Walk on the wild side: What it takes to capture animals on camera

The art of waiting

Born in Hyderabad and raised in the forests of Karnataka, Shaaz Jung’s earliest memories are shaped by wilderness. His family moved to Bandipur National Park, where they set up a small eco-tourism camp. Jung spent his first four years in a stone cottage inside the jungle. Though he later studied economics in the Netherlands, conservation, and the forest, eventually called him back.    

By 2010, he had joined his family at Nagarhole Tiger Reserve as a camp manager and naturalist, allowing photography to evolve organically from observation. 

“My father (a cricketer) always carried a notebook and a camera,” Jung recalls. “From animal sightings to weather patterns, everything was recorded with precision. That attention to detail stayed with me.” 

Unlike many contemporary photographers, Jung decided to begin with a film camera, working with a Nikon F60. “With digital, we shoot thousands of images a day. The surprise element is lost,” he says, as is the relationship with pictures. Film forces you to slow down. It is expensive, takes time to develop, and then you have to wait for the result. So, every frame matters, every image carries anticipation, and holds a memory.  

The soul of the photograph comes from patience, he says. More so, when the subject belongs to the wild. 

Wildlife photography isn’t just content creation; it is a space where art meets storytelling. One such story is that of Scarface, the first leopard he tracked, for almost 10 years. Like Jung, the animal was young. It had earned a big gash while seizing the territory from its father — hence the Al Pacino-inspired name. 

Jung uses a 600 mm lens to document leopards, especially melanistic leopards — the black ones. These leopards are difficult to find. Among the ones he caught on camera is Saaya (shadow). That film was featured on National Geographic.    

Jung’s essentials remain practical and minimal: Nikon 10x56 binoculars; reliable (at times, use and throw) rain gear, including tarpaulin; gumboots to protect against leeches; and comfortable, sturdy shoes that offer good grip and traction on slippery, wet terrain.  

He does not use a compass or headphones. What he does carry is a camera bag that includes three lenses: A 600 mm for big cats; a 70-200 mm for habitat portraits; and a 100 mm macro lens for smaller, often overlooked, ecosystems. “The bag should always be as light as possible,” he says. “In the mountains or in slush, excess weight becomes your biggest obstacle.” 

The dos and don’ts of wildlife photography are simple, he says: Choose patience over popularity. Focus on storytelling. The desire to capture a moment for social media can distract you from storytelling. Value your work. Respect animals. Be ethical. If you are photographing the animal with your phone, do not get too close to it. Instead, observe from a distance, or use a zoom lens. 

Among his most memorable experiences is Amboli in Maharashtra, often called the glowing forest, where bioluminescent fungi illuminate the night. Moments like these, he says, remind photographers that not every discovery needs to be captured.

Untamed frames

For Rathika Ramasamy, often identified as India’s first woman wildlife photographer to gain international recognition, the journey began with a gift in 1985: A Minolta point-and-shoot camera from her father, an army officer. What started as curiosity soon evolved into a lifelong pursuit, with birds as her earliest, and enduring, fascination.   

Her transition into wildlife photography deepened in the early 2000s with the arrival of digital cameras. “The DSLR changed everything,” she says. “You could see results instantly. I fell in love with photographing birds at Bharatpur (Rajasthan) and Okhla (Delhi).” 

Wildlife photography is about awareness, she says. You must learn to read the animals’ calls and be willing to wait for the forest to reveal itself. 

Ramasamy mostly wears hiking boots for uneven terrain, and carries an extra pair of walking shoes. “If you are in water, snakes can be lurking around,” she says. A compass on her Apple watch and a torchlight form part of her essentials. Nutrition is equally important for long hours in the field: Glucose water, bananas, dry fruits for sustained energy. 

Her camera kit typically includes sophisticated 800 mm and 400 mm pro lenses that allow her to photograph in low-light conditions during early morning forest excursions. 

Fast, quick-focusing lenses, she explains, are critical so that you do not miss the rich colours and the fleeting moments: A cheetah running, an animal duel, a bird in flight. The lenses she uses typically cost ₹4-8 lakh. 

In rainforests, anti-leech socks are indispensable, especially if you are filming water birds. As are neutral clothing, to blend into the environment. Reds and whites are a no-no.  

Instead, opt for camouflage prints, and carry an extra pair of clothing, ideally cottons, she advises. A cap, sunscreen, and sunglasses are also advised against harsh sunlight.