Weekly High Five #23

It is always slightly surreal sitting in the concrete jungle while looking through the images on the Photo-Africa Stock Library and having to choose images for the High Five.  During these times I appreciate these images just that little more. 

You see, many events during the last few days have triggered thoughts about appreciation.  Even at the best of times my head is quite a busy place so this morning when I woke up quite early I decided to take all these thoughts and ideas and go for a jog.  As I walked outside I was absolutely blown away by the color of the clouds as the sun was rising over the Johannesburg skyline.  As I set out it was strange to see that almost no one even paid the slightest bit of attention to the painted sky.  Apparently no appreciation.

It has, the last while, also seemed that many people who visit Game Reserves have this same kind of attitude.  Expectation rather than appreciation.  One would think that when visiting a place of such awe inspiring beauty people would take a moment to just let their preconceived ideas go and appreciate the privilege of being out in the wild.  Out in a place that, tragically, will more than likely not be around forever. Out in Africa.  

Perhaps this is one of the things that drives wildlife photographers in Africa.  Creating, or at the very least attempting to create, images that will stand the test of time and many years from now still be able to convey the power, beauty and mystery of Africa.  There are many different ways in which these images can create a visual memory and awareness and therein lies the challenge and reward.

By taking a visual safari through the diversity of African wildlife images available on Photo-Africa it is in a very small way good to know that the photographers out there are all capturing the African magic in their own special and diverse ways.  With that in mind, here goes with this week High Five.

Image 1 - Playing Wild Dog Pups by Grant Marcus

A good capture of one of Africa's most endangered species.  I quite like the long crop which makes your gaze move sideways across the image enhancing the feeling of movement.  My initial thought was that it would have been nice to see the dog on the left completely in the frame.  Problem would then have been that the dog being targeted by the others would have been close to the centre of the image which might have taken some of the image's strength away.  If you have ever witnessed these little guys go at it you will know that is quite difficult to decide where to point your camera.  By focusing on the dog being picked on Grant got a great action image.

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Image 2 - Rhino Horn by Gavin Tonkinson

White rhino is one of my favourite photographic subjects and this image shows why.  These giants of the African savannas must be one of the animals that offer you the most amazing lines and shapes.  You could spend an entire afternoon photographing them and images like this will be your reward.  Gavin's framing here is spot on and the front horn leads your view from top to bottom and then you slowly work your way back up to the small horn at the back.  Nice and crisp with great use of late afternoon and perfect black background makes this one of those images that, in my opinion, transcends the normal wildlife image and moves towards abstract art.  Great close up.

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Image 3 - Blurry Lions Playing by Gavin Tonkinson

Wildlife photography contains an undeniable element of luck and this images shows what the result can be.  Animals are unpredictable yet if you work with what they give you this is the result.  Gavin managed to use a shutter speed fast enough to freeze the centre lion, who played along and stood still for long enough, yet blur the motion of the other two lions running around.  This image almost demands a double take as it looks like the one lion is running into the still standing cat - almost as if they are merging into one.  The black and white on this image keeps the ghost-like feeling of movement going.  Nice one!

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Image 4 - Hyena and Flamingoes by Paul Benson

Mood.  Something that is quite challenging to capture out in the wild but something that Paul did perfectly in this image.  The use of color is perfect with the orange mist and black top and bottom framing the scene with emotion and mood.  The hyena moving across the bottom of the frame while visibly looking at the bird creates a mood of foreboding and mystery.  Even though at first glance the image seemed pretty straightforward a lot of elements make it work perfectly.

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Image 5 - Wild Dog Motion by Gavin Tonkinson

Great motion capture.  This image shows that even when you start running out of light it is still possible to capture striking images.  By tracking your subject you can create artistic images.  This image stood out for me as the background assists the feeling of movement to the left due to the diagonal lines 'dropping' in the direction that the dog is moving.  Wild Dogs move around and rather then stop shooting when they do this around the end of the day, select a slower shutter speed and keep firing away!  Love this image and my pick for this week!

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Nice collection of images that show there are more than one way to photograph and appreciate wildlife.

Since writing this post, a large number of new images have been added to the Stock Site and from Monday I will be catching up on all my own editing and uploading quite a few new ones.  Make sure to stop in at the site and have a look at more great African Wildlife & Nature images. 

As always I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next time.

Gerry

A Legal Question - Saturday Humour

I have just gotten back to Johannesburg.  I have a lot of things to try and do during the week at home and it's also Adele's birthday on Sunday so quite busy all round but I will be uploading the Weekly High Five sometime this weekend. 

In the meantime here is an email that got me smiling!

A Legal Question

Is this statutory rape or a monumental mistake?

Poor thing really needs a girlfriend!! :)

Will be back soon.

