About the Image(s)

Central India boasts several preserves where one can observe tigers, a somewhat endangered species due to overhunting for trophies and human encroachment on habitat (India has 1.4 billion people). The preserves (now 58 of them) represent a remarkable achievement by the Indian government of balancing both human and wildlife needs. Tigers, being the apex predators, have no fear of going where they want to go and pay little attention to anything else. Drivers and guides, recognizing this have adopted the technique of setting up two parallel lines of vehicles facing each other with a clear path between, giving tigers a way to “cross the road” so to speak, where, if you happen to be lucky enough to be in the first line of vehicles facing the vacated path across the road, can yield good images such as this. This image qualifies for PTDD (and certainly for PTDW, (where anything goes), as the animal is in its natural environment insofar as the preserve presents it as such.

Gear: SONY a-7 IV, Sigma 100-400 mm open to 220 mm.
Data: ISO 3,200, f 5.6, 1/250 sec.
Metering: Pattern
AF target area: Spot, medium
WB: Manual, actually measured WB, value not recorded
EV: -.3
Date image created: February 13, 2026