Posts Tagged ‘photography travel’

Announcing Dates for 2013 Tiger Shark Adventure

March 8 – 14 2013   $2,700

Join us for an exciting week of diving in the clear warm waters of the Bahamas and Tiger Beach. This is all about sharks and a great opportunity for underwater photography

This comfortable and professional liveaboard has been in the business for years and has been on Shark Week many times.  Experience your own Shark Week  - book now or miss out

” The best dive trip I have ever been on”   – comment from 2012 guest    See my trip log  here

All the details are on my website  www.TigerSharkDive.com

See my other trips:  South Africa Wild Safari, manatee photography workshop, Sailfish and Whale sharks in Mexico

Edited: February 7th, 2012

Tiger Shark Dive Expedition was filled with great encounters

Everyone disembarked the boat a bit tired but exhilarated by the 5 wonderful days of diving and sharks.  The weather could not have been more beautiful and the tiger sharks were abundant.  The photographers in the group returned with excellent photographs and the non photographers in the group had some exciting memories.

I really enjoyed meeting all of the wonderful people on this trip and seeing again the excellent crew on the Dolphin Dream.

I am still trying to secure dates for a Feb or March 2013 expedition on this popular boat and I have booked March 1 – 7th for 2014.   See my photo tours website for details on this and my other trips  or visit www.TigerSharkDive.com

Edited: January 15th, 2012

Canon EF 100-400 f/4-5.6L IS “Soonish” Great for Safari

From www.canonrumors.com

Finally on its way?
I was told today that a new EF 100-400 f/4-5.6L IS will be making its debut “soonish”. It will be after the EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x is officially announced.

It could be tested at Euro 2012 before being announced.

Features

Ring zoom (not push/pull)
Latest IS System
82mm Filter Size
Weather Sealed
Slightly heavier than the current model
Slightly faster f/4 at 100mm (Current is f/4.5)
Retail around $2800 USD
CR’s Take
A few folks want an EF 400 f/5.6L IS, I’d think this sort of product would fill the void. I’d expect it to be optically awesome.

This comes from a pretty solid source, though lenses are always hard to nail down.

This will be a treasured addition to my African Safari bag. I might start leaving my 300mm at home.

Edited: November 18th, 2011

The End of Another Great Safari

It has been a day since the guests departed tired but very happy.  Not all of the guests were photographers this time, but everyone enjoyed our time with the animals.  Some of the non photographers might have been convinced into taking up the habit after trying some of the huge array of equipment present on the trip.

I have been slow to go through my images this trip. After a few hours with them this afternoon, I took a step back and appreciated how we are able to get nice, close shots of animals. I really love to study the images close up and try to read the story behind the scars, broken teeth, or scrapes on the antlers.  The range of wildlife we encounter is also a marvel.

I have included images that demonstrate how close we can get. The longest lens I use is a 300mm.

Edited: October 14th, 2011

Wildlife as a Cinemagraph

Cheetah Cinemagraph

I have been looking for ways to use the video capability of my  Canon 5DMKII without launching  into full video editing.  I just do not have the time to do all of that editing. I have started making “cinemagraphs” : still photos with a small subtle element of movement.  They are time consuming, but I am hoping to get more skilled and efficient as a overcome the learning curve.

The movement is a few frames of video masked into the still image.

Making these with wild animal images is challenging because the subject does not stay still like an inanimate object or a human model .

This latest effort too alot of time because I was using quite a long video clip. Each frame has to be masked so by the time I had perfected the masks, I had iterrated through my 49 frames (layers) several times.

In my next attempt  I will use  a tripod: Photoshop can make up for camera shake, but it is a long render.  I am still trying to figure out how to do this for an underwater image where the fish is not still and a tripod is impossible.

My first endeavor is this blinking lion cub. I look forward to having a whole gallery of these fun images.

Edited: October 11th, 2011

Focus on Conservation and a close look at Raptures

After our long day at Kruger, we are more relaxed today.  We are visiting a wildlife rehabilitation centre.  Here we get a chance to observe some of Africa’s raptures up close and learn about why they must live at the centre.  Each visit is different because the centre hosts different injured and motherless animals who will be reintroduced onto a reserve.  I like to use this time to study bird movements and habits.  It is possible to get some really close portraits of birds.

The afternoon will be spent learning some post processing techniques in Photoshop and Lightroom.   Guests have requested some help with correcting images with the Curves tool and  some advanced techniques for color correction.

