Leopard on the tree

Things have been slightly busy lately. I was in Bangalore and Hyderabad for couple of days last week. It was nice to meet all the folks back home, but the pollution and traffic jams are still the same no matter that, I just cannot get used to them. Sting concert was lovely too.

Got back here to the forest over the weekend and I’ve have been having a good time here. Last evening we saw this leopard sitting on top of a tree and it refused to budge from there. We waiting for 20 min and the leopard, just sat there. He was staring at us for a while, then gave up and slept off on the branch. Eventually it got too dark, so we drove back to the camp. I wish I had better lighting, the picture could have been lot better 🙂

Another close-up leopard picture

38 Comments

  1. tariquesani · February 7, 2005 Reply

    I like this http://kalyanvarma.net/photography/wildlife/leopard/leopard_on_tree.jpg more – gives the idea of the jungle very nicely, USM both pics a wee bit and the leopard will look ready to jump out 🙂

    You need that 400mm VR – what does it cost? any idea…

  2. admin · February 7, 2005 Reply

    Yes.. but that picture, resized to small will look really bad.

    And yeah, I shot with 70-200 f/2.8 VR 😉

  3. sriramb · February 8, 2005 Reply

    when are you in town again? me wants to see the new lens! btw, does the same guy source canon lenses?

  4. tariquesani · February 8, 2005 Reply

    > And yeah, I shot with 70-200 f/2.8 VR 😉
    Oh you got that – good going – again same Q – how much and same comment a wee bit more sharpening is needed.

    I am almost decided upon go for D70 now and then upgrade body in an year. It is finally getting to be unbearable

  5. tariquesani · February 8, 2005 Reply

    Oh I noticed you sharpened the image 😀

  6. deepsan · February 8, 2005 Reply

    I too liked the bigger picture which shows the context of the jungle very nicely.

  7. 1pari · February 8, 2005 Reply

    nice one……..

    its just nice to read ur LJ…..

    pic was nice……

    K, when r u coming to b’lore again…..wanted to know want
    1 potrait 4my self ( now exam r over ,started with internship)

    cheers

  8. deepak · February 8, 2005 Reply

    > He was staring at us for a while, then gave up and slept off on the branch.
    Did you make out it was a ‘he’ after the second picture? 😉

  9. ashwinne · February 8, 2005 Reply

    That’s one big tree!

  10. Anonymous · February 8, 2005 Reply

    u mean he dint do anything .like jump on u or attack u .hmmm so all that is a myth huh kal.the fact that wild cats r dangerous?

  11. anitab · February 8, 2005 Reply

    Wowee!

    Nice! Mesmerising actually. Can’t believe you get to see all these exciting sights while we look at our monitors!! But I love cats. Any kind 🙂

  12. 1pari · February 10, 2005 Reply

    qt……….

    K,
    wanted to know when u wil be back
    as iam free now also my mind z in proper
    state… want 1 potratit 4 my self

    cya
    pari

  13. admin · February 10, 2005 Reply

    Re: qt……….

    I should be back in about 2 weeks time. will let you know

  14. deponti · February 10, 2005 Reply

    great pic

    that was a great shot kalyan! Good that you had the camera with you this time!

    Uncle said to tell you the same..he appreciated both pics!

    PS…I hope you saw the write up in Deccan Herald. Poor Arun isn’t mentioned, but you and Gangaswamy are…in case you haven’t got the paper there, I have the cutting; you can take it from me next time you are in Blr.

    We are going to Darjeeling next week, to see Mount Everest….I haven’t seen it for 28 years, and Uncle has NEVER seen it…hope we are lucky with the mist, or we would have mist a great opportunity!

  15. admin · February 11, 2005 Reply

    Re: great pic

    Thanks.

    Which article is this ? I never knew something came in the paper. which day and what was thea article about ? prob I will be able to search for it online 🙂

    Nice to hear about you trip. take great shots and be careful 🙂 You too folks sure know how to have fun and you guys prove again and again that its never to late to try out things in life.

  16. 1pari · February 11, 2005 Reply

    Re: qt……….

    K,
    k thanx ……

  17. arigho57 · February 11, 2005 Reply

    Re: great pic

    Can you see Everest from Darjeeling? People normally go there for a view of the Kanchenjungha.

  18. deponti · February 12, 2005 Reply

    view from Darjeeling

    Yes, the view of the Kanchenjunga is more famous…but you go to Tiger Hill (I have been there myself, no hearsay) and if the weather conditions are right…there, behind the other quite imposing peaks, is this sublimely majestic, aloof giant that quite takes your breath away. It is 28 years since I beheld that sight and I have never forgotten it.

  19. deponti · February 12, 2005 Reply

    write up in D H

    I posted off today the article in Deccan Herald. Let me know when you get it!

  20. admin · February 12, 2005 Reply

    Re: write up in D H

    You send it via snail mail to BRT ?

    thanks a ton. I owe you one

  21. nirjhar · February 12, 2005 Reply

    Wah bhai wah!

    Arrey Bhidu,

    I am so envious of you…

    I love wild life sancturies. Though, I have only been to one. Kanha Kisli.

    After reading your blogs, I so wanna go and visit one…

    Do keep posting pictures.. Wonderful pics… 🙂

    Best,
    Nirjhar

    http://www.geocities.com/nirjhar_jain

    “You want free speech? Let’s see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who’s standing center stage and advocating, at the top of his lungs, that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the land of the free, then the symbol of your country can’t just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest.” Show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then you can stand up and sing about the land of the free.

