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A designer by qualification and a photographer bypassion, Archna Singh is an adept Wildlife &Nature photographer for the last few years. Havinggraduated from the prestigious National Institute ofFashion Technology, New Delhi, Archna has beenassociated with design and its intricacies for overtwo decades. Her foray into the world ofphotography began in 2006 by assisting Delhibased acclaimed photographer Akhil Bakhshi.Working behind the lens was a thoroughlyenjoyable experience and it encouraged her toactually start playing with the camera. Self-learningand experimentation have brought her to where shestands today. Her journey has been one of innerdiscovery and has unerringly led her combine herpassion for photography with her deep love ofwildlife. Backed by a strong design background,she has been actively involved in designing andpublishing books, calendars, walks, events &

exhibitions on wildlife for the last few years underher trademark “Orah Wildlife”. She loves tocapture the intrinsic beauty and emotions of theseanimals through her lens and to constantly push allboundaries that limit her. Her work is not merepictures recorded on film but an expression of herpersonal philosophy. Every photograph that yousee of hers represent Archna’s refusal to be heldback and to be shackled by any perceivedconstraints or norms. Her driving passionsreverberate in the colors, light and shadows of herphotography. Her camera more than just ‘drawswith light’, it creates art! Art that is vibrant andenthused by her openness to travel and her need toabsorb new ideas. She hopes that through her artshe can create awareness about our wildlife, reachout to more people, educate them about the needof the hour and in turn create respect towards allGod’s creatures. .

Archna Singh - A Wildlife Photographer in Her Own Words

India’s Rebel Queen

A selection of splendid images by a strong-willed and powerfullypassionate artist with a self-admitted feminine weakness for felines

http://www.archnasingh.com/

Muscle Power

This playful fightamongst two youngsub adult Tigers wasindeed a brilliantlifetime opportunitythat lasted exactly4-5 seconds. Thecubs were sitting inthe grass as duskapproached whensuddenly one ofthem sneaked upbehind the otherand what happenednext is captured inthis image. Thisplayful fightamongst the siblingsis what preparesthem for theirsurvival in the wild. BandhavgarhNational Park,Madhya Pradesh,IndiaISO 1250 F/4.5 1/500sCanon 1DC Canon 200-400mmwith built inextender @ 200 mm

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Charging Bull

As I spent anafternoon near

the riverphotographingbirds with my800mm, I

suddenly heardloud splashingsounds. Withoutremoving my eye

from theviewfinder, I sawthis angry bullcoming right atme. The bull

came chargingas if directlytowards me.Only when I

removed my eyefrom the

viewfinder did Irealize that thebull was still

quite far and notabout to kill me.Yala NationalPark, Sri Lanka

ISO 500 F/5.6

1/2500sCanon 1DX

Canon 800mm

67Ethereal beauty

This sub adult and extremely shy tigress was sitting at a place with bright light fallingon her face, giving this beautyan out of this world feel. For amoment it did not appear like it was a predator's face. Ranthambhore National Park,Rajasthan, India. ISO 2000F/6.31/320sCanon 1D Mark IV Canon 800mm

Dance of death

At the end of my day's safari these two MonitorLizards came tumbling on to the road right in frontof our jeep. I thought they were a mating pair, butwas told that it was a territorial fight to the death

between two males. Yala National Park, Sri Lanka

ISO 640 F/4

1/5000sCanon 1DC

Canon 200-400mm with built in extender @ 200 mm

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Full Throttle

This image wascaptured in the

scorching Africansun one afternoon.The lionesses were

resting with six cubs.Suddenly they

tensed and withinseconds the cubs

disappeared. Uponturning I saw a malelion of another prideapproaching them.Within seconds,

these peaceful momshad turned into

these vicious beastsand the poor liondid not stand a

chance and made ahasty retreat.

Selous GameReserve, SouthernTanzania, Africa

ISO 200 F/6.31/400s

Canon 1D Mark IV Canon 200-400mm

with built inextender

@ 200 mm

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The kill

This tigress shotout of the junglestraight in front ofour jeep and satin the middle ofthe trackobserving a herdof wild boars.She sat andcarefully watchedthem, stalkingthem andeventually makinga kill. Wild boarsare toughopponents and ittook her half anhour to keep thedeadly gripbefore he passed.

Kanha NationalPark, MadhyaPradesh, IndiaISO 320F/5.61/600sCanon 1DCCanon 200-400mm with builtin extender @ 560 mm

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PortfolioHide and seek

The quest for the tiger,quite often than not,leads to some uniquephoto opportunities aswas the case with thisSloth Bear.

ISO 400F/5.61/250sCanon 1DC | Canon200-400mm with builtin extender @ 400 mm

Watching you

The Leopard inpicture was veryfar away andsitting on itsfavorite tree,enjoying awarthog kill.

