National Geographic Explorer and Wildlife Filmmaker Malaika Vaz at Fuvamulah Island with Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

Marine life is a different world altogether. The sight of an eight-legged octopus swiftly attacking its prey or watching a shark pass by, exploring the colourful and exotic life is nothing less than surreal.

To capture these spectacular moments, Samsung India and National Geographic Traveller India teamed up for the first-ever underwater expedition shot using Galaxy S21 Ultra.

To #UncoverTheEpic with Galaxy S21 Ultra, Malaika set off on a magical dive off Fuvamulah Island also known as Shark Island of Maldives

National Geographic Explorer and Wildlife Filmmaker Malaika Vaz has travelled across some of the most hostile terrains on all seven continents. From hiking across glaciers in the Antarctic to diving with blue whales in remote frontiers, she has done it all. As part of her work, she has made documentaries that focus on the environment, endangered species, community-led conservation and wildlife trafficking. Her recent film on Manta Rays was nominated for the Green Oscars and won an award at the prestigious Jackson Wild Media awards.

To #UncoverTheEpic with Galaxy S21 Ultra, Malaika set off on a magical dive off Fuvamulah Island also known as Shark Island of Maldives. Using the pro-grade camera of Galaxy S21 Ultra and its premium 8K Video Snap feature, she captured one of the most dangerous predators- The Majestic Shark. Unlike most shark films, Malaika decided to show a gentle side of the shark through her storytelling.

Malaika Vaz: The 8K Video Snap feature is the highlight if I had to choose from all of the features of Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

It has been over 12 years that Malaika has been diving. She says diving feels as natural and reflexive to her as walking and cycling. Growing up in Goa, Malaika fell in love with the sublime elements of nature at a very early stage. Each time she dived; she would be awed. She decided to document her experiences to invoke the same feeling amongst viewers – which as a result would make people more aware about conserving these species – both from a policy and community perspective.

It was an exciting challenge to shoot underwater with a smartphone camera. “First I thought about filming a terrestrial shoot, as that would have been the most comfortable, with a smartphone camera. But when I found out about the superior camera capabilities of the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, I thought of taking a bigger risk of going underwater with the smartphone. It was probably the first time this has been done at this scale.”

Malaika Vaz: The 8K video snapshots were so strong, that I would say that they are equal to taking a regular picture

From a filmmaker’s point of view, Malaika describes various game-changing elements in Galaxy S21 Ultra. “The 8K Video Snap feature is the highlight if I had to choose from all of the features of the smartphone. Nature is always full of surprises – and when something exciting is happening, you don’t want to choose between clicking a photo or shooting a video. The 8K video snapshots were so strong, that I would say that they are equal to taking a regular picture. The fact that you don’t have to sit long hours at an editing table to choose anymore, is empowering for me as a filmmaker.”

Malaika Vaz: Galaxy S21 Ultra’s camera capabilities democratizes storytelling for everyone

For an on-camera presenter like Malaika, it is very important to narrate with the visuals of surrounding to create a more immersive experience for viewers. The Vlogger View Mode and the Director’s View Mode on Galaxy S21 Ultra are extremely essential for such needs. “The good thing about having a phone with superior image capability is that it democratizes storytelling for everyone. If you are someone who cares deeply about documenting the natural world, or an aspiring filmmaker, and you are unwilling to invest in a huge amount of camera equipment – having that extra capability of the phone camera can help you propel your work much more,” she adds.

Malaika has always focused on making her storytelling interactive and life-like. “In these challenging times, where people across the world want to feel connected to the natural world, being able to immerse them in a world of emerald-blue ocean, sharks, turtles and other marine species, has been exciting. As a filmmaker being able to do all this with a smartphone is wonderful.” she says.

Majestic and gentle Tiger Sharks in their natural habitat

Samsung, India’s most trusted smartphone brand, teamed up with National Geographic Traveller India to showcase Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G’s 8K Video Snap prowess. 8K Video Snap lets you pull out high-resolution stills from a cinematic 8K video, so you don’t have to choose between capturing stills and videos. Using Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G’s 8K Video Snap feature, National Geographic Explorer and Wildlife Filmmaker Malaika Vaz captured the majestic and gentle Tiger Sharks in their natural habitat. Malaika dived deep off Fuvamulah, the shark island of the Maldives also called the Island Paradise.

This will be National Geographic Traveller India’s first-ever underwater expedition, captured using Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G’s pro-grade camera and flagship features. The journey video can be viewed on both Samsung India and National Geographic Traveller India’s social media channels starting today.

“We are excited to unveil yet another episode of an epic adventure with National Geographic Traveller India, shot using Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. At Samsung, we believe in innovations that enable our consumers to do more. The first-of-its-kind camera with a pro-grade 108MP lens and 8K video recording, Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G changes the way you shoot. With industry-first 8K Video Snap feature, photography enthusiasts now have the power to extract high-resolution stills from every second of an 8K video. The splendid marine beauty of the Shark Island in the Maldives has been beautifully captured by Malaika on Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G,” said Aditya Babbar, Senior Director and Head, Mobile Marketing, Samsung India.

