FAQ

1. What is the best photographic setup for tigers?
2. What is the best lens for photographing wildlife?
3. Could give me any advice on how to photograph tigers in the wild?
4. When is the best time of year to see the tigers?
5. What is the best way to reach Bandhavgarh?
6. Which areas have the highest densities of tigers?
7. Are there any other National Parks worth visiting?
8. Which National Parks have suffered from poaching?
9. Will you be our guide?
10. How do I get the best guides?
11. Is there any way in I could help you and the EIA with campaigns for this magnificent species?

What is the best photographic setup for tigers?

I take a range of lenses to cover a variety of situations. I've found zooms to be invaluable because of their versatility. My focal lengths ranges from 16mm through to 600mm. Tigers are very unpredictable and even if you think you are very close to one, you never know where it will eventually come in to the clear. I've been so close to tigers that I could have touched them. Other times, they are some distance away through the jungle. I think a 70-200mm or 75--300mm range is ideal for starters. This could be used with a teleconverter to increase your reach. If you want to photograph birds during your stay then you will need 500-600mm, if not more.

SLRs or DSLRs are the best option for any kind of wildlife thanks to the versatility of swapping lenses. They give you the most creative control. I use Canon EOS 1DS mkII and EOS 5D cameras. They are full frame sensors so my wide-angles stay wide. Today's entry- level DSLRs are superb pieces of kit. OK, they may not be rugged enough for a pro's workload but the internals are generally the same.

I always take a beanbag for support. You can take these empty and ask the lodge to fill them up with rice on arrival. A tripod is ok for the jeep (if you are on your own) and landscapes when you are out of the park, but they can be cumbersome and awkward. They are also useless for an elephant and with today's baggage weight restrictions I find I am leaving my tripod at home more often.

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What is the best lens for photographing wildlife?

A cheap option is the Sigma 50-500mm. It may not be 'critically sharp' enough for agents though. If you are serious then consider a Canon L lens. These are the pro-series lenses and are normally grey. The most popular super-telephoto for sports and wildlife is the 500mm F4 IS L which is about £4000. This is the industry standard! The 300mm F2.8 L IS is brilliant but is about £3000. A good compromise is the 300mm F4 L IS, which is about £900.

The sigma prime lenses are good but I'm not sure whether they would work with the new Canon DSLRs. Another less expensive alternative is the EF100-400mm L IS. A great all round lens. With the sensor crop factor of an entry-level DSLR (1.6x), it will be the equivalent of a 160-600mm and its about £1000. It all depends on your budget, your commitment and whether you think you need a return from such an investment. I know someone who has the Sigma 300-800mm and they love it. Although it is surprisingly light, it is still physically a very big lens with no chance of hand holding.

RE: Macro - I have the Canon 100mm F2.8 USM and its brilliant. Fast, quiet and very sharp. Sigma and Tamron both make very good Macro lenses. I've started using a telephoto with extension tubes for jittery insects like butterflies. You still get good magnification, but you are also further away so avoid scaring them off.

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Could give me any advice on how to photograph tigers in the wild?

I could write a book on this alone. It can be very challenging to photograph a wild tiger well. Just getting a shot of tiger's face without leaves or bamboo obstructing the view is a task in itself. I have taken many elephant rides and have spent literally months in the jungle. My photographs represent over five months solid work, so they are a poor indicator of what is 'easily' achievable in a few days.

My advice is to be patient. I do not always take photographs on every elephant ride. Sometimes there is just too much vegetation. You must choose your moments. I suppose the beauty of digital is that you can photograph whatever you want and simply delete later. Your aim really is to photograph a tiger in good light and in the clear. But this combination can be a rare event.

Whenever I am faced with a tiger, I aim to capture: Facial portrait; Whole body profile; Eye contact with both ears forward; Open clear view; Wide-angle habitat views; Close-up and whole body interaction whether it is two tigers or a tiger feeding.

Your best chance of photograph a tiger is via the elephants. You can see tigers on the tracks and meadows via a jeep, but the tigers tend to be on the move, but you may get lucky. An elephant will be able to take you to where a tiger is resting or feeding. In this case, the tiger will usually stay put.

Make sure you have plenty of memory cards (or film) or a fast downloader. I normally have 4 x 4 GB cards and a downloader on my person. If you have a good sighting you'll probably real off several hundred frames. Take a pillowcase with you so you can have your camera ready to go, but covered and protected from the dust. If you keep the camera in the bag you will probably miss a great deal.

Above all, I would ask you to be polite to the guides and especially the mahouts. Be generous with your tip, they will remember it. I find it utterly disgusting to see western tourists in particular, just hop of the elephant, and not even thank the person that has made the sighting possible.

For more information on photographing wild tigers, click here.

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When is the best time of year to see the tigers?

Nov - Jan: Lush, green, verdant, mists over the meadows. Very atmospheric. Cold at night and can be frosty in the morning. There are still many sightings but the view is often obscured by bamboo. Vegetation is very dense. The meadows are spectacular though. During Christmas and New years (in fact any holiday) the park is stupidly busy so avoid!

