Aurora photographer's image shows respect for wildlife
A respect for wildlife and wildlife habitat shines through Saral Gupta's portrait of a bear locking eyes with human visitors as the bear prepares to consume a fish dinner.
"His eyes are speaking as to say, 'This is my kingdom, I am the boss here.' This is how the wildlife should be left," said the Aurora photographer, the July winner of the Daily Herald's Photo Finish contest.
"It's not easy capturing close-ups of wildlife. I like the way the photo is cropped with the salmon in the background," said Daily Herald DuPage Photo Director Bev Horne.
Gupta will receive a $50 gift certificate for PJ's Camera in Glen Ellyn in recognition of his winning contest entry.
The photo was taken in 2014 while vacationing in Seward, Alaska, about 125 miles south of Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula.
"It's a passion for me. I love traveling. I love to be in the open wilds," Gupta said.
The subject of his photo was in a wildlife refuge, fenced off from visitors, but allowing a close look.
"I was probably 20 feet (away). I was not in danger. This was like a viewing area," he said.
The trip was in July, so the daytime high temperatures were probably in the 50s, he said, with no ice or snow on the ground.
"It was pretty pleasant," he said.
He took the shot in midafternoon, after a brief rain, using a 50-250 mm lens on his Canon DSLR camera.
"It was not too bright. They have rains there about every day," he said.
He said he got started in photography with a video recorder and later moved into still photography.
Gupta said that when he travels, he likes to photograph both natural sights and man-made historical and cultural icons.
"I take a lot of pictures of nature and architecture. I like to take pictures of nature and pictures of things that have cultural significance," he said.
He and his wife have toured Europe, visiting France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy.
A project manager for a software company, Gupta moved to the United States in 2007 from his home in the Kashmir region of India, where mountainous vistas are common. Growing up in this environment gave him his initial appreciation for nature's beauty, he said.
Gupta said he decided to submit the bear photo to the Photo Finish contest because it stirs memories and evokes a strong emotional response.
"You just have to be in that moment," he said. "Just picture yourself in wide open sky. There's a stream running close to you. When you look at the eye of the bear, it speaks something to you."
About our contest
If you'd like to submit a photo, email it in .jpg format with at least 300 dpi resolution to dupagecontest@dailyherald.com. Be sure to include your name, address and a phone number, plus a description of where you took the photo and why you like it. The monthly winner will receive a $50 gift certificate from PJ's Camera, Pickwick Place Plaza, 662 Roosevelt Road, Glen Ellyn.