Vincent Munier uses Nikon D5 with 800mm f/5.6E lens to photograph the elusive & endangered snow leopard

by Jeremy Gray

posted Thursday, August 10, 2017 at 10:00 AM EDT

Wildlife photographer Vincent Munier is well known for his incredible work and dedication to the craft. A recent trip to Tibet only adds to his already excellent reputation. Munier headed to Tibet to photograph the reclusive snow leopard.

Photographing in Tibet posed a unique set of challenges to the seasoned Munier. There are geopolitical hurdles which must be cleared to even enter the country, let alone the high altitudes and woefully poor availability of reliable maps for the region. Once you're in the wilds of Tibet, finding snow leopards is no easy feat. While it is not known with certainty how many snow leopards there are in the world and in Tibet in particular, they are an endangered species and human activity continues to pose a serious threat to their existence.

For Munier's trip, he was well-equipped with a wide range of Nikon equipment. He is a Nikon Ambassador, after all. Munier used Nikon D5 and D500 DSLR cameras and Nikon AF-S 24-120mm f/4G ED VR, Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E and Nikon AF-S 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR lenses. You can see many of his shots here.