Snow Leopard Family
This is one of my favorite snow leopard pictures from my tour at Kibber Sanctuary in Spiti Valley. Kibber is one of the best places to photograph snow leopards. The snow leopard family of mother and her cubs were swiftly making their way down the mountain ridge. They were in a hurry, and it seemed like the mother knew bad weather was coming. Sure enough, heavy snowfall arrived the next day.
Capturing them was a challenge. Snow leopards are elusive, and most of the time, they’re seen from a distance. Some lucky photographers get close encounters, while others use remote cameras. But then that is wildlife photography. The more you try, the luckier you may get at some point. I managed to get a few shots closer than this, but this one holds a special place for me.
Grey Ghost: You fail to see them till they move.
I was using a Nikon D4s with a 600mm lens and a 1.4x converter on my not-so-sturdy manfrotto tripod. The wind was strong, and I had to take off my gloves to shoot, which left my fingers tingling for over a week afterward. Taking risks is part of the game when you’re shooting in such conditions.
What I love about this image is how all three of them are lined up with their tails held high against the hill’s edge. The tails make this photo stand out. In my opinion, this image looks best on a large screen.
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