Dad's Phone To Sony World Photography Awards At 24

About this episode

How a 24 year old doctor went from his father's phone at 13 to two photographs shortlisted at the Sony World Photography Awards 2026. Dr. Vishal Naveen, wildlife photographer from Chennai, gives a behind-the-scenes look at wildlife photography in India and abroad: the night hide in Kenya, a fifteen second shutter, and the thousand frames behind one image, The Cosmic Connection.

In this episode of Chaos To Clarity, Vishal shares how the giraffe photograph was planned months before the trip and practised at home with the lights off, why he will not recreate a picture that already exists, and his test for every image: will someone stop and look for five seconds. Then where it started: a seagull caught on a phone at 13, ants around a drop of sugar water published in The Hindu, a first dry safari at Mudumalai, and the rhino in golden light at Kaziranga.

He also dives into how a shy student learned to speak on a TEDx stage, how he fits one or two planned trips a year around medicine, why beginners should start with the phone they already have, the night a hyena stood at the window of the hide, and his next target, Wildlife Photographer of the Year. A story for every indian entrepreneur and creator about doing one thing differently, with the startup india habit of starting with what you have.

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Connect with our Guest: Follow Dr. Vishal Naveen on Instagram: [ADD LINK] The Cosmic Connection, Sony World Photography Awards 2026 gallery: https://www.worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards/winners-galleries/2026/open/motion

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