Rules about Snow Leopard Photography for Every First-Timer to Remember

Have you ever experienced a snow leopard at a close range? The snow leopards are stunning animals that love to dwell in high mountains, far away from human cacophony. Following the trails of cold high mountains, you can catch one glimpse of the elusive cats stalking their prey. The snowy slopes aid in camouflage and their beautiful coats are ideal to save them against cold. On top of it, these big cats are on the verge of extinction in recent times. Needless to say, this makes the best time to instill the snow leopards in memories through photographs.

However, while photographing these solitary and elusive cats, many photographers are huge mistakes. The predators go out at dusk or dawn for hunting down their favored prey. Hence, a photographer must be resilient to harsh snowy weather in the alpine ranges. Apart from acclimatizing in such harsh conditions, snow leopard photography requires several things to keep in mind. Go through the following do’s and don’ts to inform the cameramen interested in capturing snow leopards in their natural habitats.

  • Do Research the Behavior of Snow Leopards

If you are habituated in snapping domestic cats, shooting a snow leopard is going to be completely different. This type of leopards chooses the seclusion and prefers to dwell in peace and quiet. Without knowing the natural history of the animal, your photography experience is likely to get crucial. Ask the tour guides at which time the leopard gets out for hunting. Usually, these leopards patrol home ranges and have the capability to cover long distances. Of course, the animal changes its behavior throughout the year. If you are aware of it in advance, you can save hours of struggle.

  • Don’t Ignore the Setting

Yes, you are out in the wild but don’t let the environment spoil the journey. As a wildlife photographer, you should remember where the leopards can dwell. You cannot just snap whenever the snow leopard crosses your path because a distracting background might ruin the frame. Obviously, wild photographers do not get much choice to wait for every shot. Snapping domestic animals is a lot different than photographing the snow leopards. In any case, you should be relaxed to take natural shots.

  • Do Take Care of Blurry Image

For a snow leopard photographer, life is not easy out in the wilderness. Your movements should be slow and steady; otherwise, the shy creature will run away. As you need to maintain a good distance from the subject, you can use a tripod for removing the risk of a blurry image. In case, the lens is too big and makes you uncomfortable to carry, keep the tripod at home. Often, the camera faces trouble in being able to focus because the subject starts to move. As a result, the AF motor enters a confused state. There are cameras with a decent autofocus system, so look out for such products.

  • Don’t Leave the Trail

As you are on an eco-tourism excursion, the list of don’ts must be carefully maintained. In the meantime, you should be cautious about following the certain path specified for the expedition only. If you are on the dirt road or footpath while on the safari, you cannot break away and walk on your own. It becomes dangerous for tourists and animals as well. The snow leopards do not attack human beings but you can startle them entering their territory. Once you get too close to the animals, there is an impending risk of getting allergies, poison ivy, or ticks.

Apart from roaming around alpine ranges, you can enjoy city life in Chengdu. Gather information about the Chengdu day tour from the professionals and have a gala time with family.

Author bio: Na Chuang is a backpacker who has published her experience of Chengdu day tour only a few weeks ago. Here, she talks about the necessary dos and don’ts of snow leopard photography to keep in mind while out in the wild.