International Tiger Day: Capturing the call of the royals in wild

On International Tiger Day, today, wildlife photographers from Delhi-NCR talk about their fascination with the big cat and share what it takes to get a worthy shot of India’s national animal.

They are fiery and courageous in the face of danger yet calm and soft when walking through the wilderness of a jungle. Tigers personify royalness as much as they portray magnanimity. Any well shot picture of this animal is any day a sight to behold! Those behind the lens, some Delhi-NCR based wildlife photographers, share what is it that makes this largest cat species on Earth, a dream to capture through their cameras.

The golden gaze of a tiger seems to pierce into your soul, even through a photograph. (Photo: Sumit Sinha)

“There is something about tigers that cannot be explained. They are like a habit, a passion,” shares Avanish Dureha, a former Navy commander and a passionate wildlife photographer. He explains the experience a photographer goes through every time they spot a tiger in the wild after putting in all kinds of efforts. He adds, “You could be waiting for say three days to get a tiger’s shot, and wait in the heat, rain and all other kinds of weather conditions. And once you actually see a tiger, you forget all of that! Those moments of wait then seem like pure bliss, one you actually manage to sight a tiger.”

The national animal of India exudes an unmatched hypnotic beauty. (Photo: Avanish Dureha)

Sharing the thrill that one gets while “photographing a tiger”, conservation biologist and author Neha Sinha says, “Tigers are such personalities that they arouse that thrill. Sometimes they walk past in a great hurry, totally camouflaged and you can hardly get a good shot. Other times they are casually sitting, and you can get as many shots as you like. It’s unforgettable each time... their golden eyes and amazing walk. My favourite shot is from Ranthambore, of T-17 walking past our gypsy. What a stunning beauty! But she never looked at us (smiles).”

The long wait involved in spotting a tiger pays off once you see it in its full glory. (Photo: Vinod Kumar Goel)

Similarly, Delhi-based photographer Syed Mohammad Qasim says his tryst with tigers, in their natural habitat, began in 2001 wherein his focus became the sanctuaries in Rajasthan. “The very first tiger sanctuary visit was Sariska in Alwar, Rajasthan, and it was disappointing that after several safaris we could not see this striped king of the jungle. My bond with tigers increased due to my very successful visits to Ranthambore. I don’t remember having come back from Ranthambore without sighting! In fact, due to very good conservation efforts by the state and central governments, the tiger population has increased there. Tiger conservation also helps in protection of forests and these tiger reserves create a mini haven of flourishing islands for the much-needed biodiversity,” opines Qasim.

From playful to fierce, the many moods of a tiger add to the thrill of capturing it on lens. (Photo: Syed Mohammad Qasim)

But even after years seeing the big cat in close proximity, some lensmen still feel the same as it was the first time when they spotted a tiger in all its natural glory. “I still get goosebumps when I see a tiger coming head on in front of me... Your mind gets blanked out and the jungle turns into a lively atmosphere,” shares Sumit Sinha, a Faridabad-based wildlife photographer, adding, “Capturing a tiger in its natural habitat requires certain amount of luck as well. After all, you are trying to sight the royalty of the jungle. It’s up to their wish if they want to present themselves or not, and if they are not interested then you are going back home empty handed (laughs).”

(With inputs by Naina Arora)

Author tweets @karansethi042

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