Stories1 min(s) read
Published 16:56 25 Jul 2020 GMT
Attempting to capture the raw beauty of nature is something that only the most skilled photographers can accomplish.
However, now-and-then a picture comes along that is so utterly breathtaking, that skill alone is not the only factor that went into capturing it - put also a great deal of luck and patience.
Take this incredible image of a black panther and a leopard standing side-by-side, which was captured by wildlife photographer Mithun H.
In fact, patience had a huge part in capturing the shot, as it took Mithun six days to snap the moment - which shows the predators so in-sync, that it looks as if the panther is actually the leopard's shadow.
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Sharing pictures of the two big cats with his 178,000 Instagram followers, Mithun captioned the series of snaps:
"The Eternal Couple.
"Saaya and Cleopatra have been courting since 4 years now and whenever they are together it’s a sight to behold. The forest comes alive as they trot nonchalantly in his fabled kingdom. Usually in the courting pairs generally it is the Male who takes charge and moves around with the female following close behind. But with this couple it was definitely Cleo who was in charge while the Panther followed.
"This was shot on a surreal winter morning when a single Deer alarm led me to this breathtaking sight."
The photographer also spoke with Bored Panda about the remarkable image, saying: "I can still close my eyes and relive that moment every single day of my life.
"You don’t see that often. Probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
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Mithun continued: "There was certainly a lot of waiting and patience that went into it. I had waited 6 days for this in the same spot since I could hear the panther and Cleopatra (the leopard) mating about 100 meters away in the thick undergrowth, but could not see them due to limited visibility. [...] That is where the knowledge and years of experience of following and tracking the panther came in handy.
"I just had to wait at one of his favorite paths, since that was the place he would get her, since that was the edge of his territory, and this he did after 6 days. It was a fruitful wait, though."
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The talented photographer then revealed that it was his upbringing that shaped his love of big cats and photography, telling the outlet:
"Having been born and brought up in the jungles of South India, I always had a passion for wildlife and big cats from ever since I can remember myself as a kid.
"Photography was a means to immortalize the moments I see in the wild. Picked up my first camera in 2009 and was treated a magnificent sight of a huge male tiger swimming and wading through a flowing river with ease. That was the moment I decided my way forward in life."
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A truly once-in-a-lifetime moment captured forever! Check out more of Mithun's work over on Instagram HERE.
