Rosetted Beauty
<p>I read F.W. Champion’s seminal work <em>With a Camera in Tigerland</em>, when I was just 18 years old, in Class 11. Even then, I was suitably impressed by Champion’s genius and his sheer dedication to his craft. To have inspired Jim Corbett to lay down the gun and pick up a camera was no mean feat. After my stint as a BNHS researcher in 1996, I took up camera trap photography, employing ‘Indian <em>jugaad</em>: using local sensors meant for counting milk bottles at a dairy. In 2014, when I had the chance to meet and work with Steve Winter through Sanctuary, I finally learned the ropes of camera trapping. </p>
<p>Usually, conventional camera-trap images appear blurry or overexposed because of the strong flash. But working with Steve Winter helped me understand the real nitty-gritty of professional camera trapping. That, in turn, allowed me to capture incredibly shy animals such as leopards in portraits like this one – images that showcase their wary nature, their unease, and their instinctive desire to bolt at the first sign of danger.</p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:12px;">Photo:Nayan Khanolkar.</span></strong></p>