Gerry

Girafffe Sunset

Summer in Africa is a magical time and produces some of the most amazing sunsets.

This is one of the first sunset images I have gotten since the rain clouds moved away a week or so ago. Absolutely loved the sky, which was what made me want to get the shot, and then this giraffe was kind enough to pose in exactly the right place.

I am sure there will be more great sunsets and sunset images during the next few months!

As always I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next time.

Gerry

The Changing of the Guard

It is amazing how things change.

The Batia male lions have been the two 'godfathers' of Madikwe for almost 14 years now. They were the first two lions to be introduced into Madikwe and is probably also the most photographed lions in the reserve. Absolute legends.

Approaching 17 years of age they are now visibly old and, unfortunately, very close to their end. One of the brothers is close to our lodge on a wildebeest kill which he has now been guarding for almost 4 days. We have stopped in to view him on a couple of occasions and in a way it is sad to see how this once mighty beast is fading with age.

Even though his body is old and his movements labored you can still see the experience, power and spirit in his eyes as this image, taken yesterday, shows.

It is anybodies guess as to how long these two titans will still be around. Possibly until 2009? Perhaps even a little longer? How will their story end? Who will take over from them? No one knows but until the changing of the guard we will continue to follow their story with a passionate interest as we capture the last few chapters of the Batia's Story!

If you have been to Madikwe and have any images of the Batia Brothers you can email them to me as I am putting together a 'picture story' of their life and will post all these images along with their story on the Blog when the time comes.

On a slightly different and more philosophical note.

Have you ever had to make a choice in your life - and then end up making a choice only to have almost the exact same scenario present itself all over again.

What if you made your (difficult) choice and subsequently things did not work out like you thought it would only for life to mix things up even further and present you with a completely different road to travel. Life is never without irony and without expecting it this new road leads you right back to the original choice.

Do you make the same choice and see if this time the road leads to where you think it could or do you take the option that has now been presented to you for a second time. Do you even make a choice?

Kinda helps to write these things down. Makes you think a little clearer about how everything fits together and maybe even assists in making the choice! :) Anyway, enough of my philosophical rhetoric for now. More on this when, and if the time comes.

As always I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next time.

Gerry

Attempt at Bird Photography

I have never done a huge amount of bird photography and truly admire the work of photographers who spend the time to get crisp action images.

Make no mistake, I like my birding and my list is growing but I believe it takes a great deal of patience, skill and good luck to get mind blowing bird images. It is also quite difficult when on drive to spend time to photograph the bird world as you are on the vehicle and it can be difficult to get yourself in the perfect position and to move the vehicle is not the quietest episode.

My dream would be to get a prime lens, something like a 600mm f.4 and do some bird photography with that. This is a challenge I will play with and hopefully get some 'decent' birding images.

Here are a few of the birding images that I was able to capture from the vehicle during the last three days.

European Roller (Coracias garrulus). These guys have just returned to Madikwe after their winter vacation. They are one of the more dull Rollers but still beautiful bird.

Coqui Francolin (Peliperdix coqui). One of the very shy Francolin species. They are terrestrial and it's the first time I have ever even come close to getting an image of one of them. The male has the copper head while the female has lines on the eyebrow and a white neck.

Cape Glossy Starling (Lamprotornis nitens). A very common bird in pretty much any game reserve in Southern Africa. The colours on these guys can vary from pitch black to dark green and metallic blue - all depending on the way the sunlight catches them. Not often appreciated, but stunning looking bird.

Red Crested Korhaan (Eupodotis ruficrista). Also known as a 'Suicide Bird' due to it's breeding disply where it flies up into the air and then tumbles to the ground as though he has been shot. Apparently the Korhaan girls quite like that kind of thing! This guy can be seen in full cry just before he flies up to do his 'act of bravery'.

Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta). The direct translation of 'Hamerkop' is Hammer-head and you can see why. They feed in the shallows of watering holes and catch prey such as frogs and fish. The lighting on this guys was pretty bad so I took the shot with the intention of creating a silhouette in Photoshop. The above image is the final result. Still hoping to get one of these in that early morning light!

Just a few for now but I will keep working at it and hopefully some more birding images soon.

As always I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next time.

Gerry

Found - Dr. Doolittle's PushmePullyou in Africa!

The game viewing has definitely picked up after the sun came out a few days ago. So much so that this morning I found this...

It's a 'Rhino-PushmePullyou'!! :)

Nah, seriously. We sat watching these two White Rhino for quite some time. They were being very accommodating as they posed for us all to snap away. As the youngster walked behind it's mother I saw this through my viewfinder and could not help but have a quiet little chuckle. It's not quite the two-headed Lama from the original movie but I reckon it's pretty close!

