Sometimes, nature creates a spectacle in the blink of an eye. For 72-year-old Vaidehi Chandrasekar, a seemingly ordinary moment at a watering spot in Botswana became an extraordinary photograph that captured global attention.

Titled Water Ballet, her picture shows a giraffe lifting its head after drinking and sending a stream of water droplets into the air. Bathed in the golden light of sunset, the droplets form an almost perfect circle, creating the illusion of a graceful water dance.

The stunning photograph won gold in the Behaviour – Mammals category at the 2026 World Nature Photography Awards, celebrating Chandrasekar’s ability to capture a rare moment in the wild. 

How Did She Capture This Rare Scene?

The photograph was taken near the Boteti River in Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. As the sun dipped towards the horizon, the giraffe bent and lowered its neck to drink. Once it had finished, the animal raised its head and swished out the water, creating a spectacular arc. The setting sun illuminated the airborne droplets from behind, making them sparkle against the darker background.

Chandrasekar has described herself as fortunate to have captured this unusual behaviour. Yet timing and technique also played a role. According to Digital Camera World, she used a Nikon Z9 mirrorless camera with a 400mm lens, shooting at 1/1000 second to freeze the moving droplets. 

A Passion That Took Flight After Retirement

Chandrasekar, a Singapore permanent resident, became more deeply involved in photography after retiring from a career in systems design support in 2019. She and her husband learnt photography through online videos, experimentation and guidance from fellow enthusiasts.

According to a report in The Times of India, their shared passion has since taken them on wildlife photography trips to observe animals in their natural habitats. From giraffes in Botswana to birds visiting Singapore during migration, Chandrasekar continues to seek moments that reveal the beauty and behaviour of wildlife.

Despite the challenges of camping and travelling, the couple continues to pursue their adventures. Their future wish list includes seeing orangutans in Indonesia and penguins in Antarctica.

More Than Just a Beautiful Picture

The 2026 awards attracted thousands of entries from photographers across six continents, with Chandrasekar earning recognition in one of the competition’s categories. The overall World Nature Photographer of the Year title went to Australian photographer Jono Allen for his image of a rare white humpback whale calf.

For Chandrasekar, wildlife photography is also a way to help people appreciate animals and understand why they deserve protection in their natural habitats.

Her golden Water Ballet is a reminder that nature’s most extraordinary moments may be brief, but the right photograph can preserve their wonder for the world to see.