has finally brought us closer to our nemesis.

We, humans, have destroyed our wetlands, forests and valuable ecosystems that were, in fact, acting as buffer zones that protected us from infections and diseases that have wreaked havoc on our lives. To this effect, I would like to draw attention to all the animal to human being transmitted viruses that have exposed us to pandemics that threaten to wipe us off the face of the planet. The Ebola virus, the hantavirus, the HIV virus, the SARS virus and now the Covid-19 or the Corona Virus have all been transmitted from animals to human beings. Initial reports suggest that the Corona Virus could have been transmitted from bats to human beings.

So then, the question that arises is how did this happen? The eating of the flesh of the so-called exotic animals, the greed for those special 'meats' and the eating of 'forbidden' flesh might have exacerbated the whole issue! Ultimately the whole issue boils down to our wanton destruction of wildlife in to satiate our hunger for exotic meats.

The eating of the Chimpanzee meat in some African countries, in many cases poorly cooked meat, helped the HIV virus to be transmitted from those primates on to human beings. This spread on to the entire human population in a manner that was a matter for forensic scientists to study. The desire for the 'exotic' foods at the Wuhan wet market in China could have lead to the transmission of the Covid-19 virus to human beings. While this is yet to be conclusively proved, preliminary research points out to two possibilities, the bat to human transmission of the virus from a bat to a scientist in a lab in Wuhan or a possible transmission from a wet market to human consumers. But then the same can be said about consuming fish that has been grown in unhygienic conditions in India too. The African Catfish, hardy in nature, able to survive in sewage-contaminated water has become the poor man's high protein source in India.

What this means is that today the risk of animal to human transmission has become a strong possibility, in many cases, it is an indication that we need to do a re-think of the food that we consume. Our craze for exotic animal foods including insects has exposed us to the possibility of being infected by viruses that though not really new, might, in fact, exploit compromised immune systems that have been affected by a modern lifestyle. We live in sterile environments void of contact with the natural world. We drink water that has been chemically treated, we live in a world that is 'sanitised' we eat packaged food that is chemically processed, and most important of all, we live in a world that is divorced from nature.

We human beings think we can live in silos separate from contact with nature. We destroy our wetlands (like for example the Basai Wetlands in Gurgaon) we convert green fields into parched and sterile lands to build flats, we destroy natural barriers like the Aravali mountains (Barriers that prevent the desertification of Delhi NCR) and to heap insult to our puny successes, we gloat about our successes over nature. What we have done is to compromise those natural barriers that gave us a sanctuary from deadly viruses that exist in Nature.

We are victims of our own pride! We believe that through our technological prowess we have gained success over nature. The harsh reality is that Nature is greater than we are, and we need to learn that technological success devoid of respect for nature is akin to foolishness driven by false pride. The Corona Virus Pandemic has taught us a valuable lesson indeed! Scientific and Technological advancement bereft of respect for nature is self-defeating and hollow in nature.

We have today been challenged by a virus, tiny in size, but potent in intent. All our technological prowess, our scientific advancement has ground to a halt, blocked by the progress of a tiny virus that threatens our very existence. It all reminds me of the biblical story of the puny Goliath defeating a giant. In the present case, it is all about a role reversal where we are the giant being defeated by a puny 'Goliath'!

Today we are facing the consequences of our actions of destroying nature. Nature sent us numerous warnings to beware of our actions, but because of our pride, (driven by our success in technology)  we have ignored the signals. We build sky-scrapers over lands that once supported a rich ecosystem, we have drained out our wetlands, stopped the course of rivers, streams and floodwater channels, we have encroached on lands that were once rich forests, we have challenged nature, the rightful owner of the planet and we believe we can go Scot-free!

When I visited the Basai Wetland recently, I was distressed by the environmental degradation that is taking place there. First, they introduced the deadly African catfish. The African catfish destroyed the native species of fish that existed in the wetland. Now they have started draining out the remaining water from the wetland in to build flats. The water birds and other species of birds will soon have nowhere to go. The consequences of these actions will be evident in times to come. However, who cares as long as money is to be made! It is this rather narrow commercial mindedness devoid of the long term implications that us exposing us to great risks to live and wellbeing in times to come. Government organisations turn a blind eye towards what is in effect a deliberate and wilful rape of nature, wanton destruction of valuable ecosystems that support nature.
The introduction of the African Catfish in the ponds of the Basai Wetland in Gurgaon first decimated the local fish species. They were introduced because of their hardy nature and the fact that they grow in numbers very quickly. It was out of a sheer commercial sense that these fish were introduced. Now, what has happened is that some of the water of the Basai wetland is so polluted and contaminated by sewage that even thinking of consuming these Catfish poses a serious health hazard. The African Catfish or Mangoor in Hindi is however highly sought after by those who can't afford the more expensive fish varieties. It won't be long before we learn of a Wuhan Wet Market kind of an incident taking place in Gurgaon as a result of the transmission of some deadly virus from these Catfish on to human beings. If you look at the picture below, I am sure that you will be shocked by what you see! African Catfish thrive in sewage, and yet people cultivate them in such unhygienic conditions in order to make money by selling them to unsuspecting victims who probably are not even aware of the possibility of these fish being contaminated by harmful pathogens! The authorities turn a blind eye towards the cultivation of the banned African Catfish, palms are greased and we are waiting for a home-grown epidemic to strike us!