Edited: October 11th, 2011

Magic at Kruger

There is nothing better than the elephant encounters in Kruger.  Usually it takes us until afternoon to find the herds heading for water or a mud bath, but today we found them early and they dominated our morning.  We had large family groups with some really little babies.  It is hard to photograph the really little ones as the mothers and other females keep them so close and under foot.  Not far from the herds were some really large males.  Kruger has a contest to photograph and identify the “Great Tuskers” ; the largest bulls with the biggest ivory tusks.  Some of the oldest ones have passed on recently, so they are on the look out to find the newest members of this elite group, rank them, and track them.  

Giraffes and zebras and also very easy to photograph in Kruger and they often are found gathered together.  This season the zebras were very aggressive  within their herds and fought bitterly over rights to the first drink and the water source.

Soon the Africa summer rains will start and Kruger will being to green up and the animals will move away from the watering holes when water becomes more plentiful.  It is very pleasing to visit at this time of year for the added visibility (low grass) and the cooler temperatures.

Edited: October 10th, 2011

A Great Game Walk

We have been tracking the Big 5 , bathing with elephants, and screaming on the zip line so we were ready for a change.  We set out early this morning for a photo walk around the lodge and reserve.

We came upon a very nice male kudu.  He was very intent on eating some leaves so we were able to get quite close.  By taking turns advancing on him everybody got a great shot.

It was a very good winter and the game is all very healthy and fat.  Several babies have been born.  We found the resident herd of giraffe at our watering hole just a short walk from the lodge.  We spent a long time sitting in the grass watching them approach, drink, and munch on leaves.  When we were almost satisfied a younge mother came with her newborn.

Giraffes often use juvenile “baby sitters” to watch the youngest members of the herd.  This youngest giraffe was in the company of several juveniles.

Giraffes are one species that other animals rely on for security and an early warning of danger.   Giraffes have good eye site and together with their height they make a great lookout system.  If the giraffes are relaxed with our presence, than other animals are going to be relaxed as well.   We were able to get some great shots of impalas from the same vantage point.  Some of the poses, interactions, and expressions are quite comical.

After a really great meal of Guinness pie and some great conversation, we hit the sack early because we have another full day in Kruger tomorrow.  The weather should be great.

Edited: October 8th, 2011

A Wonderful Day and Day of Wonder in Kruger

It was a splendid warm day today and perfect for being in Kruger. We had many wonderful animal encounters starting with a cheetah who had just made a kill near the road (oh to have been a few minutes sooner!). We watched as this radio – collared individual struggled to drag the kill into the grass.  We then realized that it had another fresh kill already hidden in the grass.  Unfortunately it did not start to feast, but sat down for a rest.  I wonder if there were cubs stashed nearby.

I was excited to once again see ground hornbills out on patrol.  I love odd birds and these big guys make for great photos.  Their black coloring makes them confusing to the light meter in your camera so it is easy to overexpose if your metering is not set right. They also keep their eyes to the ground so you have to be ready for them to look up.

This old giraffe has fought hard over his life.  I thought this was just a mediocre image of an unusually dark giraffe until I looked closely at his face. The story it tells in scars is powerful. All over its body are other big scars; one even looks like a predator bit a chunk out of it leg.  They seem so peaceful and laid back, but life is hard no matter what species you are.

We did not cover much ground today because we elected to park and enjoy the elephants bathing in a mud puddle.  So many came throughout the day and they had such fun that we could not pull ourselves away.  Some were completely submerged and others would fall on top of them.  Their fun was infectious.  This was one of those times where I put down the camera for a long period of time and just lived in the moment with this family of elephants.

Edited: October 6th, 2011

Find the Elephant in this Picture

An elephant becomes almost invisible behind a ridiculously small tree (which he is making smaller by tearing apart).

It is astounding how something so big can be 15 feet away from you and nearly invisible.  This also speaks to why it is so dangerous to go walking in a big 5 area. Their ability to blend in combined by their talents for being quiet while standing and stealthy when walking can add up to disaster if you blunder into a herd on foot.  Then you will see how fast they can go!

Edited: October 3rd, 2011

Little Creatures

Good thing I was driving slow or I would have missed this incredible caterpillar.  I have not identified it yet.  I can just image birds fighting over this tasty but hairy morsel. No wonder he was moving so fast.

Edited: October 2nd, 2011

Very Happy to be back in the Bush

I am very excited to be back here on the reserve in South Africa. I feel like I know some of the animals personally.  The trio of zebras still patrol around the lodge and the journey of giraffes come by on rotation every few days.  I have noticed a few new editions to the herd.

With my camera gear assembled and warmed up I am ready to get some great shots.  I was not able to get  my EF300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens for this trip, but by next trip I will hopefully have one.

This will be great 10 days; the weather is nice with cool nights and nice sunny warm days and the grass is short after the winter.

