Intensity
Ok, Ok, this was not shot in the wilds of India. Just the National Zoo in Washington, DC. Still, this is not a tame animal and I continue to be impressed by the...
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Ok, Ok, this was not shot in the wilds of India. Just the National Zoo in Washington, DC. Still, this is not a tame animal and I continue to be impressed by the intensity of his gaze as he watched his keeper just behind me.
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May, 2015Views
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chuckcascio
March 07, 2017
Great shot! I only get to see this guy from an above-view. How did you get eye level/what type of lens did you use?
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allenwehrmann
April 02, 2018
400 mm on a cropped sensor (Canon 7D) and cropped the shot to get just the head.
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allenwehrmann
April 02, 2018
Join the conversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique. Let's get better together!
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This image was taken at the National Zoo in Washington D.C. back in 2015.Time
It was May 1, 2015 at 9 am. I specifically remember wanting to get to the zoo early in the day when the animals are typically more active. I spent the first hour photographing the National Zoo's treasured pandas and then went over to the big cats, my favorites.Lighting
As I recall, because this was fairly early in the morning, the light was relatively flat making for good portraiture photography.Equipment
Canon 7D with Canon EF 400 mm EF 5.6L. Handheld at 1/500 s.Inspiration
I have always been fascinated by these incredible animals and knowing I was going to be staying near the National Zoo (I'm from Illinois) gave me the incentive to get out early before the crowds and the heat of the day. Wildlife photography of nearly any kind (from song birds to elephants!) has been a long-time passion/hobby of mine and maybe some day I'll have the opportunity to see these guys in the wild.Editing
Even though I used a 400 mm lens on a cropped sensor and was perhaps no more than 100 feet away, I cropped this image to allow the viewer to really focus on this tiger's eyes, hence "intensity". Cropping also got rid of any distracting elements such as grass and dirt behind him that made you realize this was not taken "in the wild." I was lucky in that this magnificent creature was intently watching one of the zookeepers behind me, someone that is responsible for his feeding, so he was intently watching the activity behind me, not moving around, and using that penetrating gaze.In my camera bag
For a long time, I used a Canon 7D but recently upgraded to the 7D MkII. With a 10 fps shutter speed and cropped sensor, I feel these cameras are great for wildlife capture and do quite well for landscapes as well. I have a variety of lenses, the 400 mm mentioned already, an EF 24-70 mm F2.8L, an EF 24-105 mm, and a Tokina 11-16 F2.8. Both cameras are outfitted with Arca L-plates for use on a Benro Travel Angel tripod with a Benro B1 head. Most of this fits in a ThinkTank StreetWalker HardDrive backpack. The StreetWalker also handles my laptop - I would NOT recommend carrying this load any distance in the field, but it gets me through the airport and fits in the overhead.Feedback
For something like this, try to get there as early in the morning as the zoo hours allow. The heat of the day will almost always cause the animals to take a nap and hide in locations where you simply cannot see them. Plus, early in the day, they are often just let out of confinement and are quite active. And, without the crowds and the kids, you can spend some time taking images without feeling like you are in someone's way or getting equipment knocked about. As for taking photos like this, the eyes must be tack-sharp and it helps to have enough depth-of-field that keeps the whole face in focus - you really want to see individual hairs and whiskers.
