Apart from its eye, this tiger is perfectly hidden in the long grass and shrubs of Tadoba Tiger Reserve. Other members of the big cat family who hunt in forests, such as cheetahs, jaguars, leopards, and ocelots, have irregular spots to better mimic the effect of sun shining through the leaves of tree cover. The stripes go all the way down to the skin.

India – Photo Tip

Aim for eye contact – even with a tiger

Photo by Jon Nicholson

India – Photo Tip Aim for eye contact – even with a tiger

Photographing the London Olympic and Paralympic games during summer 2012 rekindled my love of the long lens, an essential when photographing tigers from the back of a jeep.

Jon Nicholson

Shooting sport is simple with the quality of autofocus we now have, but nature is a lot harder. When using a 600mm plus teleconverter that brings a lens to 840mm, a single blade of grass in the foreground will trick the autofocus and ruin the moment. If the animal moved in the slightest, there would be another blade of grass to contend with.

As I normally work with fixed 35mm, 50mm or 85mm lenses, this was a refreshing eye opener. Photographing tigers at Tadoba Reserve, I had to resort to manual focus to get these animals as they lazed in the long grass. As with shooting people, I was always waiting for eye-to-eye contact, a portrait in a way. You have to wonder what they are thinking when they look at you... am I lunch?

One great advantage is that you can remain unseen. When a group of women walked toward me at Tadoba, with their water jugs on the heads, they remained unaware of me and stayed natural. The long lens also squashed everything up and the narrow band of focus draws the viewer's eye straight to the subject.

jn-tadobatigerreserve-2012-116 — This picture of women walking to work, water jugs on their head, seems idyllic until you realize they are walking – and working – in India's Tadoba Tiger Reserve, where they clear the roads. However, the abundance of game animals means there is little danger, as tigers prefer more protein-rich food such as deer, antelope, pigs and buffalo. **Photo by Jon Nicholson**

Jon Nicholson

Nikon D3S

Aperture: ƒ/4
Exposure: 1/500
ISO: 400
Focal: 600 mm

This picture of women walking to work, water jugs on their head, seems idyllic until you realize they are walking – and working – in India's Tadoba Tiger Reserve, where they clear the roads. However, the abundance of game animals means there is little danger, as tigers prefer more protein-rich food such as deer, antelope, pigs and buffalo.

Other stories about India

Sunlight peeks through the rafters of a cremation ground in Agra. Cremation has long been a vital part of Indian death rituals for both men and women, yet the now illegal practice of Sati once called for widows to make the ultimate sacrifice upon the deaths of their husbands – throwing themselves onto their funeral pyres.

With sensitive subject matter, always ask permission

Photographing a funeral or cremation? I would never dare enter this very private moment or photograph this final farewell without permission or a direct invitation from the family first.

Jochem Wijnands Founder / photographer

This ornate chain is a bridal ornament but most Indian women have their nose pierced as the Ayurvedic medicine associates this spot, on the left side, with the female reproductive organs. The belief is that women with a nose stud or ring will have less menstrual pain and easier childbirth and in many Hindu sects it is the sign of a married woman.

India is a magical place to photograph

To my mind, India is one of the best places in the world for people pictures. Indians are colorful, friendly and approachable, and generally love to have their pictures taken.

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Jyoti Meshran's mother was killed by a tiger after she went into the forest to cut firewood. Tigers do not normally attack humans and such incidents are usually the result of a tiger being cornered or being aggressive in defense of cubs.

Living with a killer in India

"Should we get rid of the tiger? No, that would not be right. He has the right to live just as we do." The quiet words seem unremarkable, except that they are coming from the mouth of a 17-year-old whose mother was killed by a tiger.

Kieran Meeke Travel Writer

This is the million dollar view you come to Ladakh for

School children crossing a bridge covered in Prayer flags – distant view of Stakna Monastery on a hill, Stakna nr Leh, Indus Valley, Ladakh, India.

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Where camel herders meet their match

As pilgrims come for the annual ritual of bathing in Pushkar’s holy lake at the time of the autumn full moon, thousands of camel herders also gather for the world’s biggest camel fair.

David Noyes Travel Writer

Insider tips for India: go where the locals go

India is a majestic country blessed with a vastly diverse landscape. This great peninsula is called a "subcontinent" for good reason. The mighty Himalayas grace the north, evergreen forests cool the east, a formidable desert stands out in the west and stunning beaches dot the entire southern coast; Tourists flock to the famous hot-spots of India, the world wonder Taj Mahal in Agra, Jaipur for architecture, Rishikesh for yoga retreats and Goa for beaches.

Priyadarshini Rajendran