Edited: October 2nd, 2011

Another beautiful day with the Whale Sharks

For our second day we had to move a few miles further out as the crib patch and the whale sharks had moved over night. Once we were on the site we could see that there were even more in one spot than the day before, maybe 150 – 200.

The sharks seemed to be swimming and feeding a little deeper under the surface than they had been on the previous day. Yesterday they skimmed right at the surface with the sound of water rushing into their mouths. Today some were just below the surface. This made it easier for them to sneak up on you from behind.

We had so much fun following an individual getting many great photos then shortly after you stop it would turn and loop back to you.
I had a few goals to my photography today: to get a silhouette against the surface taken from below and some close shots into the mouth and other anatomical features.

Edited: August 7th, 2011

First Day of our Whale Shark Adventure

We had a smooth travel day to Cancun and transfer to Isla Mujeres. We arrived in the late afternoon which afforded us the chance to wander leisurely down the streets and have long and relaxing dinner.

Today was our first day in the water. Our boat left the dock this morning and traveled calm waters under a sunny sky. We had no problem locating a large aggregation of whale sharks. The rest of the day would be spent in the water with them.
All around us the whale sharks swim at the surface with open mouths. They swim toward the boat and veer off at the last second. Accompanying them is a swooshing sound of the water rushing into wide open mouth and swirling around the exposed dorsal fin.

In the water is is possible to keep pace with an individual. When they make a turn you are well positioned to get a head on shot. As they continue by I have to be careful to avoid the large sideways arc of the tail . I look around and another is approaching not far behind me. When there is a pause in encounters it is not long before one or more are on their way.

I am smiling to myself enjoying this very special adventure. I have plenty of time to study and note all of the features of an individual’s anatomy: the spots, the shape of the fin built for maximum speed, the large gills to allow water to pass through. They seem so unfazed by our presence.

I am looking forward to getting more shots tomorrow in the continuing clear visibility, blue water, sunny skies , and flat seas.
What a Treat. Now it is Taco time!

Edited: August 6th, 2011

Camera Equipment used by Guests on our Recent Safari

Before a safari I spend time talking to the guests about what pieces of their camera and lens collection they should bring with them to Africa.  Once all of the guests are here it is  fun to take an inventory of all of the different equipment.  For the 2nd time Canon products dominated the group, but we did have a few very nice Nikon products in the mix.

I think I saw about every Canon camera that has been manufactured in the past 2 to 4 years: EOS 1Dmk4, 5Dmk2, 5D, 7D, and 550D.  On the Nikon front we had 1 shooter with a D700 who took a more then his fair share of heckling.   To be on the fair side, after shooting both Canon and Nikon equipment in the digital format above and below water for the last 9 years, I have to say there is no inherent upper hand by either camera company.  It basically comes down to personal preference; which camera system one feels the most comfortable with.  Even though the majority of my equipment arsenal is Canon, Nikon still feels more ergonomically comfortable in my hands.  The most popular camera this safari trip was the Canon 5Dmk2.  I am very happy to report that we had no major camera malfunctions, just a lot of accessories that grew wings and disappeared  into the night, such as a lot of lens caps, one lens hood, one strobe pouch, and two CF cards.

On the lens front, we had Canon: 500mm f4 Is, 300mm f2.8 IS, 300 f4, 400mm 5.6, 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 IS, 70-200 f2.8 IS (version 1 and 2), 24-70mm f2.8, 15mm fisheye, 16-35mm f2.8, 17-40mm f4, 24-105mm f4 IS, 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS, 35mm F1.4.  On the Nikon front: 200-400mm F4 VR2, 70-200 f2.8 VR2, 24-70mm 2.8, and 14-24 f2.8.  The Nikon shooter covered all ends of the spectrum, like other Canon shooters I can’t wait till Canon starts selling it’s own version of 200-400 f4 with build in TC.  Again there were no major lens malfunctions, just one lens that got bumped and had to be re calibrated.  The lens that I used most this trip was the 70-200mm f2.8 IS, yes- the wildlife was that close to us.

I like to travel light, and avoid  having my photographic equipment go six different directions in the safari vehicle.  My ideal set up would be 2 camera bodies and 3 lenses: maybe Canon 24-70mm 2.8, 70-200mm f2.8 IS, and 200-400mm f4 IS with built in TC.  A 600mm f4 IS prime lens would be nice, but would compromise the traveling light goal.  My favorite safari lens over the years has been the Canon 300mm f2.8 IS. It is extremely sharp and light weight to hand hold for long periods of time, even if a 1.4 TC is added (making it a 420mm f4 IS) it is still extremely sharp.  Again it boils down to personal preference whatever photographic gear one feels the most comfortable with and gets the job done.

