Steve Mandel
02-01-2008, 01:07 AM
I spent five days developing a conservation project in India and photographing the animals of the Gir Forest where I was setting this up. The project involves building well barricades around open pit wells that are dug by poor farmers in the region. Lions and other animals (and occasionally humans!) fall into the wells at night and are killed or seriously injured. Currently, I am in the process of forming a nonprofit to raise funds for building the barricades in association with my partner organization in India.
There are only about 350 lions left in the wild outside of Africa (the Asiatic is a sub-species) and many of them reside in the Gir Forest and the surrounding countryside. These are the lions of biblical fame and once ranged as far west as Greece. They are little known in the world now and need our help to survive. I'll be going back to India in a few weeks to do some more work on setting up the project and, of course, to do some photography.
One of the interesting about these lions is that they live in a dense forest, not open savanna. Because of this it is sometimes necessary to trek into the forest, very carefully :), to find them. I obtained a special permit to go looking for them, along with two experienced tracker/guards, because of my involvement with the conservation project. I came upon this female, nicely framed between the leaves of a Teak tree, while on one such walk. I didn't have much time to compose the shot because I was pretty darn nervous and anxious to move back.
I'm relatively new to nature photography and joined this forum on Artie's promise of gentle feedback.:) I do have much to learn so please teach me!
Thanks,
Steve
Mark III, 500mm + 1.4x, hand held, 1/000, f/5.6, ISO 1600
There are only about 350 lions left in the wild outside of Africa (the Asiatic is a sub-species) and many of them reside in the Gir Forest and the surrounding countryside. These are the lions of biblical fame and once ranged as far west as Greece. They are little known in the world now and need our help to survive. I'll be going back to India in a few weeks to do some more work on setting up the project and, of course, to do some photography.
One of the interesting about these lions is that they live in a dense forest, not open savanna. Because of this it is sometimes necessary to trek into the forest, very carefully :), to find them. I obtained a special permit to go looking for them, along with two experienced tracker/guards, because of my involvement with the conservation project. I came upon this female, nicely framed between the leaves of a Teak tree, while on one such walk. I didn't have much time to compose the shot because I was pretty darn nervous and anxious to move back.
I'm relatively new to nature photography and joined this forum on Artie's promise of gentle feedback.:) I do have much to learn so please teach me!
Thanks,
Steve
Mark III, 500mm + 1.4x, hand held, 1/000, f/5.6, ISO 1600