Finding a leopard in Mara North isn’t an impossible task. It may take some patience - a few hours, maybe even a few days, but if seeing a leopard is your goal, I’m confident you’ll succeed. Yet while every leopard sighting is magical, the real challenge lies in capturing a truly strong photograph, not just another record shot.
I’ve been working in Mara North for many years now, but I must admit, despite countless opportunities, this remains my strongest leopard-in-a-tree photograph to date. Deceptively simple...Frustratingly rare. If you’re lucky enough to spot a leopard, what are the chances it’s perched on a clear branch, without overlapping branches in the background distracting from the subject’s outline? In places like Zambia, Botswana, or South Africa, these chances are higher, but Mara North is filled with acacia trees, which can have messy branches that often make clean compositions difficult.
If we find a leopard on a clear branch, what are the chances of golden light? Leopards are most often spotted lazing in trees during the afternoon, but in the Mara, clouds frequently build after lunch, leaving us with flat, dull light by late afternoon. Golden hour is far from guaranteed. On this particular evening, however, we were incredibly fortunate as there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky, and the sun lit the scene perfectly as it touched the horizon.
Finally, supposing we find a leopard on an open branch, in stunning golden light, what are the chances it gives us a pose worth photographing? Will it lift its head and look towards the camera? I feel incredibly lucky that on this occasion, as the sun lowered in the sky, not only did the leopard look towards the camera and put both ears forward, but also curled her tail in the bottom right hand side of the photograph which balanced the frame beautifully.
I will continue to work in Mara North for many years to come, but I am confident that I will be only able to count on one hand better leopard sightings than this in those years.
*Price is for print only. For more information on purchasing prints please visit our FAQ’s page.
Finding a leopard in Mara North isn’t an impossible task. It may take some patience - a few hours, maybe even a few days, but if seeing a leopard is your goal, I’m confident you’ll succeed. Yet while every leopard sighting is magical, the real challenge lies in capturing a truly strong photograph, not just another record shot.
I’ve been working in Mara North for many years now, but I must admit, despite countless opportunities, this remains my strongest leopard-in-a-tree photograph to date. Deceptively simple...Frustratingly rare. If you’re lucky enough to spot a leopard, what are the chances it’s perched on a clear branch, without overlapping branches in the background distracting from the subject’s outline? In places like Zambia, Botswana, or South Africa, these chances are higher, but Mara North is filled with acacia trees, which can have messy branches that often make clean compositions difficult.
If we find a leopard on a clear branch, what are the chances of golden light? Leopards are most often spotted lazing in trees during the afternoon, but in the Mara, clouds frequently build after lunch, leaving us with flat, dull light by late afternoon. Golden hour is far from guaranteed. On this particular evening, however, we were incredibly fortunate as there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky, and the sun lit the scene perfectly as it touched the horizon.
Finally, supposing we find a leopard on an open branch, in stunning golden light, what are the chances it gives us a pose worth photographing? Will it lift its head and look towards the camera? I feel incredibly lucky that on this occasion, as the sun lowered in the sky, not only did the leopard look towards the camera and put both ears forward, but also curled her tail in the bottom right hand side of the photograph which balanced the frame beautifully.
I will continue to work in Mara North for many years to come, but I am confident that I will be only able to count on one hand better leopard sightings than this in those years.
*Price is for print only. For more information on purchasing prints please visit our FAQ’s page.
