Picture by Cesar Angeles
I’m Amresh Vaidya — an amateur wildlife photographer who wakes up at 3 a.m. by choice, not by accident. Sunrise missions have become my version of meditation, even if they occasionally involve sprinting through trails half‑awake or negotiating with mosquitoes that think I’m the breakfast buffet.
A lot of my wildlife photography happens from behind bushes, usually the ones coated in poison ivy. I’ve accepted that itchy legs and ticks are part of the job description. Sometimes, My ebike is my loyal companion on these adventures, helping me cover miles of trails in a single day and giving me the freedom to chase light, shadows, and the occasional confused deer.
Recently, I’ve fallen in love with kayaking — drifting across calm water where the world slows down and nature feels suspended in a quiet, almost magical state. There’s something special about watching wildlife from the water: no noise, no rush, just the soft sound of the paddle and whatever creature decides to show up.
For the last few years, I’ve also been exploring the world from above through drone photography. It’s given me access to views I never imagined — sweeping coastlines, hidden marshes, dramatic skies, and landscapes that look completely different when seen from the air. Between the drone, the kayak, and my boots on the ground, I’ve pretty much got photography covered across land, water, and air. Space is next… I just need NASA to return my calls.
I’m originally from India and now live in the US, but my heart is usually somewhere outdoors — on a trail, in a forest, or floating on a lake. I’m a conservationist and lifelong nature lover, so it’s no surprise that my photography revolves around the wild world around us. Whether I’m shooting headshots, wildlife, or landscapes, I’m happiest when I’m connecting with people or nature — preferably both.
Photography is my passion, my hobby, and my way of staying grounded in a world that moves too fast. Sometimes I take on commercial work to fund my gear addiction, but the real joy comes from the moments in between: the quiet sunrise, the unexpected animal encounter, the perfect reflection on still water, or the drone shot that makes me feel like I’m seeing the planet for the first time.