Surf Durrani 

I am a Nature lover, Photographer, and Heart specialist or a Cardiac Electrophysiologist. In my day job, I fix electrical matters of the heart. Fixing the heart requires hours of painstaking work, painting the inside of the heart in vivid colors to create 3D maps of the topography of the heart. This tells us where the heart cells are misfiring. Once I identify the problem, I then drop a bomb of precise electromagnetic waves to reset the disorder and create order out of that chaos.

I find this process beautiful and cathartic. There is beauty in the maps we create and the order that comes out of them. 

But those maps are not real, in the sense, they only exist on my computer screen and are made up of software and the interface that creates them.  A lot of data goes into creating a beautiful map for me to interpret. When I am in the moment the maps and data seem very real to me. 

I have always wondered this about reality itself. The way our eyes perceive reality is an interpretation of the different wavelengths of light that the brain interprets to create a vivid representation of the universe. When I see red and you see red we both agree it is red, but do we both see and feel the same thing ? We can never know the answer without being inside someone else’s head, although, we can all generally agree on what we find beautiful and moving. Nature has gifted us with the interface, of our eyes and other senses, which render the nuts and bolts of the workings of the Universe in an aesthetically pleasing way. In that way, exploring and celebrating natural beauty is one of the core principles and instincts of our existence.

I started photographing a few years ago when  I took my camera on my hiking and climbing trips. I took my photography to the next level only when COVID lockdown happened and I had more time to visit my local nature parks and hone my skills. I feel a deep sense of connection to nature, and the magnificent biodiversity of this planet. I love to capture the moment I am in and see if I can evoke a similar response from my audience   

My mission is to tell visual stories that connect people to the essence of nature and the drama of this living planet.