Nepal is home to more than 880 recorded bird species, from Himalayan vultures to migrating shorebirds in the Terai wetlands. Some of the best photos of them on Image Pasal come from three Nepali bird and wildlife photographers who keep returning to the field, season after season. Here’s a look at their work, and what aspiring bird photographers can learn from it.
Krishna Prajapati: Rare Visitors Close to Home
Krishna Prajapati has around 150 photos on Image Pasal, most of them birds. His standout series documents a Naumann’s Thrush at the Manohara River wetlands, which his photo titles describe as the first record of the species in the Kathmandu Valley. It’s a reminder that remarkable bird photography doesn’t always need a long trek: river edges and wetlands inside the valley can surprise you.
Lesson: visit the same local patch often. Regular visits are how unusual birds get noticed and documented.
Sanjay Tha Shrestha: Shorebirds, Owls and the Terai
Sanjay Tha Shrestha has more than 100 photos on the site, with a wide range of species: Pacific golden plover, whimbrel, black-winged stilt, sanderling, citrine wagtail, bluethroat, barn owl and many more. His portfolio also includes mammals from Chitwan and Bardiya, such as blackbuck, fishing cat and spotted deer.
Lesson: label your photos with the correct species name. Clear titles like “citrine wagtail” or “greater painted snipe” make it easy for researchers, publishers and buyers to find exactly what they need.
Ganga Raj Sunuwar: Waterfowl, Vultures and Wild Places
Ganga Raj Sunuwar has around 170 photos on Image Pasal, spanning birds, wildlife and landscapes. His bird work includes winter waterfowl such as Baikal teal, Eurasian wigeon, northern pintail, ferruginous duck and ruddy shelduck, and threatened raptors such as the red-headed vulture, Himalayan griffon and bearded vulture. Many of his titles include the Nepali name, such as सुन गिद्द and चखेवा, which helps local readers and students.
Lesson: photograph the species that need attention. Images of vultures and other threatened birds are valuable for conservation groups, educators and the media.
Tips From Their Work for New Bird Photographers
- Go early. Birds are most active in the first hours after sunrise, and the light is softer.
- Use a fast shutter. 1/1000 s or faster for perched birds, 1/2000 s or faster for birds in flight. See the exposure triangle explained.
- Focus on the eye. A sharp eye makes the photo.
- Get low and keep your distance. Shoot at the bird’s eye level and never disturb nests or roosts.
- Know the seasons. Winter brings migratory ducks and waders to Koshi Tappu, Chitwan, Taudaha and other wetlands; spring brings breeding colours.
- Name the species correctly, in English and, if you can, in Nepali.
See More Wildlife Photography
Browse the full Wildlife and Animal Images of Nepal collection, or read our guide to wildlife photography in Nepal.
Are you a bird or wildlife photographer? Join Image Pasal, upload your work, and you could be featured in our next photographer spotlight.