Edited: June 5th, 2011

Images From Our Guests

Chad, a recent guest picked these images as some of his most memorable

Our guest Conrad is very ambitious and posted 100 photos to his forum already

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1012817/

Paul was a guest last year an hosts galleries of images on his website, including his Africa photos and some interesting photos from a workshop in Sleepy Hollow.

http://www.imagesbypyarnall.com/category/gallery-introduction/

Edited: June 3rd, 2011

Giraffes Say Goodbye

Sadly it is my final day here in South Africa.  The giraffes have been absent from this side of the reserve for weeks so I was so happy when they came to the lodge to bid me goodbye.  We were early so we stopped at the dam and watched the giraffes drink , eat and wonder about.   I could have stayed all day, but we could only spare 10 minutes.

The nights are getting colder and the grass has died down signaling without a doubt the beginning of winter. It has been a wonderful few months here and I will definitely miss the animals, people, and adventure.

Edited: May 31st, 2011

Some Special Photos Contributed by Our Guests

One evening we had some thunderstorms come through.   It was enough to cause a panic about our cookout, but it did not drop the spirits of our guests.  They quickly ran off after desert to photograph the storms as they moved off

I am happy to present the photographs of Conrad Tan photographed from one of the tree houses just after  the storm.

It was a wonderful departure from wildlife photography.

Edited: May 24th, 2011

Sighting some Rare Antelope

Today we went on a self game drive at a near by private reserve .  There are lots of animals here and we became part of a large crowd of giraffe, zebra, and eland heading to the waterhole.  We sat for a while in the hide and watched the herd of giraffe emerge from the bush.  Afterward we got some images of the rare tessebe antelope and the elands.

It was a beautiful way to spend the morning and it was very close to our lodge.

Edited: May 24th, 2011

Our Last Day is Filled with Cats

Unfortunately today is our last day, but we are still out getting some great shots right up until the time when we must quickly pack the van and depart for the airport.  It has been a very exciting trip and we are privileged to have met so many great people whom we hope will remain friends for many years.  I would love to have them all back again in the future.

Before we said goodbye we visited the leopard area of the reserve and  finally got our encounter!  We also had time to spend with the resident caracals and a juvenile lion who is in training to lead guests on morning walks.

Edited: May 20th, 2011

A Day out of a Dream

Today we scheduled a morning drive in the Thornybush Big 5 Reserve , an afternoon to learn Photoshop, Lightroom, and post processing from my wife Karen (and each other), and an evening game drive in a private game reserve containing white and black rhino.  This reserve is not open to anyone except at the invitation of the owners or his manager.

The day was one out of a photographer’s dream and I will not even try to describe it in words.

Note the low perspective on some the rhino photos – we were out of the vehicle and approaching on foot !!!  We trust our ranger/driver!

Rhino have poor eyesite so they are often found in the company of giraffe. They know the giraffe has good eyesite and a good perspective and will signal danger by moving off.

PS I am using my 300mm lens

Edited: May 16th, 2011

Time is Zipping By

Yesterday at Kruger was a long and exhausting day and it was very sunny and warm.  Our plan for the morning is to do something active.  We head to Hazyview which is a town south of us which has more hills, valleys, large trees, and macadamia nut farms.  Along the way we pass through small towns and villages where we see the locals in their bright clothing going about their Saturday shopping.  The guests enjoyed the challenge of shooting the scenes out the open windows of the van.  If we had stopped at every interesting picture, we would never get there.  We laughed at the roadside mechanic who had dug his own grease monkey pit and the guy giving haircuts under and umbrella with clippers hooked up to a car battery.

Our destination is the Zipline Canopy Tour.  We will wear a harness and slide down 9 cables to 10 stations.  We start at the top of the hill and descend all the way down the valley.  For most this was their first time to ride a zipline. The longest and steepest cable was the first one so hearts were beating. The smiles and laughs continued all the way to the bottom.

We enjoyed a beautiful lunch at the Cotton Club restaurant and silk factory.  The guests spent more time cruising the garden and photographing birds than they did eating the delicious food.

Next we pressed on to a surprise destination.  I had made an appointment with Jessica the Famous Hippo.  Jessica is a hippo who was rescued for certain death when her mother died in a flood 10 years ago. She was hand raised by a former game ranger.  She lives in the river outside their home.  Now mature, she swims with the wild hippos but returns to the dock for hand feeding by guests.  She is the only hippo who will allow upclose interaction with humans and is therefore a rare opportunity to touch and learn about hippos.