Other than the game viewing the birds are all also back after their winter break. I have been taking a lot of bird images the last few days and will try and get them onto the blog tomorrow.

Before I go one more images that made me smile.

This Zebra was REALLY enjoying his roll-around in the dust. You can almost see the pleasure on his face.

Thanks a lot to all the recent comments! We are a little hectic until Thursday but I will get back to you during next week when Adele and I are on a short break in Johannesburg.

As always I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time.

Gerry

The Week So Far

Just a quick post before we head out on what seems will be our first evening drive without clouds in almost two weeks!!

In no particular order, a few images of the week so far.

It's all in the eyes. Found this 'blonde' young leopard a few days ago. She is extremely chill but just did not want to come out from behind this bush.

When we drove back past the same spot again she made it a little easier. She was checking out some impala from her elevated position.

These two young male impala was having a 'friendly negotiation' about nothing in particular. They were not very serious about their fight but made for a few interesting images.

Another 'funny face' image to add to the collection for the upcoming book! :)

I was quite excited to get two Steenbok together. First time I was ever able to capture a pair of them. After a few images they decided to bolt together and I was able to get this shot. Quite like it!

To end of with something different. I got this image at Sun City's 'Valley of the Waves'. We took all the Tuningi staff their for the annual Xmas party. This Palace of the Lost City can be seen in the background. Even though the whole place is over the top 'African' it is still a great day out and worth a quick stop for anybody visiting Africa.

Anyway, time to go and see what else Madikwe has to offer on this afternoon's drive! Will be back soon.

As always I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time.

Gerry

Weekly High Five #22

The diversity never fails to impress.

This does not just refer to nature but the variety of images that is being uploaded to the Photo-Africa Stock Library.   It is great to see how all the contributing photographers have their own style, their own way of looking at the natural world around them.  That is what keeps it interesting, exciting, beautiful!

For me it personally it is amazing to see how normal photographic principles get taken and applied in wildlife photography.  The composition and use of space is just two of the things that stood out the last while.  I still maintain that looking at other people's work is one of the best ways to learn and improve your own photography.

I think many photographers, or wanna-be-photographers, miss a lot of useful hints, tips and tricks by not looking at other people's images.  I would like to think that I have a half decent eye and can take a pretty decent photography but even the guest how arrives with their out-the-box-brand-new DSLR can sometimes show you an image that makes a coin drop. Something you might have never thought of before or something that reminds you about the basics.  

Photography is a journey, not a destination.  And the journey is filled with amazing images and many lessons to learn. 

So with that all out of the way, here goes with this weeks High Five.  Let the teaching begin! :)

Image 1 - Female Leopard by Grant Marcus

I still reckon this is the most beautiful cat.  And the image does a great job of showing that.  Grant did a great job in capturing the cat's movement, backward stare and a little bit of the environment.  One thought though.  There is a little space on the left for the cat to move into - great.  The image might have been even stronger if the space was left on the right hand side for her to look into.  Create a bit of mystery?  Still, I reckon this is a great leopard image that could be used for the next field guide on South African mammals!

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Image 2 - Jackals by Paul Benson

Background, background, background.  That is to me what makes this image work!  Stunning use of colour and background to highlight the vast size of the area in which these two little jackals find themselves.  The original thought, to many, might have been to zoom in a lot closer to the two youngsters but this image shows how you can create images with impact when considering the total picture.  The space on the right of the two jackals and the grasses leaning in that direction also all add to a great wildlife image!

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Image 3 - Black Shouldered Kite by Paul Benson

Action and framing.  The ability to capture a bird in flight is what makes some photographers walk away from a day in the office with images like this.  Awesome!  The blurred wings, angle of the body and the direction the Kite is looking in all adds to the feeling of movement but what makes it work for me is the fact that both wings have been cut off.  Too many times you might think an image is a no-go as you have chopped a part of the animal off.  If you did not get it in the original shot see if you could perhaps crop it to highlight the focal area which made you click the shutter in the first place.  Love this shot!

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Image 4 - Concentration by Grant Marcus

This image shows the absolute definition of concentration.  The lioness is in the process of stalking and the images shows the focus in her eyes and the stealth like movement in her body.  Another thing that stands out is that, as with the Lion Fight image from last week, it feels as if you are almost at eye level which adds a lot of tension to the image.  The eye level shot makes you a part of the animal's world rather than someone looking down onto the animal.  (Check how many wildlife images you can see where the photographer was obviously higher than their subject - just does not feel natural!!)  Anyway, back to this image...  The tight crop produces a frame filling images of absolute power and focus.  One of the better lion images I have seen for a while.

