From a wide-eyed boy eagerly waiting for another episode of the wild from TV channels like National Geographic and Discovery, to an expert photographer framing the lush green world of animals with his lens, Suryoday Singh Mann has indeed come a long way.
Some dreams are too big to give up, perhaps this is why this engineer-turned-filmmaker went ahead to follow them, despite all uncertainties. Today, we get an opportunity to delve into his inspiring journey, and understand the passion, commitment, and challenges that come with his role as the Team Lead -Documentation & Filmmaking, Wildlife SOS.
- What inspired you to pursue wildlife photography and filmmaking?
Filmmaking is more than just my passion, it’s my life’s calling. Working with wildlife, on the other hand, is an exciting ordeal as it keeps me on my toes — be it the excitement, challenge or the sense of fulfillment I get.
No corporate life or salary could compete with the thrill I feel whenever I lock eyes with a wild animal. No amount of preparation made me ready for the surprises of the new species I encountered, the rescues I documented, the fascination over their behaviour — it is something that I knew would never bore me. Wildlife photography is also dear to me because it was also a childhood dream of mine to work in this domain.
- What’s a typical day at work for you, and what makes working with Wildlife SOS special?
There are quite a few variations of a typical day at work within the AV (audio-visual) team. Some days consist of edits, revamps, shoots, ideating for projects, some more edits and a lot of going back-and-forth within our team to get the best results. Then some days this typical routine takes a turn and turns into something more.
For example, one day, we might receive an urgent call about a rescue mission in a different city. Quite often, I join the team, but there are also occasions when I can’t because I’m either leading a shoot or have responsibilities I can’t abandon, while the rescue effort is happening at another location. Those moments always pull me in two directions, knowing that I can’t be present for something that means so much to me. No matter how overwhelming the stress may seem, the very act of rescuing has an incredible healing that can wash away all of the stress.
- Amongst the various shoots you’ve directed and led, which one stands out to you the most?
It’s quite a difficult question to answer as there are so many projects that hold significance to me and honestly My Sweet Paro holds a very special place in my heart. But snake seizures also stands out as it became a turning point in my life. In the beginning I knew and sympathised with the plight of animals that were being mistreated. But it was during this very project, during the holy season of Shravan, that I truly empathised with the poor beings (snakes).
For the first time, I was truly privy to the world around us, and I knew I wanted to make it a better place with whatever I could do. Additionally, among several other projects was the Himalayan brown bear project that was remarkable for me because spotting a brown bear is extremely difficult.
- Would there be any moment at the field that you’ve captured that may seem ordinary, but has quite an interesting story behind it?
Well, for people like us, there’s always a story behind every picture. For example, in the Christmas shoot that took place, everyone eventually would see red and green boxes with golden ties and Santa’s little helpers with red hats. But what we witnessed was the caregiver’s laughter while putting on a fake beard to surprise the rescued elephants.
Nobody could resist laughing out loud around the brightly dressed caregivers. In one instance, a hungry teammate grabbed some popcorn made for animal treats, and all of us chased him away from the Christmas decor we were patiently creating!
- As a photographer and filmmaker, have you found a muse working at Wildlife SOS? Who’s the most photogenic and/or your favourite friend you’ve worked with at our centre?
In Wildlife SOS, since we often rescue animals—I get this golden opportunity to document and photograph their journey closely for which I’m very grateful.
The ones that have been my inspiration are elephants Suzy and Ginger for the peace and wisdom they would radiate while standing as calm as a tree. Among the photogenic kings at the elephant centres, I feel Sanjay is very handsome, while Suraj is the most majestic and colossal pachyderm. Bani is absolutely adorable, and I love taking pictures of her tiny feet as they are very pretty.
- Nature is anything but predictable, so what kind of challenges do you face while you’re working? How do you manoeuvre them?
There are no scripts while navigating through the wilderness, it is challenging and we constantly steer through uncharted territory. The suspense is exhilarating, but again documenting everything is hard because we get no second chances. We have to be prepared for all the scenarios.
In these situations, time is of the essence. As a team lead, not only do I have to make sure to collect as much information as we can get access to, but I have to be quick on my feet to formulate a plan, tackle any surprises that may come our way and also be ready to regroup and rethink the entire order.
Since social media has also made its presence known on how effective it can be, we have some team members shooting for that. Some people manage the audio part, some shoot videos. Some do both. Like I said, unlike other tasks, we don’t get the opportunity to re-do. So, we decide and delegate. And I think this ensures that we have all possible material we need for a particular shoot.
- The film My sweet Paro is receiving critical acclaim from all across the world. Would you like to walk us through the journey?