I told our guests that we would go on a bush walk around my property after sunset and before dinner tonight.  This was really a  trick.  We did go for a walk  and I wanted them to experience the night sounds and smells of the bush while looking for nocturnal wildlife,  but the true purpose was to lead them  to our bush braai (BBQ) area where we had prepared a fire and dinner.

After a starter of ostrich kabobs, guests were surprised to hear drums, whistles, and singing as 30 youths dressed in traditional dress entertained us with Zulu and Shengal song and dance.  The group is formed of at risk teens and is aimed to provide cultural memory and pride. They soon had us out dancing with them.

Unfortunately due to the age of the Internet, we will be embarrassed by our dancing for years to come as soon as our guests with video upload their files.

Edited: May 16th, 2011

Kruger Day

Kruger is so vast that a day in the park only covers a small area. Within that small area though is a huge variety of species.  A visit to Kruger gives us a chance to see the big 5 but it also is a the best place to look for small and rare species.

We left our lodge at 5am and made the journey to the Orpen Gate planning it so that we arrived before the park opens.  The sun is just coming up and some of the nocturnal predators are still out.  We come upon a black backed jackal who is hunting guinea fowl by stalking and pouncing.

Throughout the day we see large herds of wildebeest, zebra, waterbuck, and some huge and healthy kudu.

Our route today does not bring us close to elephants, but we do spot a some in the distance.  Kruger is a good place to observe how different species will stay in an area together for safety.  Zebra like to be near giraffe because the giraffe can see danger from above the trees and zebra have very good hearing.

Female kudu browse the trees the trees and the male is always a short distance away.

Many of the people in this group are fanatical bird photographers and their goal was get a winning shot of the very beautiful lilac breasted roller.  Fortunately these birds are plentiful in Kruger and are easily spotted on the highest dead branch of trees near the roads.  We lost count of how many times we stopped for rollers, but they got their shots.

Many large birds patrol the open grass areas. One such bird is the kori bustard.  His large body is easy to spot for a keen eye even when it is just the head above the grass.  we are lucky to find this one in an area where the grass has died down for the winter.

Near water can be found the larger trees and these areas are where the baboons make their home base.  They will venture out as a group and forage near herds of other animals and near watering holes.  The babies ride on the mothers.

We found no lions today, but it is nice to have a group who are also happy to see the many interesting birds such as this less commonly seen grey hornbill.

Kruger has many large herds of impala.  One could spend all day being entertained by their  social dynamics especially now during the mating season.  To provide some symmetry, we dined on impala pie for our evening meal.

Edited: May 16th, 2011

A Great First Day

There was no time for jet lag as we got off to an early start and straight into the action in the Big 5 Reserve.  Our driver and tracker quickly found one of the resident lion families enjoying the last of their kill.  These were the same lions we heard during dinner the night before.  The wildebeest was nearly stripped clean. The lioness stayed close to the cubs, but seemed to have had her fill.  I wonder if the cubs had any hand in bringing down the kill.  The mail was aggressive toward the meat and dragged off the remains.

Meanwhile the vultures waited their turn.  Lurking nearby were a pair of hooded vultures, a species not commonly seen.  Their small heads makes them a specialist at picking meat from between the ribs.

After leaving the lion, we headed to an open area and found the mother cheetah and her only remaining cub.  Sadly she has lost 2 others already.  This cub is still little and she was guarding it closely.  She struck a classic resting pose on a high mound. The cub was curious about our vehicle and gave us some very nice poses.

After a big breakfast we switched from medium and long range lenses to macro lens to get images of some smaller “models” around the lodge.  A resident leopard tortoise was kind enough to pose as well as a chameleon.  The chameleon is a fascinating animal and his slow pace makes it possible to take images of him many details.  His eyes move separately and he curls his tail into a spiral. His slow movement is to aide his ambush hunting.  He turned several different shades for us from brown to yellow and spotted.

For a break from photography we tried out the archery range.  At first we had to hunt the arrows in the grass, but soon everyone was able to hit the target and some excelled at the sport.

Our evening game drive was again the Big 5 Reserve.  Tonight we tracked for rhinos and elephants.

While tracking the rhino we ran into the reserve’s large herd on buffalo.  Among the cows our driver spotted an albino newborn calf. This is a very rare find and the first this this experienced driver and tracker.  It will be interesting to follow the life of this little one to see if he can overcome this handicap.

After dark, we spot lighted a  owl in the trees.

Our day ended with a dinner around the fire and a drink of Amarula

Tomorrow we drive in Kruger National Park

Edited: May 13th, 2011

Photo of the Day: Lilac Breasted Roller

A Lilac Breasted Roller  spotted sitting on a dead branch near the side of the road.