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Image 5 - Anemone Fish by Paul Benson

When I started Photo-Africa I never even thought of this.  Since Paul Benson, who works as a wildlife photographer in Kenya and is also a Scuba Instructor, joined the site there have been numerous underwater images added to the Stock Site.  It is amazing to have this new and different images on the site.  Underwater photography.  I truly admire anybody who can go underwater and produce images like this. Think of how difficult it must be to get the lighting right.  Perhaps it is because I have not had any underwater images on the site before that this is my pick of the week.  No.  I think the image is brilliant.  Great lighting.  Great colour and the background fills the frame with the fish's natural environment.  Yip.  This is my pick for this week!

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There you go. Probably one of the more diverse group of High Five images we have had on Photo-Africa.  Which image was your favorite?  Why?

I would love to hear your thoughts on these images and whether you did, in fact, learn something from any of them.  For me personally I guess it all comes down to one big lesson - look at all the aspects of the scene before clicking the shutter.  Background, space, whatever!!  

If you can take a breathe, look again and then shoot!  :)

During the next few weeks I will be posting a Q&A with the various photographers who contribute to Photo-Africa.  Just a few interesting questions on their equipment, what drives them, etc.  I am sure there will also be a number of other wildlife and other images that I will be posting as I get time to work through them.  The rain clouds are still painting the sky dark here in Madikwe so no new images but still have a lot of images to work through and finalise.  As they say... watch this space!

As always I look forward to hearing from you!  

Until next time.

Gerry

A Letter to Wolwedans Dune Camp

To the Wolwedans Dune Camp team,

"We are there for you!" This was the response I got from of one the Wolwedans Dune Camp staff when, on the first evening of our stay, I asked some arbitrary question.

Being in the lodge and hospitality industry this stayed with me and it is how I will always remember our stay at the Wolwedans Dune Camp in the Namib Rand Nature Reserve. When Adele and I chose this as our wedding venue we knew from all the reviews we had read that the landscapes and scenery is awe-inspiring but no matter what you read about the staff or activities at a lodge you never truly know until you get there.

From the moment we arrived at Wolwedans we knew the place was special. The staff was warm and friendly without it feeling forced and within the first few minutes we were sharing laughs with Italy and Ben, the two guides that were to accompany us during our stay.

When we arrived at the Dune Camp the unbelievable landscape was only echoed by the warmth and friendliness of Abraham, Kenneth and all the other members of the team. We felt completely at home in the lounge area where we would end up spending quite a considerable amount of time. There were always a few of the staff members around that were willing to assist with anything and we never had to go and look for someone to top up the drinks. The staff had that perfect balance of being there but not in your face all the time - something that is so important in a small, intimate environment such as this.

During the entire three days leading up to our wedding the service was perfect and with our group being quite loud and outgoing the staff took the invite and became a part of the group rather than outsiders standing on the side. Even with this relaxed atmosphere the service levels never dropped and we never wanted for anything.

At most lodges the food and dining experience plays an integral part of the whole picture and again we were not disappointed. From the staff members introducing the meals in English and their native 'click'-language to the beautifully presented four course meals we felt we were treated like royalty. When comparing the cuisine at Wolwedans to all the lodges I have ever visited and worked at I would rate them in the top five percent. Absolutely stunning. And when you consider that they are really in the middle of nowhere it is just so much more impressive.

Being used to Big 5 areas and drives we were very curious to see and experience the activities at Wolwedans. When you look at the landscapes and scenes through which you travel you can see that the 'product' sells itself but the total experience still relies heavily on the input and personality of the guides. Ben and Italy conducted themselves in a very professional manner throughout yet it did not feel forced or acted, something that can happen very easily. They were knowledgeable, funny and are a true asset to Wolwedans.

On the last afternoon the Wolwedans staff blew us away, again. The wedding setup, the service, the reception. We were expecting something special but the way everything was put together was textbook and there was never a point were anything felt rushed. Your planning and execution was flawless! Thank you!!

What else can you say about such an experience? We decided to share our once in a lifetime moment at Wolwedans and looking back now we could not have made a better decision. The relaxed yet professional service. The friendly faces and amazing meals. New friends and a great adventure.

Here are but a few of our images from the magical time we had at Wolwedans.

Arriving at Wolwedans. Our adventure begins.

The activities and drives were always a highlight. We must have more than 300 pictures all together!

Bekka (my sister), Adele and Glen on the couch we got the staff to drag out into the open area in front of the lodge to get some pictures.

Ben and Italy, our two guides, on our wedding day. You guys were great!

Adele and Glen having fun on the dunes during one of the drink stops.

Adele and I on one of the red dunes. Truly a beautiful place!

Adele and I with a couple of the Dune Camp staff at the end of our last evening. A great bunch of guys! (Still not sure about the pineapple though?)

Adele and I after our wedding ceremony. You guys should all also take a bow!

