Since 2010, this handsome man-eating tiger has killed two villagers in Rajasthan, but T24 – as he is unimaginatively known – is still revered locally. Our brief encounter at fifteen feet was a piece of huge luck because tigers are now so rare, and they are even rarer in a backlit watering hole at sunrise. They are magical animals and the chance to take a portrait in a dark water environment free of any tension points was a moment of great fortune. In twenty eight hours of driving around Ranthambore with the most experienced of guides, this was my only encounter of any note with India’s most magnificent animal. This powerful tiger portrait will stand the test of time – I know that simply because I know that I can’t really do much better, and I do always want to do better.