Canon EOS  5D Mark II

1/1000 sec at f11

ISO 320  (cloudy day)

Lens: EF300mm f 2.8 IS lens with 2.0x teleconverter

In Lightroom I brightened the midtowns and  used the clarity (midtone contrast) adjuster and increased the Vibrancy (a saturation adjustment with logic to protect certain colors). Cropped to portrait dimensions.

Edited: May 5th, 2011

Getting your ears cleaned by Nature’s Q-Tip

Red billed oxpeckers are welcome hitchhikers by most animals because they pull off and eat the ticks that are so annoying.  This zebra is relieved  to  have the ticks out of his ear.

Edited: May 4th, 2011

Remote Camera Results: Kudu

Our remote tree camera reveals a male and female kudu frequenting this spot several days in a row.  The same spot also captured zebra and wildebeest in the mornings and a civet on two different nights.

Edited: May 3rd, 2011

This young male elephant  gave us a mock threat display then soon went back to contented eating.  I used my 70 – 200mm lens because he was so close – about as close as you would  want your vehicle to an elephant.

Edited: May 3rd, 2011

Three Very Nice Species of Hornbills

On my recent self-drive ride through Kruger National Park, I photographed three types of hornbills: Southern Yellow-billed, Red-billed, and the Grey Hornbill.  Not spotted this day was the ground hornbill.  These birds are frequently seen, except the grey which I see less often.  They like to grab bugs off the roads.  At the lodge they fight their own reflections in the mirror to my horror as I know one day they will break the glass with those tremendous bills.

Hornbills have a cooperation with mongoose in that the hornbills eat bugs dug up by the mongoose and in exchange the hornbills warn the mongoose of aerial threats such as raptors  which normally are of no concern to the hornbills.

Edited: May 2nd, 2011

Cubs at Play

Today on our Big 5 Game Drive we found the same family group of lions as we saw in October.  The cubs are bigger now and were endlessly playing and practicing their hunting skills.  The male is starting to show signs of a mane.  Soon he will have to go off on his own or join the bachelor group.  Also spotted this morning were white rhino, and elephant.  We saw tracks from a cheetah, but did not find the cat.   The single ostrich is still hanging around our lodge during the day.

Edited: April 26th, 2011

An update on our first few days in South Africa

The cooler winds of fall are in the air after a wet summer.  The animals are fat and happy after eating the summer grass.  I hear the lions every night and the zebras have been camped out near our lodge with them are a few very young ones.  I am hoping the giraffes will move up the hill toward us soon.

The Easter weekend is a long holiday for the South Africans and our lodge will be hosting a full house of self-catering guests.  One couple is booked on a big 5 game drive and we will join them as our treat for a week of not so exciting tasks such has vehicle registration and cleaning out the store room.

Can’t wait to exercise the camera.

I have learned that the recent plague of rhino poaching has hit our area, but on a positive side, the whole town seems to have joined together to prevent further tragedy. Every hardware store and grocery has donation boxes and informational posters.   There is a low tolerance for anyone caught on a reserve who is suspected of being a poacher.

Edited: April 19th, 2011

Canon Lenses Outperform the Stock Market

Below is a link to a fascinating article about how Canon lenses hold their value and even outperform some stock market indexes. It puts into charts what I have experienced for years: lenses hold their value and if they are in excellent condition (save the boxes and manual!!) you can get the same or more than you paid for them.  The bad news is about camera bodies – they loose value quickly.  You may have heard the mantra: put your money into good glass – now this data adds further wisdom that you should forego the latest and greatest body for another top notch lens.

This really helps finance the next lens and to convince  your spouse to let you “invest” in a new toy  asset.

http://www.canonpricewatch.com/canon-lenses-better-stocks/

Edited: April 12th, 2011

Things I will be reminding myself of before and during my next wildlife shoot

As I prepare to travel over to my lodge in South Africa my next safari group, I am reviewing my photos and mentally putting together of list of photographic goals.  While the goals always include the ultimate leopard shot and a rare anteater, it also includes some back to basics.  I resolve to have a mental checklist running through  my head I am shooting of things to do and not do.

(This post is punctuated with images from my Birds of Kruger Collection)

Be Ready to get that action shot

Knowing the animal helps here. If their pattern is to look for a second then flee (such as a kudu) this knowledge can help you be ready. Also being fast to read the lighting conditions, make the settings, and bring the camera up will help you get that 1 or 2 shots before the shy creature bolts away.  After leaving an encounter, anticipate an action shot and reset your camera before arriving at the next animal sighting – this way you are ready if the cheetah runs or you can dial down if it is going to be napping and you have all day to get the shot.

