Big cats turn on the feline flair for daring photo shoot

**Honey** · November 23rd, 2009, 08:25 PM

A new book, called Big Cat Studio, showcases lions, tigers, leopards and more photographed against a white background in a studio, giving these images a candid and intimate feel

Photographed in a specially constructed studio at The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S) in South Carolina, the pictures were taken during 24 sessions over one year

"The key to producing photographs as intimate as these was the close attention and skill of the cat handlers here at T.I.G.E.R.S in Myrtle Beach," said Dr Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle, the group founder and director. "These cats have been with my dedicated team since birth and their intuitive knowledge of their behaviour was essential to the photographic shoot"

With part of the proceeds from the book going to help the conservation work Doc does in preventing the decline in population of big cats, Big Cat Studio has a serious side too

Ngala, a four-month-old male Lion

Toltec, a seven-month-old male Ocelot

Aslan, 14-year-old male Lion

Chance, three-year-old male leopard

Parvati, a three-year-old female Lynx

Radha, a two-month-old female Golden Tabby Tiger

Bija, a two-year-old female Black Leopard

Chant and Sloka, six-week-old Leopard cubs

Tyra, a seven-week-old female Bengal Tiger

Jannaki, a two-year-old female Standard Royal Bengal Tiger

Muktan, a two-year-old male Golden Tabby Bengal Tiger, one of only 30 left in the world

Samasta, a two-year-old female Royal White Bengal Tiger

Big Cat Studio: lions, tigers and leopards photographed in a studio - Telegraph

**frecklered** · November 23rd, 2009, 09:48 PM

just gorgeous.

**Mivvi21** · November 23rd, 2009, 10:10 PM

Absolutely beautiful. Especially the last two.

**McJag** · November 23rd, 2009, 11:10 PM

Lord,how beautiful.

**Chilly Willy** · November 24th, 2009, 05:44 AM

Gorgeous creatures...who have no business being in a studio.

**caramel** · November 24th, 2009, 06:54 AM

uuhh, felines are hot

**Wiseguy** · November 24th, 2009, 07:59 AM

Stunning photos.

**Sasha** · November 24th, 2009, 10:09 AM

Very beautiful, but I'd much rather see them in their natural habitat.

**crumpet** · November 24th, 2009, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by Chilly Willy

Gorgeous creatures...who have no business being in a studio.

The studio is located on the reserve where they live. That's the place I went and got to hold all those baby tigers adn other animals. They didn't cart them off to a photography studio, they brought the white studio backdrop to them.

*DIVA! · November 24th, 2009, 04:55 PM

Absolutely Amazing!

**BoogsBun** · November 25th, 2009, 06:31 PM

That Golden Tabby tiger is just gorgeous. All of them are beautiful, but he just takes the cake.

**Brookie** · November 25th, 2009, 06:44 PM

Stunning photos and what beautiful animals. It's hard to choose a favorite from these guys. The Tabby Tigers are fabulous - I've never seen one before. And with only 30 left in the world, we might not see too many of these cats. Wow.