In 2018 Kartiki founded Earth Spectrum, an organization that merged her passion for adventure to her desire to bring new perspectives and a deeper public understanding of the environmental and humanitarian issues that define our times. I caught up with Kartiki to chat about telling human-wildlife stories, making the leap into documentary filmmaking, and advice for the next generation of filmmakers.

Working at the intersection of human culture and wildlife must give you an incredible insight into the inner workings of human communities, as well as ways we can live move harmoniously with nature. What kinds of stories do you look for when deciding which narratives to tell?

I focus on solutions and highlight projects that show success stories where conservation is working to give hope. My photographic work has focused on capturing the conservation practices and diversity of cultural groups across the world. Through my work, I seek to give a platform to women and indigenous tribes, especially those working to conserve nature and the relationship they share with our planet.

I am currently working on a documentary called Sacred Bond; it’s about the threats posed by climate change to elephants in southern India, with a focus on the sacred connection between man and animal in the foothills of Tamil Nadu. I feel that it is crucial to understand the many similar traits and habits that humans and animals share. We share many common characteristics while each species has its own unique traits and its own unique role on this earth that we share. Through this film, I hope to reach out to people across the world to make them more aware and to feel and understand the deep connection that we share with other living beings on this planet. I hope to evoke a more profound sense of love and empathy for all living creatures.  

My dream is to travel deep into the jungles, mountains, deserts, and the arctic to remote and hidden indigenous communities across the world, documenting their lives and the profound connection they share with the natural world as they maintain a fine of balance within the natural world that is their home. That said, more recently, I think the pandemic has changed the way I look at travel. This time has helped me to explore my own backyard, the creatures that call it home, and the vast endless beauty. This has helped me to look at more local stories that I was passionate about working on. There is beauty everywhere – we just need to be able to see it. The urge and passion to be outside and amongst nature has pushed me to just get out and fall in love with my home territory and opened my eyes to endemic species within reach.

Has this always been the path you wanted to take?

I had always dreamed of being a wildlife photographer on expeditions across the world working with animals but never expected that one day I would be asked to document an oak restoration project in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand in Northern India. In the Himalayas, the local women drove this successful community project which had a significant impact on climate change. I was very excited and nervous as I learned how to use the video mode on my camera on the flight over. That trip showed me the power of storytelling through film and that film has the ability to make viewers’ experiences more real. Little did I know that this would just be the beginning of my journey through in visual medium of storytelling.

Looking back, I have to admit I am surprised at my career trajectory. I first started out in a career in advertising, primarily in graphic design, and then later moved into Creative Direction. However, seven years into that career I realized that I never really felt completely fulfilled. I looked at myself in the mirror one day and thought to myself, “I don’t want to look back at myself when I am fifty years old and regret that I never gave wildlife photography a chance.” I knew that was my true passion and I made the decision almost overnight to drop my current career and follow my heart. Thankfully my parents’ constant love, support, and encouragement made everything easier. It definitely hasn’t been an easy journey to this point. I’ve had to take up small odd jobs, jobs with no pay, etc., but at the end of the day, I would still say that no feeling can be greater than waking up each morning and living the life you envisioned with purpose. Everything else is a part of the journey.

There certainly aren’t two paths alike in this field. What would you tell up-and-coming photographers and documentary filmmakers that hope to be like you one day, especially now that you have been working with established brands such as Sony, Peak Design, and Swarovski?

First and foremost, find stories and causes that you are deeply connected to and would like to share with the world. A great way to judge that is to see if it is something you’d be happy investing in for the next three to four years of your life or more. Getting your audience to feel what you feel is the key to powerful storytelling. The power of moving film allows the viewer to be fully immersed in the moment. Sound and visuals put together are very powerful and are a tool to be used wisely.

Second, keep trying if you have a great idea and never give up – there will be an audience for it somewhere. It is up to you to find the pathway and believe in it and finding that person or company. It isn’t an easy field to be working in today’s world with a proliferation of people owning cameras and having access to the world wide web. While the visibility today is much stronger than it’s ever been, it is all the harder to get your foot into the door. I would go as far as to say that a crucial part of this success is great talent in combination with a business mindset. I’m proud to say that I see myself as a filmmaker now, telling the stories that I am very passionate about and with a much larger reach, but it has taken a lot of work to get to this point.

Third, empathy, patience, and adaptability are key when working in this field. With visual storytelling comes a great responsibility. You have the ability to change the way thousands of people think and see things. It is important to have morals, ethics, and a focus on truth. Keep in mind the way your portrayal of communities, spaces, and wildlife can have a serious impact on them.

You can follow along with Kartiki’s adventures on her website, Instagram @kartikigonsalves, and at Earth Spectrum.