His first Toehold-Photo-Tour was Kabini-Bandipur. Since then he has never looked back at traveling on his own or turned his back on Photo Tours.
“There is so much more to travelling with a bunch of like-minded people than driving an air-conditioned car,” begins Mr Ramsay while sharing his experiences on Toehold Tours, “because it works as an eye-opener to all the wonderful experiences that the very journey can afford to give us.”
Mr Ramsay belongs to a family that has been into filmmaking since 1962. He recalls that he has been behind the camera and nurtured a fervent fondness for ways of using different types of lenses and photography direction for as long as he can remember.
At the time Mr Ramsay decided to venture out and discover more about wildlife through his ever-growing passion, he wasn’t really aware of companies that could help him with his new-found interest. But when he first learned about Toehold and all that the company does, he was rather excited to know that he’d be able to use a camera properly before buying an updated model, because he wanted to move on only after putting the existing camera equipment to good use.
He dotingly summons up old memories and says, “I was always fascinated by the programmes featured by TV channels like National Geographic. So when I first went on the Tanzania Photo Tour, I was spellbound by the rich wildlife that Africa is home to. Not only was I living my childhood dreams but also I could make some brilliant photos that still stand as witnesses to the spectacular sightings we enjoyed on the Tour.”
Mr Ramsay makes another interesting remark about our Photo Tours – “At the end of the day, it isn’t just about photographing the world around us. It is also about good company and the enjoyable moments we share with people who have similar passions. I have had long-term friendships with many of my fellow Tour participants. I have befriended people from different walks of life and have exchanged so much knowledge and information about various things of interest.”
Talking about his favourite genre of photography, Mr Ramsay confesses, with an incredible honesty, that he hasn’t really figured it out, because he loves what each genre has to offer to him. He loves capturing wildlife in timeless frames, but he equally devotes his attention to landscapes. And the filmmaking background has led him to get acquainted with the world of fashion photography.
He also mentions how much he adores the avian world in all its myriad colours, and doesn’t forget to talk about the plethora of photo opportunities that street life provides. He also asserts that to kindle his interest in architecture photography, he is going on the Hampi Photo Tour later this month.
“Photography is capturing an extraordinary moment in life to save, share and revisit!”
Mr Ramsay’s humble recollections continue and he explains how, he earlier worried too much about just reaching a place he wanted to see, and how he has seen a self-transformation as a traveller over the years.
In his own words: “I am probably a more confident traveller than I was a few years ago. I have also come to consider and contemplate the overwhelming beauty of certain places. And my admiration for wildlife is only increasing by the day. These travel experiences have become necessary to break away from the city life time and again. Also, there is something intangibly beautiful about meeting new people and adapting to a culture and lifestyle of a different place, however brief that experience might be.”
“There is something intangibly beautiful about meeting new people.”
In conclusion, Mr Ramsay emphasises the significance of realising and rediscovering one’s own self as a vital travel experience. He states, “I wasn’t aware of the abundance of natural life in India until I started going on Toehold Photo Tours. I want to live every moment to the fullest, both as a traveller and a photographer.”
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Lovely gallery that bears out Chander’s love for photography, without being genre-specific. An all-round talent is rare and Chander certainly has throws himself fully into every genre. That is rare. Having shared a vehicle with Chander on our Tanzania tour this March, I would have to add that he is great fun to be around.