The Indian sub-continent boasts a wealth
of wildlife riches
that
is equalled only by the plains of East Africa. This is the land of the Tiger
and one of the best places to photograph them is in the deciduous forests of
this perpetuating sub-continent. And there’s nothing more heightening
of the senses than being close to a truly wild tiger. The key to successful
tiger spotting lies in the jungle's reactions to the animal's movement. When
the king of the forest is on the move, his kingdom is as responsive as the
court of any of the great Mughal Emperors .
The Location:
The reason a photographer pays significant amounts of money to shoot exotic
animals in captivity is to get close to them in a natural-looking
environment. You want to make the shot appear as if it was taken in the
wild. The goal is to simply create a stunning picture that's otherwise
unobtainable without spending an enormous amount of time and money-and
possibly putting yourself at great risk.
The background, then, becomes as important as the subject. The company that
provides the animal models always has favorite spots for each one. This
Siberian tiger was photographed in a small gorge formed by a river in
Oregon. Tigers like water, so it was appropriate for it to be here. Also,
the background foliage and rock formations could very well be a natural
habitat for this tiger species.
Behold thy majesty & capture thy bounteous
splendor!!!!
Take some useful tips from here!!
- Clothing colours should not be in sharp contrast with the surroundings
- Remove or cover reflective objects from the clothing
- Empty all noisy contents like change from the pockets
- Avoid wearing deodorants or scents while stalking
- Wear clothing tight at the wrists and ankles to trap body scent
- A hat to keep the sun from lighting up your face
- Dark gloves or camouflage on hands
- Jacket or trousers with pockets to carry spare films and batteries
- Shoes should be sturdy but light to avoid being noisy while walking
- Wear a green monkey cap or camouflage over face
- Comfortable but tough trousers or shorts
- Shirt should always be full sleeves
- A folded plastic bag to put the camera into incase of unexpected rain
- Cover any reflective part of the camera with dark tape
- For people like me who wear glasses, it's advisable to think about
shifting to lenses, when in the field, for two reasons. The first is that
the sun or moon reflecting off the glass often attracts the attention of
animals and secondly the human vision is much brighter at the periphery than
the central part while looking in the dark, which is very important while
waiting for animals at night.
To freeze the motion of very fast moving animals and birds in the daytime,
like the wings of a bee sucking nectar from a flower, use a flash.
When out in the field, it would be intelligent of the cameraman to prepare
himself and his camera for rough weather. Try and device a functional
plastic waterproof covering for your camera and lens.
Wait close to sources of food and water during times when these commodities
are scarce like they are during the summer.
