{"id":1941,"date":"2021-02-20T00:01:03","date_gmt":"2021-02-19T18:31:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/?p=1941"},"modified":"2021-08-17T10:50:28","modified_gmt":"2021-08-17T05:20:28","slug":"jim-corbett-a-photographers-paradise-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/jim-corbett-a-photographers-paradise-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Jim Corbett &#8211; A Photographer\u2019s Paradise (Part 1 of 3) 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Jim Corbett &#8211; A Photographer\u2019s Paradise &#8211; Many like me grew up reading the absorbing piece of literature penned down by Jim Corbett,\u00a0 \u2018Maneaters of Kumaon\u201d.\u00a0 It is tough not to fall in love with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/corbett-national-park\/\">Corbett National Park<\/a> having read this book. Hence, Jim Corbett; a photographer\u2019s paradise is an apt title for many reasons.<\/p>\n<p>It was F.W. Champion, a British Forester in the early 20<sup>th<\/sup> century who pioneered in taking tiger images by camera trapping in and around Corbett National Park. You may <span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.naturesafariindia.com\/frederick-walter-champion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">read more about him here<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>He inspired Jim Corbett and many others to give up the gun and instead start shooting with the camera. His perfect image of a tiger taken in the night sitting on a Machan is in my opinion the best image of a tiger ever taken.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Frederick-Walter-Champion-Book.jpg\" alt=\"Frederick Walter Champion Book - Tripwire for a Tiger\" width=\"723\" height=\"1024\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1942 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Frederick-Walter-Champion-Book.jpg 723w, https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Frederick-Walter-Champion-Book-212x300.jpg 212w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>He quite rightly said that a tiger trophy at the most satisfies only the owner, but a good tiger image framed on the wall will please all onlookers for a much longer time.<\/p>\n<p>Jim Corbett &#8211; A Photographer\u2019s Paradise &#8211; Jim Corbett National Park has given me several exceptional immortal moments which are etched in my memory and memory cards now. I have had the privilege of meeting a few of our guests who have done safaris on almost all continents. And they have said that Jim Corbett National Park is by far the most scenic national park which matches the diverse flora and fauna that resides here.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-National-Park.jpg\" alt=\"Mist rising up on a winter morning safari in Corbett National Park\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1325\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1943 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-National-Park.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-National-Park-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-National-Park-1024x678.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-National-Park-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-National-Park-1536x1018.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-National-Park-360x240.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_88 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/jim-corbett-a-photographers-paradise-2021\/#So_what_is_it_that_makes_Jim_Corbett_%E2%80%93_A_Photographers_Paradise\" >So what is it that makes Jim Corbett &#8211; A Photographer\u2019s Paradise<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/jim-corbett-a-photographers-paradise-2021\/#My_first_visit_to_Jim_Corbett_%E2%80%93_A_Photographers_Paradise\" >My first visit to Jim Corbett &#8211; A Photographer\u2019s Paradise<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"So_what_is_it_that_makes_Jim_Corbett_%E2%80%93_A_Photographers_Paradise\"><\/span>So what is it that makes Jim Corbett &#8211; A Photographer\u2019s Paradise<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Is it the mist-covered Himalayan foothills in the winter months that add the mystic and spiritual realm to the canvas?<\/p>\n<p>Or, the lively Ramganga river which is home to the Mahsheer, Gharials, Crocodiles, and Otters playing on the river bed?<\/p>\n<p>Or, the symphony created by the flowing river, the song of the birds that inhabit this paradise, the trumpeting of the elephants, the roars of the mighty tigers, and the warning calls of the tentative prey when they sight the predators on move?<\/p>\n<p>Close your eyes anywhere in the forest and you can hear the individual notes of all the denizens of the forest. The icing on the cake is the opportunity to stay in the century-old Forest Rest Houses, which are located near the flowing river.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"My_first_visit_to_Jim_Corbett_%E2%80%93_A_Photographers_Paradise\"><\/span>My first visit to Jim Corbett &#8211; A Photographer\u2019s Paradise<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>I recall my first visit to Corbett National Park in 1994 when I went for my first tiger safari in this beautiful haven. I was with a group of friends. I entered the Dhangarhi gate. With each passing mile, the pupil of my eyes were dilating. There was a welcoming shower of bliss calming my senses. Within minutes of this drive, I was in another mental zone, away from the galaxy of my thoughts.<\/p>\n<p>I think the true spirit of Corbett is in the smell and sounds of this forest. You can stop at any place, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and let the ecstasy fill your whole body, mind, and soul.