Alvis Lazarus’s Instagram page is a picturesque portrayal of wildlife, keeping every onlooker glued to its beauty. Alvis is a true example of ‘passion never dies’ and his passion has made him the winner of ‘NatGeo BBC Awards’! After settling a career as the Director of Hesol, Alvis took off to explore his passion for wildlife photography, and his story is studded with study, dedication, and love for his profession!
Camera + Wildlife = Alvis’s Dream!
Alvis began his career as an engineer highlighting that during his time there were just two fields: medical and engineering. Since childhood, he admired the camera and wildlife but little did he know that these two could be merged as a career. He settled his company and began his professional photography journey in 2010.
Alvis’s wildlife photography career is backed with a strong study of the industry. He notes “It took me four years to study the industry as there was no information or course readily available but I wanted to ensure that I have full knowledge to master it.”
The specialty of his photography series on Instagram is the perfect capture of emotions of an animal from the angry expression of tigers to the irritated look on a bird’s face. These photographs look realistic even after applying black and white or other filter effects! Alvis clubs these photographs with impactful quotes about his passion for wildlife.
Alvis partnered with Panthera contributing to conservation and actively speaks to aspiring wildlife photographers to guide them and give them advice via his Facebook network. He also has a YouTube channel where he runs a course on wildlife photography. His message to aspiring wildlife photographers is “There are many myths related to wildlife photography. Nature and Wildlife are the future as corporates are giving importance to conservation and wildlife is automatically becoming a hot topic. Wildlife has a plethora of opportunities from being a naturalist to capturing wildlife moments in a frame. Therefore, research and study the profession in-depth before making a decision.”He further adds “For young students who plan to pursue wildlife photography, I recommend beginning by leasing a camera and trying it in field before investing in a DSLR.I have myself got my first DSLR in 2015 after studying all the aspects of wildlife photography.”
Giving His Passion for Wildlife Photography the Front Seat!
Alvis is extremely grateful that his wife is fond of wildlife and travels with him along with his 2-year-old son who is also crazy behind wildlife and is fascinated with the camera. Alvis believes that the study of wildlife is just 20% theory and 80% on the field learning. The maximum time he has spent in a jungle is 10 days and recommends a visit of at least 4 days to capture the best shots. He says “Patience is the key. You obviously can’t tell the tiger to pose and have to wait for the perfect shot! There will be days when you don’t spot a tiger at all and all you have to do is wait. Additionally, wildlife has a lot of ground rules which the naturalist briefs you about. Some of them include: not keeping your feet on the ground, refraining from stepping out of the Safari, freezing in a statue position if an animal gets angry, etc.”
For aspiring wildlife professionals, he suggests studying sources like Nat Geo and BBC Wildlife.
Alvis’s power-packed wildlife career will motivate not only aspiring photographers but also all enthusiastic beings in their 30s and 40s. He says “now is the right time! While you must have spent your early adulthood in building a career, now is the time to pursue your passion. Build your dreams, create memories to treasure for your old age when you will look back and be thankful for living your life to the fullest.”
