Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

16th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
A tiger close up through dense foliage in a monsoon evening

Rains were heavier, Forest was greener, Undergrowth was thicker and the predators were stealthier. It was monsoon at its peak. In one particular late evening with minimal light and with my longest lens I was doing hide and seek with this pretty lady from the woods of Southern India. I totally loved the intensity of her stare, I felt she was watching me; stalking me. I was inside the safety of a vehicle but still felt her stare hypnotizing scary. It was unsettling and I wondered how many more predators were inside the dense forest who is watching me too.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 11.2018
Date Uploaded: 11.2018
Photo Location: Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, Karnataka, India, India
Camera: Canon EOS-1D X
Copyright: © Mainak Ray