Members Gallery (Prints) (In Person): In Search of Big Cats with Don Little

Description:

There is something compelling about big cats. It is easy to be drawn in by their gaze. Their majestic appearance and nature are awe-inspiring, and it is thrilling to see and try to capture moments of as they live their lives hunting, playing and resting.  Don Little undertook a somewhat unpredictable journey last year to try and find and photograph one particular leopard, a melanistic (black) leopard in Kenya.  Black leopards are quite rare and this one leopard is really the only one in Africa that you may have a chance to photograph as her home range overlaps with a camp in Laikipia and she is less shy than others. While Don only had a few brief encounters with her (in mostly low light…), it was an amazing experience. As with many wild animals, you are often dealing with early morning or evening low light and trying to balance shutter speed, aperture and ISO for the best quality photos. Every encounter with a big cat is thrilling, being able to capture a few images is a plus. Don is looking forward to the next opportunity to see these amazing creatures in the wild again.

Bio:

Don began his photography journey in high school with an old twin reflex of his Dad’s. His photography grew largely from his travels exploring other counties and love of nature. Starting mostly with travel and landscapes and in recent years he has shifted more to wildlife. He joined NVPS a few years ago looking for kindred spirits and hoping to improve his photographic results beyond the “postcard” photos of the past.

A goal has emerged in recent years to photograph many of the big cats in the wild. He has managed to get 5 of the top 7 big cats in recent years (tigers, lions, jaguars, pumas and leopards). The sixth, Cheetahs, should be an easy fix with the right Africa trip. While the seventh, snow leopards, will take a bit more of an effort and luck…

Additional Photos by Don Little: