Indian wildlife photographer Nitish Madan has the two things necessary to create beautiful artwork – skill and fascinating subjects.
India is huge beyond the comprehension of most people who have merely glanced at it on a map – and it’s home to everything from elephants, leopards, and lions to water buffalos, rhinoceroses, and a variety of primates.
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There you’ll also find the beautiful but deadly subspecies of Panthera tigris tigris that we simply call the Bengal tiger.
Those are the creatures that Madan is most fascinated by.
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“I have a strange connection with them,” he told My Modern Met. “They give me the power to move on. When I see one, I just can’t take my eyes off it.”
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Most of us have simply seen these majestic creatures in a zoo. But the photographer finds them on common ground.
In fact, photos he’s taken of the endangered (but still dangerous) beasts in Northern India are going viral – and one in particular because it is the coveted “perfect shot.”
Madan spent over 10 years waiting for the ideal moment to photograph a tiger walking by one specific place – the Ranthambore Fort, a dilapidated but no less imposing structure on the former hunting grounds of the Maharajahs.
Originally constructed in the 10th-century, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the roles it has played in many major historical events.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Surrounding the Fort is a wildlife reserve called Ranthambore National Park.
No longer a hunting ground for the country’s rulers, the animals now roam freely, including the Bengal tigers.
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And while their numbers are dwindling, that doesn’t make them seem any less imposing to Madan, who told My Modern Met that they inspire him:
“They ooze power and magnetism and are breathtaking to see in the wild. They inspire a sense of fearlessness and majesty. They are so focused and unstoppable.”
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He was able to show the world just what he meant on a December morning last year when he finally got his shot.
Madan was out in the park with a group and discovered fresh tiger tracks. His job is not without risks – he would need to follow them to the tigers and hope they did what he wanted naturally.
He came upon two young females playing and exploring and they were headed for Padam Lake, which lies in front of the Fort.
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This was the moment!
The cold winter fog only made the scene more dramatic as he quietly stalked along, hoping not to spook them.
“My heart was pounding and as I watched with bated breath, one of the girls started walking in the direction of the lake,” Madan recalled. “My fingers were numb from the cold and I couldn’t feel them anymore. It was the moment I had been waiting for as long as I could remember.”
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Then one tiger did exactly what he had imagined would make the perfect photo – she walked straight across the waterline with the Fort in the background.
“I shook my head in utter disbelief as I lifted my camera and was so glad to have been able to press the shutter button. I already knew how to compose the shot as I had practiced it a thousand times before, only this time it was with a tiger in the frame. It felt so unreal as if it was a mystic dream with a tiger crossing our world.”
His photograph is truly breathtaking.
See for yourself:
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Madan is a gifted photographer in a gorgeous locale, but this photo is special – once in a lifetime.
You may have seen it – since he posted it on his social media pages and it’s gone viral – but not appreciated what it took to get that photograph.
When he posted it to his Instagram page, he captioned it:
“One of Arrow’s girl walking in front of Padam Lake this morning in magical Ranthambore National Park. It was freezing cold, full of fog and mist and I couldn’t feel my fingers, glad that I was able to press the shutter on my camera. It was such a special moment, one that I have been waiting for, for as long as I can remember, finally nature has blessed me with this 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 I am ever so grateful. For me, this image has captured the heart and soul of Ranthambore.”
What a moment in one’s career!
We encourage you to visit his Instagram and Facebook pages to see more of his stunning photography, now knowing just what a photographer has to go through just to get the wildlife photos we take for granted.
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