<\/p>\n<p>The drive passed through some dwellings at Sultan, Gairal, and the Crocodile Point. The driver was intentionally soft with the acceleration of the vehicle. We were enjoying the view of the delightful Sal Forest into which the sunlight has not yet had time to penetrate. The calling of the Changeable Hawk Eagle, mixed with the kutrook-kutrook-kutrook calling of the Brown-Headed Barbet was taking me away from all the petty cares and worries of one\u2019s everyday existence.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-National-Park-Photography.jpg\" alt=\"The Ramganga River on Sambar Road in Corbett National Park\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1301\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1944 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-National-Park-Photography.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-National-Park-Photography-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-National-Park-Photography-1024x666.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-National-Park-Photography-768x500.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-National-Park-Photography-1536x999.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We crossed a small bridge and on both sides, all I saw was the white round river pebbles and boulders of different sizes. On the sides of this dry nallah was the tall dominating forest. We stopped for a few minutes here as after quite a while I had got to see the intense blue sky and a distant vulture soaring high and scanning the jungle below for any signs of death. How my eyes longed to see the deep orange fur with black stripes in this backdrop cannot be expressed here. We moved on.<\/p>\n<p>The forest that followed the drive was indescribably grand. The height and girth of the trees was something I had never seen before. I asked the driver to stop again. My eyes were piercing the dense undergrowth for any movement, my ears were anxious to hear the sound of some heavy legs crunching the dry leaves on the ground. All seemed quiet and peaceful when suddenly we heard a loud sound, like the crack of a rifle. We were stunned and pin-drop silence ensued. But our driver who has spent years in these dense Sal forests said, &#8220;Sir a wild elephant pushed over a Sal tree&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>We drove for about two hours which seemed like a few minutes of drive through this beautiful abode of God. We had covered about 32kms. Upon reaching Dhikala Forest Rest House I was numbed. All my senses were active, but I felt no need to speak, I only wanted to absorb this paradise.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-Elephant.jpg\" alt=\"Elephant in Corbett National Park\" width=\"1322\" height=\"2000\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1945 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-Elephant.jpg 1322w, https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-Elephant-198x300.jpg 198w, https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-Elephant-677x1024.jpg 677w, https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-Elephant-768x1162.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Corbett-Elephant-1015x1536.jpg 1015w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1322px) 100vw, 1322px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This was the first time I was carrying a manual SLR, a Zenith. For the millennials, there were no DSLRs then, and the joy of shooting with these manual SLRs was unique. Every frame mattered as it was costly, and a sure way of learning photography. I would keep a small diary, and each time I took a shot, I would write down the number of shots, with what aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Weeks later when I would get the result would I match the individual prints with the notes I had taken to learn, how else could I have bettered my photography skills.<\/p>\n<p>Mesmerized by the beauty of Jim Corbett National Park I started to take my hobby of photography more seriously. Prior to this visit I had an aim and shoot Kodak 35mm camera. It was this forest that sparked my ever-lasting love for the Terai region. The peak of this love was to happen in another park about 225kms away from Corbett where I was privileged to watch the epic battle between a tiger and an elephant. <span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.naturesafariindia.com\/the-dudhwa-drama-tiger-safari-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more about it here<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Those who keep comparing a tiger with a lion would be pleasantly surprised that there is enough documentation of a tiger single-handedly killing an elephant, more so in these terai forests.<\/p>\n<p>Part 2 of my experience in Dhikala to follow soon. Tiger Safari in Corbett is something I highly recommend for the uninitiated in nature.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Sharad Kumar Vats<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jim Corbett &#8211; A Photographer\u2019s Paradise &#8211; Many like me grew up reading the absorbing piece of literature penned down by Jim Corbett,\u00a0 \u2018Maneaters of Kumaon\u201d.\u00a0 It is tough not to fall in love with Corbett National Park having read this book. Hence, Jim Corbett; a photographer\u2019s paradise is an [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1946,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[340,138,129,367,13,378,341,424],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1941","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tiger-photography-tours","category-national-parks","category-tiger-safaris-in-india","category-tiger-sightings","category-tiger","category-wildlife","category-wildlife-photography","category-wildlife-safaris"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1941","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1941"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1941\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1946"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1941"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tigersafariindia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}