#UncoverTheEpic

As part of the #UncoverTheEpic campaign, National Geographic Explorer and Wildlife Filmmaker Malaika Vaz uncovered the beauty of Fuvamulah, the most splendid island of Maldives. The underwater video, with spectacular scenes of the marine life and the majestic Tiger Shark, one of the most dangerous predators of Shark Island, was shot using Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. While Tiger Sharks prey on fish, they are both gentle and curious around humans.

Using the incredible camera capabilities of Samsung’s flagship smartphone, Malaika Vaz captured the magnificent underwater scene in 8K and extracted high-resolution stills from the video. The video gives an insight into what it takes to swim with one of the most efficient predators underwater.

Malaika Vaz: My experience of filming on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G has been beyond special

“While filming underwater in the Maldives, I was surrounded by Tiger Sharks, Hawksbill Turtles, schools of fish and corals – and I was able to capture super high-resolution video footage of these species almost effortlessly. Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G’s 8K Video Snap allowed me to focus on filming sharks – with the confidence that I would never miss an opportunity for a great set of images! As a National Geographic Explorer and filmmaker, I would say that my experience of filming on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G has been beyond special,” said Malaika Vaz, National Geographic Explorer, and Wildlife Filmmaker.

“We are thrilled to work with Samsung and National Geographic Traveller India for this unique concept. After the highly successful National Geographic magazine covers captured by Prasenjeet Yadav with an 8K Video Snap feature, this first-ever underwater expedition shot on Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is absolutely stunning. The idea is to introduce a new behavior in the minds and hands of the consumer and to never worry about capturing the perfect still. Now shoot 8K videos and when the moment is over, grab high-quality 8K stills from the video. We are delighted to see this grow,” said Emmanuel Upputuru, Chief Creative Officer, Cheil India.

Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G’s Best-in-Class Camera Experience

With the most advanced pro-grade camera system, Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G users can capture stunning, studio-quality photos in various lighting and settings. 8K recording allows users to capture videos in stunning quality and turn their best candid moments into high-resolution stills with 8K Video Snap.

The combination of anti-shake technology, 10x optical zoom, and both laser and dual-pixel autofocus enables the cameras to produce results that rival those of high-end DSLRs. Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G has a quad rear camera that features an upgraded 108MP pro sensor, from which users can capture 12bit HDR photos with 64 times richer color data and more than three times wider dynamic range. For the first time on a Galaxy smartphone, users can shoot in 4K at 60fps across all lenses including the front and the four rear four lenses.

Shot by Prasenjeet Yadav #withGalaxy

How do you picture a wildlife photographer – A person in camouflaged clothes carrying an array of huge lenses and heavy camera bodies, patiently observing the wild, from a distance. What if all those camera innovations could just fit into his pocket? Nothing like innovation packed in a sleek body that slips right into your pocket making not just your movement easy but your shots flawless.

National Geographic Photographer & Explorer, Prasenjeet Yadav captured the cover shot for the March edition of National Geographic Traveller India in the sky islands of the Western Ghats using Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G.

Life of a wildlife photographer can be both exciting and daunting. Here’s our conversation with Prasenjeet Yadav about his adventures in the wild –

You were a molecular ecologist, what made you take up wildlife photography?

Prasenjeet: I grew up in a jungle and wildlife was always a part of my life. I thought I could pursue a career relating to wildlife only if I became a scientist. However, I noticed that people who shared spaces with wildlife had no clue what the papers, publications and journals that scientists put out meant. That’s when I decided to take a sabbatical to figure out ways to explain this science to larger audiences. I became a photographer to tell stories using the visual medium, and what was supposed to be a six month sabbatical has now been on for eight years.

Describe your first experience of photography in the wild? What attracted you the most?

Prasenjeet: It is difficult to remember the first memory because I’ve always been in the wild. I was always exploring the jungle the way no one else did – I was living in the jungle. People would go to tiger reserves, I would just step out of my house (my father’s farm that is 60 kms from Nagpur) to explore wildlife around. The first time I took a camera into a forest was in the Agumbe rainforest in Karnataka and I immediately fell in love.

Prasenjeet Yadav, framing #withGalaxy.

How was the experience of shooting the cover for Nat Geo Traveller India with the Galaxy S21 Ultra?

Prasenjeet: OMG! This was one of the craziest assignments I have ever done. Not because of the place of shoot or the subject I was shooting, but because of the equipment that I was carrying to tell the story. I was using the new Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G with 108MP lens and great camera capabilities to tell an extensive story of the landscape of sky islands in the Western Ghats and the species living there, over seven amazing days.

At first, it seemed unimaginable to photograph the wild using a smartphone but the results were just amazing!

How did the 8K Video Snap help you in capturing ‘the moment’?

Prasenjeet: When I was told that I could shoot a video in 8K and then extract a high-resolution photograph from it, it seemed hard to believe. But when I started to use it, I realized it delivered incredible videos and photos and I could do much more. I didn’t have to choose between shooting videos or taking photographs. That’s how I got my perfect shot with the 8K Video Snap feature, which became the cover of National Geographic Traveller India.

