Eye To Eye

A resourceful photographer captures rare, dramatic views of a wild world.

- Barry Tanenbaum

ANUP SHAH BELIEVES THERE IS AN AUTHENTICITY to the personalities of wild animals: an animal in the wild wears no mask and assumes no role that is not genuine; neither is that animal influenced by humans in the way a captive creature would be.

To make photographs that capture behavior and personality without intrusion or influence, Shah first began to employ remote photography about 10 years ago.

“I started doing wildlife photography full-time about 1990,” he says, “but I was very unhappy doing the same documentary style over and over again. I wasn’t really expressing what I felt about being out there amongst wild animals— and that’s what I wanted most: to convey the feeling and spark a connection between people and wild animals.”

IN THE OUTDOOR STUDIO 

The images here are from Shah’s most recent book, The Mara, which presents his black-and-white photography of wild animals in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve.

“From my experience of the Mara over the years, I know there are about 15 locations—what I call my outdoor studios— where I can plan the picture,” Shah says. “I know the animals will come there, I know the backgrounds, and I know that at certain times of day the light is very good.”