Thread by @sagarontheright

#Thread - Do read how the shot was taken!

The photo which won me the award.

Thought of processing it again for tweeple.

RT if you liked the shot 🙏

1/n

I was spending 12 hours straight from dawn to dusk in the jungles of Ranthambore in Oct-18’. It was the third and the final day of my expedition. Although I did sight a few tigers in those 36 long hours, this moment is etched in my memory for a lifetime.

2/n

I was waiting near a pond and I had sighted the tigress in the bushes on the other side of the bank. She was taking a nap & as usual, I put my camera aside, put on my hat and kept staring and hoping that the bushes would move..

Nothing for one full hour! No movement!

3/n

One of my colleague who was getting impatient said lets go- we just have a few hours left. My gut feel was I might get some action as there were chitals at a distance. But they quietly left and my head sank in my hands.

Luckily the driver said- saab rukhte hai thodi der..

4/n

The tail swung like a sword trying to slash the mosquitoes. We hushed and got d equipment into position. No movement. Eyes were glued to the view finder & sweat trickling down towards the eye.
I blinked and saw again through the view finder with my blurred eye.

She got up

5/n

She started walking away from us. I was distraught and took the camera away trying to see where she was heading. Thats when an image was formed in my mind. She walked towards that lone tree near the bank and I anticipated that she will mark the tree and clean her claws.

6/n

I flung the camera on the bean bag & reduced the focal length to ensure I get the reflection.

Hope against hope, she jumped and marked the tree. She stretched and cleaned her claws!

Thats when my camera shutter gave a war cry.

Thk thk thk thk thk thk thk thk!

7/n

This is the most emotional wild life moment of my life. Hope you loved it. As I mentioned earlier, this image got me the award and has been recognised on a lot of wildlife platforms across the word.

Do share 🙏

@MoiSherni @desimojito @seriousfunnyguy @ShefVaidya @swati_gs