March Cover of National Geographic Traveller India shot #withGalaxy

Which feature of Galaxy S21 Ultra did you like the most?

Prasenjeet: Hands down, the Pro Mode on the Galaxy S21 Ultra! The kind of control it gives you – from changing the aperture to shutter speed to ISO to white balance. These are all the features that I actually need to get a great shot. The camera has its own range and its own algorithm to create these pictures but sometimes you have to override those algorithms to bring in your own creativity. The fact that Galaxy S21 Ultra allows me to make that switch and allows me to add my creativity to the camera makes it extremely unique.

Never before have I used a smartphone camera that has given me this level of control.

Shot by Prasenjeet Yadav #withGalaxy

How close were the images to what you actually saw?

Prasenjeet: It is tough to compare any camera lens with human eyes, but the reason I enjoyed using the Pro Mode is because it helped me figure the right lighting and controls to get bright lights and colours into the camera lens. That control definitely allowed me to get pictures that are actually very close to what I saw.

Night sky in the sky islands shot by Prasenjeet Yadav #withGalaxy

Two tips for Wildlife photography enthusiasts?

Prasenjeet: Always read up about the species that you intend to click. If you have missed doing that, then make sure to educate yourself after taking the picture.

Secondly, always maintain a safe distance. Do not go too close to the species that you don’t know about. You might scare them or they might hurt you. A big advantage of the 108MP Galaxy S21 Ultra is that you can take photos from a distance without disturbing the wildlife and their immediate environment.

Samsung, India’s most trusted brand, teamed up with National Geographic Traveller India for an adventure like never before to #UncoverTheEpic. National Geographic Explorer and Photographer Prasanjeet Yadav captured the unexplored sky islands of the Western Ghats using Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, Samsung’s power-packed flagship smartphone.

“We are delighted to partner with National Geographic Traveller India for an epic adventure. At Samsung, we believe in providing consumers with innovations that enable them to do more. A first-of-its-kind camera with pro-grade 108MP lens and 8K video recording, Galaxy S21 Ultra changes the way you shoot. The next time something epic happens out of nowhere, you won’t miss the moment choosing between camera and video. With industry first 8K Video Snap feature, photography enthusiasts now have the power to extract high-resolution stills from every second of an 8K video. The stunning beauty of the Western Ghats has been beautifully captured by Prasenjeet using 8K Video Snap and we are thrilled to see it on the magazine cover,” said Aditya Babbar, Senior Director and Head, Mobile Marketing, Samsung India.

“National Geographic Traveller India has always championed excellence in exploration and this collaboration with Samsung India is one of our most exciting and adventurous projects in recent times. Our story will uncover and showcase the beauty of sky islands in the Western Ghats, one of India’s rarest natural habitats, rich in biodiversity. What was particularly exhilarating about this story was the 8K Video Snap technology that was used to capture our stunning cover shot for the March-April edition of the magazine. At National Geographic, we uphold the highest standards of still photography and for the first time, a still shot from a mobile phone 8K video delivered that. As a sheer storytelling mode, this endeavour was truly unique. We are thrilled with the result and look forward to many more exciting projects in collaboration with Samsung India,” said Preeti Vyas, President and CEO, ACK Media, publisher of National Geographic Traveller India.

#UncoverTheEpic

As part of campaign, explorer and photographer Prasenjeet Yadav headed to the forests of the Western Ghats to shoot videos of the biodiversity and the stunning scenes with the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. Using the incredible camera capabilities of the flagship smartphone, he captured the beauty in 8K and extracted high-resolution stills from the video, one of which served as the cover of the March edition. The video footage collected by Prasenjeet on the expedition will also be released to give viewers an insight into what it takes to capture that elusive cover shot.

“Using a phone camera for an assignment was a challenge, but the fact that I could get high-quality pictures of a tiny frog to a large landscape and get one of them printed on the cover of National Geographic Traveller magazine is really impressive,” said Prasenjeet Yadav, National Geographic Explorer and Photographer.

This will be the first time that the cover shot of a travel magazine is generated from a high resolution still from an 8K video, a milestone for the role of camera phones in story-telling, especially in the nature and travel spaces. The cover and the journey video can be viewed on:

www.samsung.com/in/microsite/uncover-the-epic/

Samsung’s Best-in-Class Camera Experience

With the most advanced pro-grade camera system, Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G users can capture stunning, studio-quality photos in various lightings and settings. The combination of anti-shake technology, 10x optical zoom and both laser and dual-pixel autofocus enables the cameras to produce results that rival those of high-end DSLRs. Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G has a quad rear camera that features an upgraded 108MP pro sensor, from which users can capture 12 bit HDR photos with 64 times richer colour data and more than three times wider dynamic range. For the first time on a Galaxy smartphone, users can shoot in 4K at 60fps across all lenses including the front and the four rear four lenses.