  22. arigho57 · February 13, 2005 Reply

    Re: view from Darjeeling

    I didnt know about this before… though I’ve never been in Darjeeling, I thought I had a fair idea about Himalayan peaks… that’s why I was so confident:D. http://darjeelingnews.net/tiger_hill.html says just its top is visible, and it looks smaller than 2 other peaks (would those be Lhotse and Nuptse?) and even smaller than Makalu. But even from 107 miles away it should be pretty awe-inspiring, more people should have mentioned it! The other thing is that we are more impressed by things as kids than as adults. I remember going to Chandipur (in Orissa) as a kid, and I was awestruck by how much the sea receded during low tide (literally miles), but when I went back a couple of years ago, I didn’t feel the same excitement at the sight! But I guess the Himalayas are different. The first time I saw snow-clad peaks was from the road to Manali – views of Friendship and Srmitidhar peaks. Later in 2002 I went on a trek to Roopkund, and the first view of the snowy peaks stunned me the same way. The closer we got to Trishul, the more I just wanted to do nothing but stare at the mountain, it was magical. Will you share a pic when you’re back?

  23. deponti · February 13, 2005 Reply

    Re: view from Darjeeling

    Well….I too thought that things are more awe-inspring when one is a kid…until I went to Naukuchiyatal in the Himalayas as an adult…the sight of the Himalayas was just as wonderful as it had been. So I am hoping for the best this time too….

    There are some sights that lived up to my expectations and exceeded them…the Pieta in Rome, the Himalayas, the painting of the young Shankuntala dreaming of Dushyanth, by Ravi Varma…they reduced me to tears that I could not understand…but other sights, notably the Grand Canyon, were very disappointing indeed!

    I am not a very tech-savvy person, but I will certainly try and share some of the superb pics my husband will be taking. I will get some advice on how to do this, it will be a learning process for me!

  24. arigho57 · February 13, 2005 Reply

    Re: view from Darjeeling

    I must sheepishly confess that the Pieta quite disappointed me… or rather the view I got was pretty disappointing. Some crazy guy had hacked off one of David’s toes just before I went there, so they weren’t allowing people anywhere near the Pieta too… she was tucked in a corner, and so badly lit that there wasn’t much we could make out. About the Grand Canyon, I’ve heard 2 versions from people, depending on which rim they saw; I believe the South Rim (the Phoenix approach) is more spectacular. But you’re right, the magic of the Himalayas is something special that will never fails to enchant, in spite of all the Tehri dams and the march of motorable roads. In fact, there’s a whole bunch of places in India that will beat most of the hyped places in the US (and Europe to a lesser extent) hands down any day… Hampi, Kerala, the northeast and of course the Himalayas… its a pity we cannot popularize them the way we should.

    Have a good trip and may the weather be brilliant. I’d love to see what the Everest looks like from Tiger Hill.

  25. beteljues · February 14, 2005 Reply

    Shouldn’t this have been sharper?

    Have fun dude. The choices you have to make….

    BTW, how far was this animal and at what time? I thought the 70-200 VR should be sharper. A lot more sharper. Or am I missing something?

  26. admin · February 14, 2005 Reply

    Re: Shouldn’t this have been sharper?

    It was quite far and it was past 6:30 pm in thich forest. The lens is really amazing and super sharp. This one is just bad light, hang-held , low ISO etc.

  27. beteljues · February 15, 2005 Reply

    Re: Shouldn’t this have been sharper?

    Was considering it in the really really long term, so was a bit shocked. Thanks and wish you more adventure.

  28. beteljues · February 19, 2005 Reply

    Re: Shouldn’t this have been sharper?

    Hi Kalyan,

    I am considering the D70. I have a couple of questions I was wondering if you could help me sort it out.

    Can D70 support VR? All the VR lenses that I like and may some day acquire do not explicitly say they support D70. They do mention D100. Even the new ones.

    How does the camera handle with a 70-200 VR Sticking on it. Is it robust enough to take the load of a really heavy lens?

    Any other general comments you may have…

    Appreciate the feedback.
    Beteljues

  29. admin · February 20, 2005 Reply

    Re: Shouldn’t this have been sharper?

    All VR lenses work with D70 just fine. Since D70 is the latest, none of the pre-D70 lenses actually mention that.

    The 70-200 is kinda heavy. So now I hold the lens when I am carrying my camera around. I sometimes hang the camera on my neck, but I feel the camera is taking too much strain. That is the case with any body you take… they lens will be the main weigh.

    DO let me know if you need to know anything else. Will be glad to help

  30. beteljues · February 21, 2005 Reply

    Re: Shouldn’t this have been sharper?

    Thanks for the info.

    I knew it is heavy. But is it so heavy that it really strains the body, threatening to warp the mount and all.

    I saw this happen to a Canon Rebel and F65 once. The F80 and F100 have a metal mount on a polycarbonate body and a all metal mount and body to manage this issue. This is why I had this question and also you are the only guy I know with a d70 with 70-200VR.

    Beteljues

  31. Anonymous · May 12, 2005 Reply

    leopard’s Pic

    i like the look on his face! the attitude…he is the hottest spot !!

    Kalyan – lucky you!

  32. quilt_artist · December 13, 2005 Reply

    Leopard

    This is a wonderful photo! I am working on a quilt design and would like to base it on this image. Would you mind? Its for a challange contest (no money in it – just quilt glory ;_)and I will be happy to show you the result if I can come close to pulling it off.

    Enjoyed your other photos as well.

  33. admin · December 14, 2005 Reply

    Re: Leopard

    Feel free to as long as you give the me due credits and also let me have a look at your final work 🙂

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