To capture Water ballet, Chandrasekar worked with a pro Nikon<\/a> mirrorless camera<\/a> with a 45.7MP full-frame sensor <\/a>and a US$14,000 400mm Z lens<\/a> with built-in 1.4x tele-converter. The combination of exceptional use of light, high-resolution mirrorless, and spectacular performing prime optic delivered stunning image quality with strong visual impact.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n ‘Water ballet’<\/p>\n \n The Nikon Z9 is the most important Nikon camera of the mirrorless era (so far\u2026),<\/a> packing 120fps bursts, 2\u00bd hours of 8K video and constant evolution (Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n Tech details About the shot “Then came a moment of magic. Having taken its fill, the giraffe lifted its head – and with a gentle swish, expelled a stream of water in an arc that shimmered in the golden light. The droplets danced in the air, forming a near-perfect circle before falling back to the earth.<\/p>\n “With the animal’s outline enhanced by the rim lighting, golden reflections sparkled off the airborne water.<\/p>\n “A rare and fleeting behaviour, made unforgettable by the setting sun. My desire was to capture the interplay of the golden light and the motion of the swishing of the water.”<\/p>\n To discover more award-winning photographs, visit the World Nature Photography Awards. <\/a><\/p>\n You might like…<\/p>\n Discover the best cameras for wildlife photography<\/a>, and the best lenses for bird photography and wildlife. <\/a><\/p>\n Looking for competitions to enter? Here are 10 global photo contests now open for entries from February to July.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Nikon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/auiXqAwRgZfzwL7Aa7dk8n.jpg\")
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Gear: Nikon Z9<\/a> + Nikon Z 400mm f\/2.8 TC VR S<\/a>
Exposure: 1\/1000sec, f\/5.6, ISO 400<\/p>\n
“As the sun dipped low over the dry Makgadikgadi landscape in Botswana, a lone giraffe stepped to the water\u2019s edge. Towering and graceful, it bent its long legs, lowering its neck for a drink.<\/p>\n