[Leica] Bandhavgarh - 1

[cummer at netvigator.com (H&ECummer)]

Hi Jayanand,
Thanks very much for these excellent photos. Your in focus shots of  
the young male in the dusk are a
tribute to the efficacy of Nikon's auto focus. My shots, although  
benefiting from
the D700's low light capabilities have fewer in focus frames as the  
tiger is moving
in the dusk. As you know, from my tiger shooting experience with you I  
have
purchased the Nikkor 70 - 200 VR II zoom and now ordered the new 2X  
extender.
Hopefully these will better equip me for the next time in terms of low  
light
focusing.
Keep 'em coming.
Cheers
Howard
> Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2010 17:41:42 +0530
> From: Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com>
> Subject: [Leica] Bandhavgarh - 1
> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
>
> Bandhavgarh was all about tigers - we had 10 drives in all, and saw  
> tigers
> on each drive, but only a few were photographic opportunities. In  
> fact, on
> one drive, I saw 6 tigers/cubs, but did not photograph even one, as  
> they
> were deep in the forest. It is not surprising that sightings of  
> tigers are
> relatively easy here, as it has the highest density of any reserve  
> in India.
>
> The first drive - the Sidhibaba female - she had 2 cubs which Howard
> captured, thanks to the superior low light capability of the Nikon  
> D700.
> This was the limit of the D300:
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Bandhavgarh/Bandhavgarh_20100316_0016.jpg.html
>
> Climber's Point - so called because the area is full of vines, and the
> resident tigress:
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Bandhavgarh/Bandhavgarh_20100317_0041.jpg.html
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Bandhavgarh/Bandhavgarh_20100317_0049.jpg.html
>
> A rare sighting of a Jungle Cat, and that too close to the road who  
> did not
> get spooked:
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Bandhavgarh/Bandhavgarh_20100317_0060.jpg.html
>
> A Tiger Show was on the next day - basically elephants locate a  
> tiger, and
> if it is close enough to the jeep routes, tourists are ferried up  
> and down
> to see it. Here, they had located a male, simply called the "New  
> Male". Here
> are the tourists on the elephants:
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Bandhavgarh/Bandhavgarh_20100322_0140.jpg.html
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Bandhavgarh/Bandhavgarh_20100322_0143.jpg.html
>
> Come evening, and everyone knew where a sighting was likely -  
> actually I was
> on the elephant in the morning when the New Male settled down for the
> afternoon. The area was packed, and there was bedlam when he was  
> sighted
> (note the tripod on the ground - a major impediment to quick  
> movement):
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Bandhavgarh/Bandhavgarh_20100322_0204.jpg.html
>
> Luckily my driver and guide had expertly parked our jeep, and he  
> broke cover
> right in front of us:
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Bandhavgarh/Bandhavgarh_20100322_0211.jpg.html
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Bandhavgarh/Bandhavgarh_20100322_0213.jpg.html
>
> Criticisms and comments welcome!
>
> Cheers
> Jayanand
>