Some of my favourite pieces...
Interesting essays from the past...
Hey friends,
Greetings from NCR, India!
On August 1st, 2024, I nearly lost my life. I was camping/trekking deep in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh when the state was hit by devastating cloudbursts (cloudbursts explained). One such cloudburst occurred over our campsite at 12,500 ft at midnight.
We needed to evacuate in the dark, and then make our way through quicksand, a storm, and a 10 km descent along a slippery boulder path to get to safety. It was the most intense day of my life, and the event is still only just sinking in. Nevertheless, I’m back down from the mountains, and I’m safe. I will take some time off, and maybe I’ll write a detailed account of the evacuation soon.
Meanwhile, for this week, enjoy a compilation of other essays that I’ve written in the past.
I am writing a book!
My memoir, “The Light of Wilder Things”, is coming out soon. This post was my announcement.
Why travel?
Travel is fundamental to who I am, and this is why…
Does gear matter in photography?
The age old debate in this craft…
I waited 6 years for this shot.
The title says it all…
Postcard
The mountains is not a safe place to go when it’s raining…
Favourite Quote
“The indomitable human spirit is what helps us to go on even when it seems hopeless.”- Jane Goodall, The Book of Hope
Have a creative, wild and inspiring week!
If you’re new, welcome to The Owlet! My name is Ishan Shanavas, and I am an Artist, Photographer, Writer and Student of the Natural World.
Here I talk about my work, along with curating the most interesting ideas on the internet. I confine them to topics like Nature, Culture, Photography, and Art but often fall prey to other genres.
I would greatly appreciate it if you shared my newsletter and work with your friends. It really helps me out :)
Extreme weather is no joke, glad you made it out okay. I can imagine it was pretty damn terrifying at the time. Some of what you write with these animal encounters is wild enough, much less outrunning a deluge. Crazy experiences do make for powerful stories though, for what that’s worth.
Ishan, so glad you are safe! From what you wrote it sounded super intense. And, it would probably make for a GREAT story. Emotional, harrowing, and with a happy ending. When you do write it, 😊 I look forward to reading it!