From Hyderabad to Ontario, Raghuvamsh Chavali captures birds that don’t flee the city but adapt to it, and wins big by observing what others overlook
Raghuvamsh Chavali doesn’t chase spectacle, the rare or the majestic — rather, his camera searches for wonder in the mundane; birds weaving between telephone wires, flapping above concrete, caught mid-turn near traffic signals and balconies. His dexterity in this has earned him global recognition this year.
His photo series, ‘Wings Over Concrete,’ took first place in the Photo Project category at the 10th Annual 35AWARDS, one of the most competitive photography contests globally. The series stood out among over 470,000 submissions, not because it dazzled, but because it paused. It watched birds co-exist with buildings and cables, and asked what survival looks like in the middle of a city.
“The winning photo series ‘Wings Over Concrete’ is a study of how birds navigate the man-made chaos of cities with a grace that often goes unnoticed,” Chavali explains. “It’s about flight patterns framed not against skies, but buildings, traffic signals, and power lines. I wanted to compose poetry [about what] exists within urban interruptions, something we pass by every day but rarely stop to see. Each photograph tries to find out what happens when nature doesn’t escape the city, but adapts and thrives within it.”
While he admits that submitting entries to contests demands a bit more structure and reflection, he says the core of his work remains unchanged. “My everyday photography is very instinctive; I shoot what draws my attention emotionally. For competitions, there’s more intention and structure. I often reflect on why an image matters, not just how it looks. That said, I never create only for a jury. I strongly believe that the work needs to resonate with me first; only then can it connect with and convince others.”
Chavali also won the ‘Black and White Mobile Shot’ competition and the ‘Birds in the City’ category at 35AWARDS. He was listed among the Top 50 winners of the All About Photo Awards, selected by a jury that included acclaimed photographers and editors such as Janet Delaney and Sarah Gilbert of The Guardian. All this, while working full-time as a Product Management Consultant in Ontario.
He is methodical in pursuing his passion, never hurried. Photographs are allowed to sit for weeks, even years. “It’s rarely instant. I let the images sit. Sometimes I return weeks, months or years later and discover new details or flaws I missed,” the photographer says, signing off.