Yala NationalPark, Sri Lanka

ISO 1250 F/5.61/320s

Canon 1DCCanon 200-400mm with

built in extender@ 560 mm

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Oh deer!

I made this imagewhen everyone onsafari that mor-ning was busyphotographing atigress. Havingtaken several pic-tures of the tiger, Iturned around toobserve a herd ofSpotted Deer andit was really fasci-nating to watchtheir reaction asthey smelled orsensed the tigerapproaching fromvery far.

RanthambhoreNational Park,Rajasthan, IndiaISO 200F/5.61/600sCanon 1DXCanon 200-400mm with builtin extender @ 280 mm

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Incredible haul

This image wascaptured afterspending close to almost thirteenhours with thismother leopard.She managed tomake this kill of a Thompson’sgazelle afterthree failedattempts. Whatwas absolutelyincredible to wit-ness was the wayshe hauled thiskill up an almostvertical tree.

SerengetiNational Park,Tanzania, AfricaISO 1250 F/81/500sCanon 1D Mark IVCanon 200-400mm with builtin extender @ 461 mm

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And time stood still

On a bright sunny afternoon, tigress T-19, popularly knownas Krishna, sits for a while to rest, in a burnt out deadfoliage, due to the extreme harsh summer conditions. I sawthe burnt out background and the bright yellow orange coatof the tiger and thought to myself - if the Tiger decides tostrike a pose in this backdrop, it will really pop out.

Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, India. ISO 400 / F/10 / 1/200sCanon 1DC / Canon 800mm

Armored Knights

A mother Indian rhino and her calf take a stroll through the beautiful forestas the filtered morning light on them makes them appear

like figures out of a historic movie.

Kaziranga National Park, Assam, IndiaISO 400 / F/4 /1/250s

Canon 1DX Mark II / Canon 200-400mmwith built in extender @ 400 mm

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King of my jungle

This image isspecial to me.During the tsunamiof 2012, this treewashed ashore andhas hence laid inthe vast field eversince. Over time ittransformed intothis beautiful pieceof driftwood. A few years lateras I was followinga leopard, I spottedthis piece ofdriftwood, sointricate in naturethat I was instantlydrawn towards it.And the leopardactually went andsat on the tree - justas I had wished.

Yala National Park,Sri LankaISO 1250 F/5.61/500sCanon 1DX Canon 800mm

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Where's Mommy?

These two tiny cubs of a popular tigress called Noor (T-39) come out of their cave when theyhear their mom call out from a distance. Their tiny eyes have that look of anticipation sobeautifully expressed.

Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, India ISO 2000 / F/5 / 1/400sCanon 1DC / Canon 200-400mm with built in extender @ 400 mm

The embrace

After a long wait, the tigress came out of the thickgrass. Anticipating her and with no clear space to

see the tiger let alone photograph it, I quickly movedmy jeep to beat everyone and grab a good spot.There was only one open space in the entire areaand since that was the only space where one couldget a clear picture from, I stopped and laid myselfon the floor of my jeep. She came to the exact spotas I had anticipated. She was soon joined by her

sub adult cub, who literally went and gave mommy ahug and this was indeed a touching moment for me.

Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, India ISO 800 / F/5.6 / 1/250s

Canon 1DX / Canon 200-400mm with built in extender @ 560 mm

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Catch me if you canI found this

tigress, popularlyknown as T-39,

aka Noor, waitingnear a waterholeone morning. This

Sambar deer,approached thewaterhole withoutsensing the tiger'spresence. I waited,for what could beone hell of a photoopportunity. The

deer did not sensethe tigress

approaching himuntil she was veryclose. The deer ran

for his life andboth disapperaedbehind a small hill.

RanthambhoreNational Park,Rajasthan, India

ISO 2000 F/5.61/400s

Canon 1DCCanon 200-

400mm with builtin extender @ 236 mm

Portfolio The AngryLeopard

A tigress was staringupwards. I glancedand hanging right ontop of us, on this fraillooking tree, was a

scared femaleleopard.

RanthambhoreNational Park,Rajasthan, India

ISO 500F/9 / 1/500s Canon

1DXCanon 200-400mmwith built in extender

@ 280 mm

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Mischief Mongers

These two cubs of a Tigress called Krishna (T-19) are seen here ina difficult terrain, following their mom on a long trek to a kill shehad made. Even though the mom was walking on the path alongwith her third cub, these two naughty ones decided to climb onthis rocky hill side, giving an excellent backdrop. The trek wasdifficult but they seemed to enjoy it. A typical cub behaviourdisplayed in this image - how they are always up to somethingmischievous, and find their own games.

Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, India ISO 1250 / F/5.6 / 1/160sCanon 1DX / Canon 70-200mmwith built in extender @ 115 mm