Feb - Mar: The peak time. The bamboo starts to die back. There is less water so tigers are more predictable around the permanent water holes. Its very busy with western tourists as its also the most comfortable temperatures.

April - May: Really my preferred time as there are less tourists. The bamboo has gone, but it is very sharp and brittle, so if you go on an elephant, where long trousers otherwise you will literally be scarred for life as I am! Its very hot, with average day temps ranging from high 30s to high 40's.

June: Arguably the best viewing is in June. However, it is unbearably hot with temperatures breaking 50C! There is nobody about. Most of the lodges close. The wildlife is only active for about one hour in daylight and then spends the rest of the day motionless in heavy shade or water. Most pros and film crews go during June. My friends out there say "you wake up, you spend one hour in the park after sunrise, then you spend the rest of the day panting!"

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What is the best way to reach Bandhavgarh?

I’ve always flown to Delhi with British Airways. The timings aren’t always the most convenient but service is always efficient and reliable. It pays to go with an airline with considerable resources and backup planes as I recently found out. British Airways flights from London Heathrow to Delhi usually cost in the region of £500 to £700. Prices jump up around the holidays of Diwali (1st week of November), Christmas and New Year.

Please note that flight times change seasonally. Delhi suffers from severe fog caused by the airborne pollution. As a result flight during December to February arrive and depart Delhi in time to avoid the fog.

From Delhi you can either take an internal flight to Nagpur, or a 15-17hr train journey. I invariably take the train. For British citizens, I can highly recommend that you purchase your train tickets in advance from S.D. Enterprises Ltd. based in Wembley, London. You pay a premium buying them in the UK, but it is well worth avoiding the hassle and the language barrier at the train station. Ask for a train to Umaria (40mins from Band) or Katni (2hrs from Band, but a quicker train). Your lodge should arrange a transfer from there. The advantage of this Katni train is its schedule and it has a 1st class sleeper carriage with locking compartment doors.

For more information on visiting Bandhavgarh, click here.

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Which areas have the highest densities of tigers?

Madhya Pradesh has the highest population density of tigers per sq km in the world. Within Madyah Pradesh are the National Parks or Bandhavgarh, Panna, Pench, and Kanha. The seconds highest density is in the mangrove swamps of the Sundarbans.

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Are there any other National Parks worth visiting?

Panna, Pench, and Kanha are all in Madyah Pradesh and are well worth a visit. Ranthambhore used the be the jewel in the crown of Project Tiger, but its tiger population has been decimated by poachers. It is still popular with tourists as it is only 6hrs from Delhi.

Keleado Ghana National ParK in Bharatpur is a beautiful place. There are no tigers but it is one of the most spectacular bird sanctuaries I have ever been too. It is only a short distance from Ranthambhore and Agra.

Further north in India are the National Parks or Royal Chitwan, Dudhwa, Corbett's, Kazziranga. These are all worth considering. The Northern parks all hold tiger populations as well as wild Asian elephants and the critically endangered one-horned rhino.

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Which National Parks have suffered from poaching?

This is a difficult and contentious subject. I am sure that given the choice, most Indian officials would deny that there has been poaching in any park. As I am aware, Sariska was completely cleared of tigers in 2006. Ranthambhore has been heavily depleted. Most parks in India suffer from poaching in one form of the other. There is a well known poaching gang that operates out of Katni in Madyha Pradesh. This gang is known to have operated in Panna to devastating effect. My sources also inform me of poaching in Kanha and Pench. The tourist zone of Bandhavgarh has suffered from suspicious tiger deaths, but poaching is unconfirmed.

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Will you be our guide?

Although I have extensive knowledge of Indian wildlife and Bandhavgarh in particular, I am not yet at the stage where I can accept the responsibility of a group. However, I am reviewing this in 2008 and may indeed begin 7-10 day tours of the National Parks. If you are would be interested in joining a specialist wildlife photography tour to Bandhavgarh, Pench, and Kanha, please register your input by emailing me at elliott@enwp.co.uk

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How do I get the best guides?

You can't select park guides. They are issued to you on a rota basis so they all get a fair go. Sorry, but that's just the way it is. Even the 'paid for' tour groups have to deal with this. Your lodge may have its own naturalists that will join you and tend to have great tracking skills and wildlife knowledge. The lodge naturalists also have a greater understanding of English and communicate more. The only definite way around is by paying $100-200 per day for a professional guide - and you will still have to take a park guide as well. Read more about professional guides here.

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Is there any way in I could help you and the EIA with campaigns for this magnificent species?

One person often feel helpless against such adversity. Mahatma Gandhi once sad that "...almost everything you do is of no importance, but it is important that you do it." One person alone may not be able to change the course of the tiger's fait, but if you write and your effort persuades other people to write, in no time at all you have hundreds of people writing, even thousands. You are never too young or old to start writing to Government. MPs still have to listen to your concerns... so write away!

If you also contact the EIA they will be very glad of your support and can send a lot of information and ideas to you. For more information and ideas, visit the tiger pages at the EIA by clicking here.

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