Aim to Capture a Mood, Emotion, or concept

Photos that convey an emotion or mood  have impact. Here again  knowing the animal  (does it groom a partner, keep its babies close, or kick another who gets too close ) will give you foreknowledge to watch for signals and anticipate behavior that once put on film will create a powerful concept or mood.  Watching and observing and patience are the best way to get these compelling images.

Be conscious of everything in the frame

It is so easy to just concentrate on the very interesting animal you are lucky to have found and not take into account what is in the foreground or background.  Many times you have no choice , but in other situations there may be some options for you when composing the shot

Compose against a background of contrasting color
Lower your position to get a background of sky instead of trees
Make sure the horizon line does not cut through the subject

Isolate with a longer lens or post processing cropping

Adjust settings to achieve a depth of field which yields a smooth out of focus background

Change your perspective and position to eliminate distracting elements  at least until the subject chooses a different position.
Check the edges

Before taking a picture, do a visual lap around the edges of the viewfinder to check for things that can be eliminated by a simple composition.

Know what you want or need before heading out

I also keyword my images for action, emotion, colors, mood, behaviors , side vs front views, etc .  Lightroom allows me to take stock of my images by keywords and I can easily see  what is underrepresented in the collection.  Sometimes I am surprised to find I am lacking key shots for a very common animal.

Shooting wildlife is exciting, but we must not let that distract us from thinking our way through the shots.  Knowing your goals and thinking creatively throughout the whole photography process will take your photos to another level

Edited: April 1st, 2011

Bahama Sharks book by Dave Skinner

We are happy to announce that one of the members of our shark trip 2011, Dave Skinner has published a book.  His book Bahama Sharks , features many beautiful images and chronicles his adventures.  His book can be previewed and purchased at:

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invited/1539370/f7c0ae389885e2ce77abb2e9d7af987b

Edited: March 12th, 2011

Sailfish on the Hunt

I have completed an article about my recent trip to Mexico to swim in the sardine run and photograph the hunting packs of the sailfish.  I will be taking some guests with me in January 2012 – read the article and contact me if you would like to be one of the lucky ones who will experience this fantastic spectacle

Link to Sailfish Trip Article on my Website

Edited: March 4th, 2011

Automatic Camera Spies on the Wildlife at my African Lodge

You might have heard on the news about the Smithsonian’s collection of wildlife photos taken using remote cameras placed in the wilderness all around the world.

http://siwild.si.edu/

At my lodge we have also been experimenting with an automatic tree camera so I can see what types of wildlife are right outside the lodge day and night.  Here is one early result.  I will be posting more shots and videos from the tree-cam as I refine the technique.

Edited: March 4th, 2011

What is in my Gear Bag When Going on Safari?

I am an underwater photographer, so any trip where I do not  have to bring bulky drysuits, fins, scuba regulators, underwater housings, and  strobe arms seems like packing light.

I travel with a 7 year old LowePro camera backpack (Computrekker  plus AW) which fits all of my camera and computer equipment and does not shout  “expensive stuff within”. The pack gets heavy but I employ several  techniques to make sure I do not get stopped by the baggage police such as  filling my vest or coat with the heavy stuff.  I always bring lots small  zipper bags and a daypack so I can bring a lot or a little with me on the day’s  activities.

I bring my Canon 300mm f/2.8 IS lens with some teleconverters when needed extra  reach. The 100-400mm f/4.5 -5.6 is one I would consider bringing. On  my wish list would be the 500mm F/4 IS.  I upgraded a few years ago  from a 300mm lens that had no stabilization and life has been sweeter ever  since.

We stop the vehicle engine when we see a good animal, but  sometimes it is just not possible to cut the engine and vibration. I use a  monopod to help with this in the vehicle and to support the camera system when  walking in the field. It is much easier to run from an angry elephant with a  monopod in your hands than a tripod. This year I will be trying out a beanbag  system that sits on the vehicle door/window.

My other lens is a Canon 70 -200 F/2.8 IS. This is one of my  favorite lens, it’s tack sharp, great in low light, a real work horse. . I also carry a Canon 17– 40mm F/4 lens and a Sigma 50mm f/2.8 macro  (which is light weight and great for portraits). My two camera bodies are  the Canon 5D MK2 and Canon 5D. I have some Nikons at home, but over the  years have found that I prefer smaller and more lightweight cameras especially  when swimming after dolphins and hiking into the bush, so they stay home this  safari trip. My Nikon would comprise of: Nikon D3x, D3 and a D300 cameras. The lenses would be: 200-400mm f/4 VR,  70-200mm f/2.8 VR, 24-70mm f/2.8, 17-35mm f/2.8, 1.4x and 1.7x teleconverters  and two SB800 speedlights.

