How to Get the Best Leopard Images

Leopards are often spotted lazing in trees and it can be a beautiful sight to photograph them from below. Be sure to get the full body of the animal in the frame and focus on the eyes, they have a lot of emotional appeal. The sun glinting in the pupil can really liven up your image.

A leopard stalking its prey is one of the most spectacular sights in the bush and can be an exhilarating experience. Leopards are very careful hunters, and their patience and concentration is awe inspiring. Be sure to capture this moment of power and precision with a sharp, well-exposed picture.

Mating leopards make good photographic subjects because this is a rare event. The female leopard usually mates with the male for only a few days and you can get some great action photographs as they mate, wrestle, snarl and fight. Listen out for the rasping grunt that the male makes, this is to advertise that he has a new territory.

Leopards are notoriously difficult to see in the wild, but you can improve your chances by staying at a private reserve or safari camp. Many of these lodges have waterholes that attract leopard and other game, and are close to areas of dense vegetation where these cats hide. You can also increase your chance of seeing a leopard by going on a night drive, as these animals are active at this time of day and will be out in the open.