Tiger Tryst is here at the request of Dr Param Sandhu’s audiences. Much travel from the UK to the tiger habitats within the tiger national reserve parks of India was undertaken over many years to make this unique collection possible. Unique because the book is not put together using just single images of individual tigers but by constructing sequences where images shot at differing times and on different visits to the jungles.

This creation then had to conform to three important segments that the author had visualised. First, the beauty, grace and attitude of this gorgeous apex predator across different scenarios and natural history moments. Second, the role of us humans and our betrayal as envisaged through habitat destruction, man-animal conflict, trophy hunting, poaching and criminality to harvest tiger body parts for archaic superstitious reasons and beliefs in black magic and components of Traditional Asian Medicines; and third the focus on the tigress, as a single mother, and her cubs. This last segment representing hope and regeneration, alas with a big question mark (?).

It is this aforementioned DNA of the creative construct that makes this book unique. The pictures are world class and all have been made by the author. The narrative has been kept brief but it is there to complement the images. Wildlife photography is a tough genre of this visual art form. There is many a book on tigers, but Tiger Tryst stands apart and aloft at the high alter.