Adele and I would like to thank all the Wolwedans Dune Camp staff for creating one of the most amazing and memorable experiences we have ever had. Their is no doubt that we will be back one day.

You are all a credit to Wolwedans and a great example of how things should be done in the hospitality industry. From our experience, both working in the industry and as a guest, a lot of the larger lodges and companies can learn a thing or two from you.

From our first contact with the office to the very last hug goodbye, you made it all special. If anybody ever needs an excuse to visit probably one of the most beautiful places in the world, the staff and experience at Wolwedans is it.

Thanks again to all of you and we look forward to seeing you all again soon! Please do stay in touch!

Our warmest regards,

Gerry & Adele

Something about Madikwe's neighbours in Supingstadt

As you all read Gerry and myself went to Suping to collect the staff after their day off. We decided to take some images of some kids playing around outside the school. And O BOY , did they love the attention.

The people in Suping live a very simple life and they can get by with the minimum. When we asked the boys where’s the soccer ball ? The one boy made a plan with some newspaper.I then realized that if you really want to achieve something you can , you must just have the will power to do it. Then some teenage boys came along with a proper ball. The boys took fully advantage of the situation and they really showed some skill. They can even play dirty and then fake the injury like the pro’s. Unlike the pros they do everything bare foot and on bare soil with rocks and paper thorns , they are really children of the earth , and I mean it in the best way possible !!!



Harry our trainee chef was there aswell and he is a very good example of being hip and fashionable in the bush, as you can see he loves his jewelery……….


Madikwe provides work for a lot of the people of Suping , but there is the unemployment factor aswell. One of the past time activities when there is a day of is drinking beer and smoking , something that forms a big part of their culture and social life. Don not get me wrong , I have nothing against it , we social aswell………..ask Gerry !

We tried to photograph the kids without any posing but as soon as they saw the camera it was all action and acting , I mean you can not blame them. As Gerry was busy with the kids , a lady approached him to take a few pics of her aswell. For them it is just amazing to see themselves 2 sec. after we have taken the shot , the wonders of Digital !!


Even the older generation wants to see themselves on the 2,5 inch screen. You can really see all the character on his face , and he had a few deep thoughts through his life!!! Sometimes your house or garage is not big enough for everything , you have to make a plan !




That’s all for now. Hope you enjoyed a little something of Madikwe’s neighbours.

Till next time

Grant

Three Crops - One Image

I am in the process of trying to work through quite a few images. Everything from Namibian landscapes to wildlife and then a few of the afternoon I went to Supingstad.

Am quite keen to hear your thoughts on this one. It is the same image, cropped in three different ways. Still not sure which one I like best.

This was the original image. Nice, but I reckon the eyes in the top left corner throws it off a bit.

This seemed like the most obvious crop. Cut out the distracting parts and keep the rest.

Then there is the very close, long crop. I think this might be my pick but still not convinced!

As always I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time.

Gerry

PS: I am in the process of updating my page on Photo-Africa. View it here! G.

Funny Face

Found this old guy right next to the road two days ago. He was going about his business and did not really care for us.

Interesting to photograph giraffe from almost underneath and as the title says...

Funny Face!


I am still going to do a book on funny animal faces one day!! :)

As always I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time.

Gerry

A Mixed Bag of Images

This week has been a pretty quiet week in Madikwe and I was only out for a few days. Some nice sightings but nothing spectacular photography wise.

Here are two of the images I got in the last few days.

These two males were in the process of fighting (necking) when we found them. Sat watching them for quite some time as the rain clouds moved in. I have a few nice 'action' images of these two which I still need to work through.

We found this little guy and his mom just as the clouds opened for the late afternoon sun to come through. This was a great sighting as the herd was very calm and slowly walked next to our vehicle and into the sunset.

I have a few other wildlife images I have to still check that might work and will get these up onto the Blog and Stock Site as soon as I can. Did get some more pretty nice images though.

Yesterday Grant and I drove to Supingstad, the closest rural community to Madikwe, to collect some of the Tuningi staff. We are taking all the staff to Sun City today for our annual Xmas party. Should make for quite a few 'interesting' images as well!

As we were waiting for the staff outside one of the local schools we were saw a bunch of young boys playing around. These kids love photos and were very happy for us to shoot away! Here are a few of the images I was able to capture.

The impromptu game of football was quite competitive and these little guys showed quite a bit of skill.

One of the older spectators watching the kids. Remembering when he could also run around like that?

The energy and enthusiasm in these little guys were quite amazing. Perhaps it is because the one on the left is carrying his lunch around with him during all the games.

Here Grant is showing the kids some of his images. The excited laughter when they saw their images was amazing to see! I am sure Grant will be posting some of his images as well.

