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The forests in the foothills and the floodplains of the Himalayas are some of the best places to explore India's pristine wildlife. The unique habitat and its relationship with the denizens have the power to weave some really amazing visual stories of the wilderness. 
It was November 2016, and I was out exploring the magnificent terai forest of Dudhwa National Park, in northern India. This place is popular for its Tigers, Elephants, Rhinos, Barasinghas (Swamp Deer) and many more endangered species of wildlife along with a plethora of birds and other fauna. Morning safaris during this time of the year are usually very cold due to the onset of winter. This was one such morning, there was a thick blanket of mist all around the woods and the air was bone-chilling! All these along with soft and subtle light made every corner of the forest look very mystical and mysterious. I was on my way to a watchtower and was passing through a road that was surrounded by tall trees and dense undergrowth, it almost seemed like a tunnel leading to a new destination. This was when something really magical happened. As the car was heading closer towards the end of this patch of forest, I noticed something peep out from the thickets at the side of the road. An instant spike of adrenaline made me ask the driver to slow down the car, it was a Spotted Deer, a commonly seen species in the jungles of India. In forests like these, people often ignore them when it comes to photography, because most of the time the priority is on Big Cats, Elephants and other species. But, I felt that something was about to happen here that I hadn't photographed or even seen before. What could it be? A few minutes of wait and then the entire scene turned into something extremely blissful and spectacular! The Stag with all its grandeur, walked out in the open and stood by the side of the road. I could visualise a frame here and was absolutely blessed that I was able to recreate it through this photograph. The entire ambience of the cold winter morning and the mysterious woods made everything look so magical, as if a moment from the land of wonders! Every element of the forest has the soul of the woods, it doesn't matter whether it's an ant or an elephant, the cycle of life in the forest depend on all. The tranquility of the moment, the sound of the rustling leaves, the chirping of the early birds and the lone Deer filling the space was all that was needed to make me believe that dreams do come true...I witnessed it that day, I witnessed the soul of the winter woods. 

Photographing wildlife by including a majority of its habitat is a style that I am very fond of and have been spending quite a lot of time in developing it. This particular photograph was one of the first of my images where I could establish my own style and incorporate my thoughts and emotions in it. The "Soul of the winter woods" will always hold a special place in my heart, not just because it encapsulated a precious memory in it but also because it represented my style of work to the world. It certainly is a milestone image in my journey as a wildlife photographer, an image that received immense love and appreciation from all across the world, got published in many places and was also a finalist in the very prestigious 15th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest. 



Artist Name: Swaroop Singha Roy

Edition: 15/15

License: Primary NFT holder is free to use in advertising, display privately and in groups, including virtual galleries, documentaries and essays by holder of the NFT, as long as creator is credited. Provides no rights to create commercial merchandise, commercial distribution, or derivative works. Copyright remains with creator.

About the Artist: 

Swaroop is a nature photographer based in Kolkata, India. His love for the art of photography has taken him to numerous locations across the country. To him photography is not just a language of light but a medium of expressing his thoughts and emotions as well.

Many of his works have beenfeatured in various international and national media such as Smithsonian Mag, The Guardian, National Geographic, Sanctuary Asia and more. He has also received several prestigiousawards and recognitions during this journey. This includes a national award from the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, winner of Olympus Global Photo Contest in Macro Category 2015, Finalist in 14th and 15th Smithsonian Magazine Photography Competition and more. 