Since joining Wildlife SOS four years ago and witnessing how this organisation has helped the lives of numerous people and animals, I had some ideas in mind. After years of abuse and mistreatment from humans, we saw all our rescued animals heal from their trauma and learn how to be themselves in a world which had a safe place for them. I saw the love, the patience, the bond that the caregivers had for these gentle giants. With that thought in mind, I wanted to honour that bond between the caregivers and these gentle souls.
My Sweet Paro is an ode to their incredible journey, and it remains the greatest achievement as well as the biggest project I’ve ever worked on since joining the organisation.
Suzy, who unfortunately passed away, was more than just another beloved animal here. She was our inspiration, she was gentle and wise, yet like a pillar to the younger pachyderms. She was family, our dear Paro.
Her caretaker Baburam ji loved her and cared for her like his family. I saw this incredible transformation in the man as he, someone who grew up taming elephants, unlearned everything at Wildlife SOS to become this gentle man who loved Suzy like his own. That opportunity to change and choose a different path that Wildlife SOS offered is what made a difference in both of their lives.
Our lives were also transformed equally, and it gave us immense pleasure to shoot this film. Seeing people love it, as much as we loved making it, gives me joy like no other. As long as my movies allow people to be more aware of the atrocities faced by these innocent beings, as long as they are willing to change — that alone is worth all my labour.
- What projects is Wildlife SOS’s AV team currently working on?
After the success of My Sweet Paro, our team now has the confidence to shoot short feature films. There are so many exciting projects I myself want to take up, but I won’t spill the beans just yet — wait and watch this space for more!
- What piece of advice would you like to share with up-and-coming wildlife photographers who are inspired by your work?
Well, my biggest advice is to have a passion for the field. Unless you take time to know your subject, you won’t be able to capture the true beauty of nature. You need to know animal behaviour to know why they behave in a certain way, when they will move, to get the shot you desire. If you want to share with the world a part of their life, you will have to understand the language they speak.
See, we all know how expensive the equipment is. A good camera would cost you a good chunk and just the lenses are going to cost you just as much as the camera. Which is why it’s always ideal to rent the equipment and go out and explore.
Volunteer in NGOs on weekends if your weekdays are packed. If not, then visit zoos or take safaris. What I’m saying is that, test the waters. Take pictures and share them with your friends and family, and if you have photographers you highly admire, follow their work and try to recreate them.
- Do you have any photographers who you consider to be your role models who inspire your work?
Well, I believe that everyone in this field needs to have an idol. It’s very important to look at other people’s work and learn from them. To recreate their shots, to try things with your own twist – that’s how you improve. I am inspired by the work of photographers and filmmakers like Ami Vitale, Kalyan Varma, Mithun Hunugund and Prasenjeet Yadav.
- What kind of equipment do you use for shoots?
The equipment we have at Wildlife SOS is pretty great and our higher management is always very willing to provide us with the best. We use the Sony A7-IV for all our shoots, we all have our personal systems, hard drives etc. However, since I am more comfortable and handsy with my own camera, I use that: it’s a Nikon Z6 series mirrorless camera.
- Are there any documentaries on nature and wildlife that you highly recommend for us to watch?
Documentary shows Our Universe and Night on Earth are my favourites, and I would also recommend watching the film Our Planet – Behind the Scenes. All three are available to stream on Netflix.
- Apart from photography and filmmaking, what kind of activities do you enjoy in your off time?
I have an immense fondness for motorbike riding and road trips whenever I get the opportunity to do so. I am also a part of the PathFinders community of India, which allows me to go on a trip once every year. So far, we’ve taken road trips to quite a few places in northern India.
I enjoy the thrill and the stunning scenery of my surroundings while riding, which is incomparable to any other mode of transportation. Along our way, we would also donate stationeries, books, looms, solar heater/generators, sewing machines and much more to those in cities and schools. This is one of my favourite hobbies and also my way of giving back to the community.
- Could you name a few places where you’ve visited or are planning to visit in the future?
Manali, Dachigam and Srinagar are very beautiful destinations. I would also recommend everyone to visit Hanle as it has the highest observatory in India and the lake Tso Moriri, both of which are in Ladakh and are absolutely enchanting. If the opportunity provides itself, I’d love to visit the Okavango Delta in Botswana located in South Africa. I’m also eagerly waiting for the Delhi-Mumbai highway to be completed so I can take more road trips!
Some of the stunning pictures Suryoday has taken can be seen below!
Ready to make a difference? Explore opportunities to volunteer, donate, or learn more about ongoing conservation efforts by visiting Wildlife SOS. Together, we can create a lasting impact and keep the magic of nature alive!