As with the last time I went to Supingstad to photograph the people and their community this was a great afternoon. The people are friendly and I think that the young kids and older folk have so much character which makes them fascinating subjects to photograph. Absolutely love it and will definitely go back again!

I am in the process of expanding Photo-Africa to include more diverse genres of photography and related services such as hospitality and portraits which, I feel, will compliment the wildlife and nature images by showcasing the complete 'African' picture - if you know what I mean! I am loving the challenge of shooting different scenes and subjects but the goal is to still keep all the images 'African'. I would love to get your input on these different images as they get uploaded!

Almost time to go and get ready for the Xmas party! Will hopefully have some images to upload later this week but will be back with the Weekly High Five and more great African wildlife images on Friday! The quality of wildlife images that have been uploadd has been spectacular!

I have played around with slightly larger images in the Blog. Any thoughts on this one?

As always I look forward to hearing from you and leave you with one more image from yesterday.


Until next time!

Gerry

Wild Dog Kill - Video

Please note that the following video is VERY GRAPHIC and not for the feint-hearted!!! Do not play the video if you are easily offended by violence in nature!

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The following video, called Survival of the Fittest - Wild Dog and Kudu Kill, was captured by Neil Steedman who works at Jaci's Safari Lodge in Madikwe, about an hour from where we are based at Tuningi. The video shows three African Wild Dogs pulling down and killing a female Kudu at the edge of a watering hole in Madikwe.

There have been many debates as to who are the more 'humane' killers - cats or dogs? The debate is still open but this video shows how Wild Dogs hunt. The Kudu in this video will probably have gone into shock as soon as the Dogs pulled her down which, if it at all helps, would have made her not feel that much. Still a truly brutal scene but purely nature unfolding as it has for many hundreds of years. (Note: This is purely my view and I know that we cannot project those kind of emotions onto a scene like this but when you get to see things like this for real you cannot help but think about it from a 'human' perspective!!)

Amazing. Shocking. Almost unbelievable! A lot of people come to Africa with the hope of seeing 'a kill'. This video shows but a small part of that reality and when confronted with a scene such as this in the bush many people feel different. Understandably so. Have you ever witnessed a scene like this? What did you think? Feel? Would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this one!

While on this amazing video thing - I assume most of you have seen the famous Battle at Kruger video on YouTube. This video has already been viewed more than 38 million times and when you watch it you will see why! Sightings like this also do not happen everyday and this is truly one in a million!!

For those of you who have not see it yet, here goes (and if you understand Afrikaans you will get a good giggle out of the background commentary as well!)

Time to get going. It looks like the sun has finally broken through a week's worth of rain clouds and we might actually get home dry from tonight's drive! I will be back soon with more updated images and whenever possible, a few wildlife videos as well.

As always I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time!

Gerry

Weekly High Five #21

After a break of almost three weeks the Weekly High Five is back!

Wildlife photography is difficult. No. Let's clarify. Creating a striking, memorable and technically good image is difficult. With the direction cameras are going these days anybody can hit a home run every once in a while. Getting quality images on a continuous basis is the real goal. Again... a good camera is not necessarily going to make you take good pictures.

During the last three weeks I have been having an amazing time focusing on various different types of photography and am looking forward to carry some of the rejuvenated excitement and enthusiasm back into the bush to see what I can come up with. By photographing still-standing scenes and landscapes I have had the chance to refresh the way your mind works when I compose an image.

The challenge in wildlife photography is to carry those 'skills' and experience into the field and be able to do everything very quickly. Knowing your equipment is vital. Also, nature does not wait for you to get your camera right and that is why luck plays such a great part in wildlife photography. I reckon I can steal from Gary Player by saying that "the more you practise (and go out in the field), the luckier you will get."

This week's High Five features some amazing images that shows what can happen when great photography meets wildlife. Since the last High Five there have been a great deal of awesome images uploaded to the Photo-Africa Stock Library but I decided to focus on the recently uploaded images. When you have a chance pop in and have a look at all the Newest Images.

You might recall that a few weeks ago I tried to steer away from Africa's largest cat pics as there were just so many being uploaded. Great problem, using the world lightly, to have! Having now been away from Big 5 territory for a while and seeing the amazing images I was very excited to see the big cats again! With the variety of lion images that have been uploaded I almost chose only lion images but at the last minute decided to include a great silhouette and a few rhino as well.

Here goes with my choices for this weeks High Five!

Image 1 - Crash of Rhino by Edmund Fourie

A group of gentle giants. I personally love taking images of Rhino as they offer so many angles and different lines. I like this as the Rhino look like they are having a meeting and putting their heads together. What would have really made this one stand out is if the background, including the back two animals, was slightly out of focus. This would have still let the image retain the same feeling of a group of rhino together but the focal point would have very definitely been on the front Rhino with the long horn. Still not a major worry and a great wildlife image.

