Nikita Shrestha Shakya: Nepal’s very own female Wildlife Photographer

26-year-old Nikita Shrestha Shakya is a professional newborn and wildlife photographer pursuing a Master’s Degree in Psychology. For her, photography was the best way of conveying her love towards little children, puppies and the beauty of nature.

Shakya says, “I always loved capturing the innocent character in children, especially their expressions, those are always priceless.” “During my high school days, I anxiously looked forward to assignments from our photojournalism classes”, adding further.

She always dreamt of how wonderful it would be to become a professional photographer. Then she joined photography communities on Facebook and got a chance to meet many photo enthusiasts.

In 2014, Shakya happened to land in a group called “Photowalk Nepal”, where she got the opportunity to learn more about photography and enrolled in professional photography training and workshops. “I am still an active member of this group”, she adds.

The same year, one of her friends introduced her to a client, and she got her first paid photography assignment. She was thrilled as this was her first step towards fulfilling her dream.

Talking about Shakya’s triumphs, she was awarded as the Top 10 Winner in WCN (Wildlife Conservation Nepal) 8th Annual Nature and Wildlife Photography Competition 2016, and Won first prize in the photography competition: “Machan Bata Herda” organized by 49 hours studio, Machan Wildlife Resort, Photo Walk Nepal and Sastodeal.

“Photography was not a profession that my family had envisioned for me. But when they saw me financially independent they were happy for me”, she says. “However, I am lucky to have very supportive mentors, and friends who show off my portfolios and achievements to their families, relatives, and friends”, adds further.

Creating portraits lets her connect with people and she also encourages her clients to have fun during the shoot and help them to bring out the best in themselves.

According to Shakya, wildlife photography is an entirely different world, far from the chaotic urban life. It’s a therapy that she deeply enjoys. Being in the jungle amidst nature’s wonders, witnessing the beauty of birds and wildlife, capturing fleeting moments of the creatures in their natural environment is greatly adventurous and an amazing experience.

“I admire the portraits by Tanha and Emily who are professional newborn photographers of Australia'', she says. “Vibrant photos of wildlife with crisp details by Om Yadav, macro photos of nature by Aishu Mathema of Nepal and Varun Aditya’s photos of wildlife, based in India”, she added.

Speaking about her inspiration, she explains, it’s a good idea to follow some good photographers, you’ll learn a good deal. Nonetheless, it’s very important to develop your sense of style which also shows your creativity.

Also, there are times when you just don’t get the shot you targeted and at that time, you have to have patience and should do your research. From knowing your camera and its features to gathering as much information and as possible about your subject and knowledge of post-processing while taking pictures will surely pay off.

She says, “Honestly, female photographers are underestimated very often. Our society lacks the culture of women supporting each other.” “You’re a woman. Why would you want to be a photographer?” “Did you really take this photo?” These are some comments Shakya still has to deal with.

Besides all these comments, she is grateful that she has people around her who genuinely appreciate and support her work and also prefer to focus on the brighter side. “In the future, I want to be a child and adolescent psychologist. Photography wise I am sure this is going to help me connect better with my subjects; newborns and children”, she explains.

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