I carry a Canon 580 EX2 speedlight and a Better  Beamer as artificial light extender for after dark and improving  lighting on a distant subject.

I bring at least 2 LaCie rugged USB  drives for backup, my Epson viewer (which often replaces my laptop on trips) and Nexto storage device,  several USB cords, only as many of those  heavy bulky charges as I minimally need (labeled and tested before I leave!),  sometimes my iPod for added storage, mini flash drives for sharing data with  people, and extra batteries and media cards. I bring lots of adapters as  well since they can go bad too.

My only Nikon equipment this trip will be my Monarch  Binoculars (10×42). I carry polarizers and some filters and like to have these  on the lenses because they protect the expensive lens glass from injury and  keep out the dust.  Cleaning equipment, plastic bags for rain and  dust protection round out my lean and mean safari photography kit.

Edited: December 10th, 2010

Safari Clothing: Dress for Success and Comfort

Over the years I have assembled a wardrobe of trusted and proven clothing favorites that go with me on every safari and many of my other trips. These shirts, pants, and shorts are comfortable to walk and ride in and stand up to the thorns and hand washing. Some of the pieces were not cheap, but they last forever.  I have a list of suggested clothing on my safari website www.AfricaWildSafaris.net/packing list, but here I would like to present themes for you to keep in mind when assembling your safari and travel wardrobe.

Go Neutral, not colorful
Camo is not necessary, but neutrals are essential.

Pack clothing in neutral colors: khaki, light brown/green, tan.

It might look  cliché, but neutrals serve an important function; bright  colors and white will distract and alarm the game.  We do not want the wildlife to see or react to us: nobody wants to face a curious leopard. White may not come clean after exposure to the red dirt. Dark colors usually blend into the bush, but they might start to feel too hot in the mid afternoon.

(more…)

Edited: September 27th, 2010

Is a Photo Safari for Me?

Wildlife travel is a very popular niche and many destinations offer both general tours and those with a skill based focus such as wildlife viewing while kayaking or guided photography tours. Africa is one such destination that can be experienced as a wildlife photographic adventure. A professional photographer will guide your adventure, provide the most and best photo opportunities, and provide knowledge and advice. The small group will be comprised of professional, semi-professional, and serious amateur photographers. Is a photographic safari right for you? Your decision to choose this route to Africa will depend on your goals and interests.

A general safari is designed for all types of guests. The tour operators plan a wide range of activities as part of the whole of experiencing Africa. The game drives and wildlife will only be one of many activities scheduled and not necessarily the main focus. The other guests are probably not serious about photography and may be only passively interested in wildlife; they might be more interested in getting to the hot tub than getting to the perfect spot for a fireball sunset which may leave you frustrated. Some general safari operators only allow small point and shoot cameras on their vehicles and the vehicles might be entirely enclosed and you will have to shoot through glass.

On a photography specific adventure photo opportunities are the goal, not relaxation, entertainment, or shopping. Some safaris only want to show you as many species as they can in the time allotted with no pause to watch the animal and wait for an excellent shot. A photographic safari will spend more time with each animal and teach you about the animal so as to anticipate a good shot and return you home safely with the best photographs and memories possible.

Advantages of a Photographic Safari

• The focus will be on finding and spending time with the most dramatic animals; Africa’s Big Five. The leader can also design the game drives to suit special interests such as birds or flowers
• The small groups and exclusive locations will afford the opportunity for bush walks and other special opportunities not allowed in other parks and reserves
• You will have discussion, comparison, and collaboration with the other photographer guests in an open learning environment
• Being at the right place at the right time in order to catch the optimal lighting will be the driving force behind your daily schedule
• Photographers use open vehicles, and travel at the optimal times of the year such as when grass is short or animals are courting
• On a photography specific adventure, amateur photographers and professionals will improve their wildlife skills, exchange ideas, and learn new techniques
• The leader will employ a highly trained tracker to add to the experience
• You will come back with better pictures than on a general tour
• Wildlife photography is the goal versus cultural photography

Disadvantages

• Photo safaris are not for everyone because of the concentration on photography and the more active pace of your days
• You will stay in small, family owned, exclusive and comfortable lodges with lots of character and close to the best animals, but they will not be the large 5 –star resorts of the big tour operators with spas and extensive luxury facilities
• You will not get much sleep. To get the best lighting and animal encounters requires you to operate on the animal’s schedule so morning departures are early.
• You will have many photos to process so some “homework” time is required

Photographic safaris are a bigger adventure than your standard African Safari and provide serious fun and learning for both professionals and amateur photographers. Your photos will tell the exciting stories of your life-changing adventure.

Edited: May 27th, 2009