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Image 2 - Lion Cubs by Paul Benson

Any image of small animals always have a slight head start due to the 'cute' factor and this is no exception. Beautiful capture of the two cubs. The two things that stand out for me is the fact that they are both staring in the same direction and the background that includes the diagonal lines in the direction they are looking. Almost as if they are looking down a road. DOF in the image is also perfect as the background is just blurred enough to keep the focus on the lions. Nice image!

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Image 3 - Lioness and Cub by Paul Benson

Again - cute! Another thing that this image shows perfectly is the way eye contact can make or break a wildlife image. In this case it happens twice. In the first instance the lioness looks directly at the viewer. Paul was even able to capture the little bit of catch-light in her eye. Secondly, and I believe this is what makes this a winner, is the way the little cub is looking up at it's mother. Perfect! The only thing that you could possibly change would be to have framed the female a little to the centre but this is being overly picky. Great image!!!

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Image 4 - Elephant Silhouette by Paul Benson

This is Africa at it's best. This image, of probably the most recognisable animal on the plant, shows the most beautiful time of the day in Africa - sunset. Capturing the silhouette is one thing but the background in this is filled with different colours which is not always the case in animal silhouettes. This image should be made into a postcard!

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Image 5 - Lion Fight by Paul Benson

Unbelievable image! For me this was an easy pick as my favourite of the week. When two lions fight the intensity is out of this world. This image has captured movement, power and conflict. The angle of this image also makes it work. It seems as if the photographer was almost on ground level which, considering the subjects, is quite an interesting thought. Through the blurred motion shows the speed and combined with the muscles in the lions back shows how brutal these moments can get. This image should get anybody excited about wildlife photography. Fantastic image! O, and the flies around the lions are pretty cool as well!

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A truly great collection of images and an amazing showcase of African wildlife.

With my backlog of images from our recent road trip I have a huge amount of Blog material and hopefully I will be able to get a lot of these images, stories and thoughts onto the Blog during the next two weeks. At the end of the month Adele and I will be going back to Johannesburg for a few days and during that time I will be uploading most of my Namibia shots, along with any new ones I get during the next two weeks, to the Photo-Africa Stock Library.

The Stock Site has been growing steadily over the last few months so just a quick thanks to all the photographers, almost thirty now, who have been continuously uploading their African Wildlife images. I am in the process of making a few upgrades and updates to Photo-Africa and I will keep you guys posted as soon as these get implemented! Quite a few exciting developments in the pipeline.

Also a huge thanks you to all the people who keep on visiting, commenting and supporting Photo-Africa!!

So as the rains pours down in Madikwe, as always, I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time.

Gerry

Namibian Landscapes

I will definitely be going back to Namibia! Perhaps I should arrange a Photo-Africa photographic safari during next year sometime. Hmmm... interesting thought...

Anyway, I have slowly been working through the images from our trip a few weeks ago. So many amazing abstract, scenes and wildlife images which I will still get to but for now I have been focusing on the landscapes.

The landscapes in Namibia makes you feel quite small. The size of the place is overwhelming and calming at the same time. I have been playing around with different orientations and a few quite strong crops but I feel this shows the beauty, size and emotion of the landscapes much better. This is all pretty difficult to capture in a single image but here are a few of my initial landscapes from the Namib-Rand Game Reserve.

The contrast of colours and the wide open spaces which are scattered with a few lonely trees are truly spectacular.

The vastness of the landscapes can be seen here as a lone ostrich walks across the open plain.

The long road that leads from Windhoek to the entrance of the Namib-Rand Nature Reserve. This images was taken from the Reserve gate towards the direction you would be approaching if you were to drive to the Wolwedans.

This is the road you drive as as you enter the Namib-Rand Reserve. The rolling dunes and mountains are absolutely spectacular and the only sign of civilization is the red winding road that cuts through the landscape.

The Oryx is the epitome of all dessert mammals and the ambassador for Namibian nature and wildlife. These animals are not always the easiest to photograph but with a bit of luck and perseverance, as with most wildlife images, your patience will be rewarded. We found this lone female early one morning as we were heading out for more views of this amazing place.

During the next few weeks I will add more images from Namibia. The place touches your soul and makes you miss it even before you leave.

Yes. I will go back.

As always I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time.

Gerry

Using Lines & Shapes

I am very fond of using lines and shapes when composing my wildlife, nature and all other images.

This can be anything from the various obvious to an imaginary line created by an animals intended direction of movement. I have started working through all my RAW images from our trip to Namibia and two images that showed interesting lines and shapes stood out immediately.

I felt that they both had a little more 'character' in black and white and love the results.

