Like many, I've always dreamed of seeing tigers in the wild and particularly of photographing them at close quarters. Half the battle with such an elusive and well camouflaged species is actually trying to locate them; however, it starts long before that!
When planning a trip ensure you not only undertake lots of research for the best parks (and if possible guides and good spotters who ensure the wellbeing of the animals), but also make sure you book a long time in advance of your trip. Parks in India get booked up very early and you want to get the best chances of a decent zone. Often split into core and buffer zones, you may find one or the other is better for tiger sightings and you will unlikely be able to swap zones once you're there. That being said you want to try and capture the animals at their best in natural surroundings so having a good game drive is just as fun as this stunning predator.
Choose the time of year carefully depending on your objectives. If you desire lots of sightings then the dry season may be best. Alternatively, following the rainy season the vegetation is more lush and green, nicer for photography, however spotting tigers can be much trickier.
I really love 'wildlife in the habitat' images and I try to showcase this as often as I can in my work. Small subjects in the frame actually offer a more interesting representation of the animal in its environment (whether good or bad!) and one of the shots below shows how well camouflaged tigers actually are, even when right out in the open!
When on tiger safari you are not allowed to leave the vehicle so be prepared for a lot of sitting, bumpy rides and hopefully a good selection of other wildlife too keep you interested. Many people get overexcited in the parks and the noise level from other vehicles can become quite irritating. Show respect to your neighbouring vehicles (of which there will be many) and keep noise and movement to a minimum. If you are lucky enough to have an animal to yourself then you reduce the chance of disturbing it if you're quiet and still. Good fieldcraft cannot be underestimated no matter what the circumstances.
For lens choice I would always recommend bringing a range of options, from a short (100-300mm) lens to long telephoto (500 or 600mm) lens. If you only have one option, then a telephoto zoom would be ideal. You can then compromise and obtain a variety of images of close-up animals with the option to zoom out to show the animals in their native habitat. Remember to position the animals in the frame as if they're walking into the image and try to capture the shot with the front paw raised in the air to convey movement.
Consider shots which tell a story too, for example showing tyre tracks or animals walking along the road. Convey a sense of place but also think about the impacts of us on them and their diminishing habitat. And if that's not all then just enjoy it for the spectacle it is, even if that means sharing the experience with 30 other vehicles on occasions!
My trip took place in May 2017. I visited Tadoba, Pench, Kanha and Bandhavgarh National Parks over 16 days.
Further images are available on my
Diary page but not yet published with my agents. If you'd like to purchase any images for publication then please
email me with your image requirements.
