Wildlife Photography in the Age of AI: Prakash Desai’s Journey of Patience, Purity and Passion

Mumbai: In an era dominated by artificial intelligence and digital manipulation, wildlife photography remains one of the few visual arts that demands absolute honesty, patience and respect for nature. While technology can enhance images, it cannot recreate the silence of forests, the wait for the right moment, or the trust built between a photographer and the wild. At a time when altered images flood screens, authentic wildlife photography stands as a reminder that truth in visuals still matters.
Among those who embody this philosophy is Prakash Desai, an Indian-origin wildlife photographer based in the United States, whose work reflects decades of dedication to capturing nature in its purest form. For Desai, wildlife photography is not about speed or software, but about time, discipline and deep immersion in the natural world.

Over several decades, Desai has travelled extensively across forests, deserts, coastal regions and national parks in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and India. His commitment is evident in the extraordinary journeys he undertook—driving over 5,000 kilometres one way, five times, from the U.S. to Canada—venturing deep into remote habitats to document wildlife. In August 2015, he also undertook a focused photography expedition to New Zealand, further enriching his global portfolio.
“Wildlife photography teaches humility,” Desai says. “Nature works on its own terms. The photographer must learn to wait, observe and respect the moment. The strongest images are the ones that remain untouched and truthful.”Born in Santrampur, Panchmahal, and originally from Bhadeli, Bulsar in Gujarat, Desai completed his schooling in Bilimora and studied science at Bombay University. He moved to the United States in 1966, earned a degree in Petroleum Engineering from Texas in 1970, and later completed graduate studies in Business Administration at the University of Chicago. In 1980, he married Dr. Geeta Desai (Ph.D.), and together they began working in the Texas oil industry. Today, he runs his oil-field services business, Ohm Tech Inc.
Despite a successful professional career, photography remained his true calling. What began as a hobby evolved into a lifelong passion, with wildlife photography becoming his central pursuit. During repeated visits to Ranthambore National Park, he spent 18 years returning patiently before capturing a rare photograph of a tigress—one of the most defining moments of his journey.
Desai has trained under renowned photographers such as Galen Rowell, John Shaw, Willard Clay and George Lepp, won multiple awards, and exhibited his work widely, including a recent major exhibition in India, with another scheduled soon in Vadodara.Now 80 years old, Prakash Desai continues to travel, often with his wife Geeta, spending months across India—from Leh-Ladakh to the Rann of Kutch—living inside national parks from dawn to dusk. Rejecting image-editing software, he relies solely on skill, patience and evolving camera technology, proving that in the age of AI, authenticity remains timeless.