Nature is taking its revenge for our treatment of it in today's times. We have destroyed our natural buffer zones. We have destroyed our breathing spaces. We have destroyed our natural groundwater recharging zones, we are breathing deadly pollution because we have destroyed nature's natural lungs, forests that filtered polluted air to give us clean air. We have polluted our freshwater resources and drink sterilised water, thus destroying our innate ability to resist the onslaught of viruses and the effects of pollution and yet we call foul when we are forced to be in lockdown even as nature exults in its newfound freedom! Is the Corona Virus Pandemic a wake up call for us today to get our act together? I guess some people will continue being as they were, indifferent and insensitive towards the impact their greed is having on nature while the others will complain but do nothing conclusive. But then, is it not a human tendency to crib and complain about things?

The Last of the Water Birds at the Basai Wetland Today

A Pond Heron dives into the water for fish

Just today when I visited the Basai Wetland in Gurgaon after all those days of lockdown, I was both pleasantly surprised and saddened by the state of the wetland. What pleased me was that I could see cormorants fishing in the few remaining pools, and there were spot-billed ducks along with what will probably be the last of the Pheasant-tailed Jacanas gliding in the air against the backdrop of buildings that are coming up along the Dwarka Expressway

A Pheasant-tailed Jacana glides across

As expected, the narrow path leading to the water was covered with debris (People not wanting unwanted guests), water was being pumped out from one pool into the other, leaving the fish gasping for dear life, and yes the ubiquitous lines tied to poles to prevent birds from diving in to catch fish were all there, glistening in the early morning light. Sometime back there was a huge furore about these lines that cause birds to get entangled in them to die a painful death. But then who cares about birds when there is easy money to be made from selling what was once a thriving wetland to real estate agents!

A Purple Swamphen (one of the remaining few) looks at me with curiosity

A Bee-eater looks at me even as I take a snap.

A White-throated Kingfisher stays put even as I step towards it.

A Little Grebe swims on, unconcerned!

A pair of Little Grebes swim on

The Pond Heron takes to the sky

I was, however able to take a few good snaps of the birds that still inhabit what remains of a wetland. The Jacanas were calling out to each other in their typical mewing sound while the Bitterns waiting unmoving in the weeds watched the clouds drift by.

  A Pheasant-tailed Jacana flies past

It was most encouraging to see quite a few species of birds, moving around in the remaining pools of water, probably savouring their final days in a wetland that will soon sprout tall building that will house cubicles, tenements, office blocks and penthouses, all on land that was once home to numerous species of fish, birds and small animals. It was a poignant moment to see a lone kingfisher glide over a sun-burned patch of land, once underwater, all the result of water being drained out in preparation for the ground-breaking ceremony prior to the commencement of construction of building shells.

A Kingfisher glides over a dried-up patch of ground that was once covered with water. 

However, in spite of all the sadness associated with the desecration of a wetland teeming with life, it will always be our memories that will sustain us through difficult times. The memories of the Daffodils sustained William Wordsworth through moments of pensiveness, and for many of us, the photographs of the birds of the Basai Wetland will bring a smile of joy on our faces.

A Pond Heron takes off after an unsuccessful attempt in catching a fish.

A Spot-billed duck swims in the company of little Grebes

And in the midst of all this, one might find the lines strung on poles, waiting to entangle hapless birds that try to dive into the remaining water in search of fish, or for that effect a couple of Catfish, yes the invasive African Catfish struggling for survival even as the tractor pump sucks out the remaining water so that buildings can be erected.

Lines strung across poles are supposed to prevent birds from diving into the water.

If you look closely at the above photograph, then you might be able to see the strings or lines attached to the bamboo poles. The strings prevent birds from diving into the water from above, often entangling them so that they starve and die a dreadful death.

