The Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is a magnificent and captivating species, known for its striking beauty and adaptability to diverse habitats across the Indian subcontinent. These enigmatic and powerful creatures have long been associated with charisma and have a prominent place in the folklore and mythology of many Indian cultures.

Indian Leopards have a golden-yellow to tawny coat covered with beautiful black rosettes. These rosettes are unique to each leopard and serve as camouflage in their natural habitat. Leopards are renowned for their sleek and agile bodies. Their lithe and muscular physique allows them to move silently and with incredible grace through various terrains, whether it's dense forests, grasslands, or rocky landscapes. They are masters of stealth and patience. They can stalk their prey silently for long distances, displaying remarkable patience and focus.

Their stalking behaviour, combined with their incredible speed when they choose to pounce, adds to their allure giving them this metaphor of ‘Flying Ghost’. In this context, it represents the elusive and swift nature of the leopard. Just as a ghost is intangible and often invisible, leopards are hard to pin down or understand fully. When the moment is right, leopards can unleash bursts of incredible speed and power. They can leap great distances and heights to pounce on their prey with lightning-fast reflexes, often incapacitating their target with a single bite to the throat.

Due to their swift action one has to be prompt and alert to photograph them which often is not difficult. But I attempted to make it a little creative and different by clicking this panning image of a Leopard when it crossed our vehicle during a jungle safari in the beautiful forest of Sasan Gir in India. Post-processed in Adobe Lightroom to monochrome to make it visually more appealing for this metaphor.

About artist: Dr Brijesh Makadia is from Rajkot in India. By profession, I’m a consulting physician and by passion, I'm a photographer. Wildlife and nature photography are my key areas of interest. With a camera as a tool when used efficiently we can capture moments, and stories and share them with the rest of the World. An image is a very powerful document which not only stores information but it is proof of the event and story which can be used for many purposes. As a photographer, my goal is to capture stories in the form of images. Photos have the power to help you relive a specific moment in time and recall all of the emotions and details surrounding that moment.

Wildlife photography is an evolving art. I'm always learning new techniques, adapting to changing technologies and refining my understanding of different species' behaviours. This keeps the experience fresh and exciting, no matter how many years I've been behind the camera. In the end, being a wildlife photographer is about capturing moments of awe and wonder, sharing the magnificence of nature, and inspiring others to appreciate and protect the incredible diversity of life on our planet.

License: Primary NFT holder is free to use in display privately and in groups, including virtual galleries, documentaries, and essays by the holder of the NFT, as long as the creator is credited. Provides no rights to create commercial merchandise, commercial distribution, or derivative works. Copyright remains with the creator.