A Baya-Weaver bird hides in the middle of a few remaining stalks of weed

The Baya Weaver birds have learned to adapt to their circumstances. In the absence of enough vegetation to build and weave their nests, they have taken to scrounging for valuable fibre in dung left by buffaloes. There was a particular Weaver that waited for me to pass by before attacking a mound of dung for fibre. Now, I am not sure whether this is normal with Baya Weaver Birds, but then, I guess this must be normal!

A Baya Weaver Bird waits form me to pass by.

A Baya Weaver Bird grabs a clump of half-digested fibre

A Baya Weaver Bird gets ready to carry away a clump of fibre from a dung heap.

Using a Prime Lens for Macro Photography

You probably thought that prime lenses in the range of 40-50 mm are only good for portraits and landscapes! I have, in my kitty of lenses a prime lens that proves this is not entirely true! The Canon EF 40 mm f-2.8 STM Pancake Prime lens proves to be as good in Macro photography as it is in Landscape or even portrait photography. It was on a whim that I thought of trying it on some bees that were flying around in my garden and I came out like, 'This can't be true!' The photographs came out crisp, sharp and the depth of field was even better than that of my 55-250 mm EFS lens!

To top it all, I didn't shoot in RAW and then convert them into JPEGs, rather I shot in JPEGs and only tweaked the sharpness and cropped the photographs using the Canon Proprietary DPP software. I was not sure if it would be worthwhile shooting in RAW as it was only on a whim that I wanted to try the 40mm Primes lens.

It is clear that one can definitely bend rules of photography with the Canon 40mm f-2.8 STM lens, though the only drawback would be getting too close to the bees. For those who are squeamish about Bees, this might be an issue, however, trust me, they won't even sting you as long as you don't seem to be threatening them! A few of the bees brushed across me, some even sort of, you know, landed on my arms, but then I kept still and continued photographing them.

Surely you will agree that this little lens does pack quite a punch in it when it comes to Macro-photography. Its compact form factor also ensures that you don't have too long of a barrel sticking out of the camera body. Its lightness compactness and robustness will ensure that the Canon 40 mm STM Pancake lens will serve you long and well! I had literally put it away for quite some time not realising that it was quite a match for other lenses when it came to Macro-photography.

I wouldn't mince words when I state that I simply admire the Canon Pancake 40 mm STM lens for the very fact that it is a spunky little champ that does quite well as a macro, portrait and probably landscape lens. I have yet to try this lens for street photography, however, with lockdown going on, I guess that would be for another time.

You might be wondering about the settings I used for the bees, well, to be honest, I used the built-in flash as a fill-in flash, a shutter speed of 1/200, and ISO settings of 100 and an f-stop setting ranging from 7.1 to 8 and 9.

Photographing Bees in Flight

There's something so satisfying about photographing bees in flight, standing so close to them and yet not being stung. Looking at them toil, pick up honey and then flying away in a specific direction only to return after some time. There are the smaller bees and the larger more brightly coloured bees. However, one does spend a lot of time photographing bees, since they never seem to hover for any particular time at one place. This is a collection of photographs that I took of flying bees over a period of a few days. I did use the inbuilt flash to somehow bring out a crispness to the snaps.

I've tried very hard to get a few of their photographs to face on, but then, it was so difficult to guess when they'd emerge out the flowers and when they did, they just flew away without giving me a chance to press the button.

The best I could were the shots from the side and others from the top. Somehow, the best shots were when the bees were hovering before the flowers.

But then there were others too that came out somehow OK! I guess it was because of the fact that the rays of the sun fell in a particular direction. One of the most important factors determining good photographs that have an acceptable amount of detail is the direction of the light! Of course, there were bees chasing each other, taking turns somehow to get into the flowers and carry off the nectar.

However, the others went sola and grabbed the stuff, not waiting for the others. These were the 'Solitary Reapers'!

And while the bees worked hard to gather the nectar, I stood watching them toil, all with a purpose so great that one would wonder that if bees worked so hard, then how do we compare to them!

And while the bees kept gathering their food, I kept a watch over them. Time well spent, I guess, during times of lockdown. 

Now you must be wondering about the settings, well I used a fill-in flash,  an ISO setting of 800, an aperture setting of 8 (f-8) and a shutter speed of 1/200. 

Sometimes however you might bend the rules and play with light to create backlighted or highlighted photographs such as the two of the photographs posted above. The idea was to create a surreal image of the bees.

The best of the bee photographs came with a higher f-stop setting of 9. This narrower aperture provided for a sharper image of an otherwise fast-moving bee. Hope the viewer likes these snaps.