This shot of Adele was taken as the sun was setting in Helmeringshauzen. The outline on her profile was accentuated by the last rays of sun. The curves of her face combined with the horizontal line that splits the frame makes this a striking image.

This image was taken in the St Lucia wetlands. The flowing S-curve and different textures of the shore of the Estuary made for a very interesting black & white image.

You can use lines like this to create striking stand alone images or to help draw your viewer's gaze towards your intended focal subject. In the image below the curving shoreline leads your gaze directly to the crocodile.

A pretty plain and simple image but made just that little more interesting by using the lines that was available.

When you look around you will find that their are lines, shapes and textures everywhere. I captured this last image in the Kwamadwala Game Reserve.

The rolled up Millipede makes for an in interesting shape and different textures.

Lines & shapes can 'make' images out of nothing or make an average image great.

For me it was great to spend the last few weeks with Glen and Pieter who are also both quite 'obsessed' photographers. By shooting the same landscapes and scenes we were able to share ideas and different ways of approaching a scene or subject. It is great to share ideas and learn from each other and I find it quite sad that there are people who do not want to share their work, ideas and goals. Surely we can all learn from each other?

As always I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time.

Gerry

The Land God Created in Anger

'One's destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things.'

~ Henry Miller, 1957

The San people calls it 'the land God created in anger' - Namibia.

You cannot help but be in awe of this land of sand, mountains and vast open spaces. It took my breath away. It made me stop and take notice. I fell in love with it.

Perhaps in a way my feelings are linked to the fact that Adele and I had our wedding at Wolwedans in the Namib-Rand Game Reserve but when I look at some of the images and think back to the emotions and feelings that we all experienced during our time there I am convinced that it was more than this.

From the moment we entered Namibia at the Nakop border it felt like we have entered a place that held a beautiful mystery. It is a place that feels familiar and brand new all at the same time. A place with landscapes so vast that you get lost in your own thoughts.

We spent our first night at the Hotel in Helmeringshauzen. This town, and no jokes here, consists of the hotel, a petrol station and about 200 meters of tar road - that's it! Even in this isolated spot of Namibia we were blown away by the beauty of the surrounding landscapes.

We had the most amazing afternoon up on the hills behind the hotel taking pictures and just soaking up the beauty of this very different natural landscapes. The next morning Pieter, our wedding photographer, and I were up early to get a few images of the hotel and surrounding area.

This is pretty much half of the town of Helmeringshauzen. Just behind the funky looking guy is a petrol station and that is about it. I quite liked the look of this Toy Story looking fellow and it just goes to show that there are picture opportunities everywhere!

This old car and dead tree was located within the grounds of the hotel and must have been photographed many times in the past. We had a great deal of fun playing around and shooting this scene. Many different times of day and different kinds of light gave us a lot of chances to 'work the scene'.

After leaving Helmeringshauzen, and stopping a few times along the way to take pictures, we arrived at Wolwedans.

Once we entered the Namib-Rand Game Reserve we were met with some of the most amazingly simple and beautiful scenes I could ever have imagined. The first image in this post was the first one I took as we entered the gates to the reserve - and that was just the start of it.

Later that day we went on a drive with the guides from Wolwedans. This foreign world offered so many images it was almost as if it was designed by a photographer, for photographers.

The lines and shapes in this world of red sand, yellow grass and blue skies was almost too good to be true. Between Pieter, Glen and myself we were like kids let loose in a candy store. Images waiting to be captured - everywhere!!

The next morning we left on an early morning game drive and again the natural scenes of Namibia did not disappoint.

The morning light gave us many different ways in which to shoot this amazing landscapes and with the rolling hills and vast open plains I am quite keen to see what Pieter comes up with when we receive our official wedding photographs from him.

As the morning slowly matured into another scorching hot day in the Namib dessert I got some of the most amazing shots of Oryx - something I have not been able to get in Madikwe. These majestic antelope specialize in this harsh environment and in a way look very natural in this harsh and unforgiving dessert.

The images I got of these Oryx along with a few Springbok is pretty much the total sum of wildlife images for my trip to Namibia. Landscapes, lines, shapes and abstracts. This is what kept me occupied, excited and made me think about my own photography in a whole new way.

Think about your own 'style' in a new way and be forced to look at things differently. This has opened up a whole new, or at least a long forgotten, world to me. I have started looking at landscapes differently. Abstracts have a new appeal. Great feeling.

Apart from my wedding, which was everything we hoped for and more, I have had the most unbelievable photographic time in Namibia. The passion has been rekindled. The creativity has been awakened and the comfort zone has been shifted which will (hopefully) make way for a new growth in my own work.

If you ever feel the need to visit a place of endless beauty which will spark your photographic spirit let me know and we can head up to Namibia for the photographic trip of a lifetime! The country is massive and is begging to be photographed! IAfter our 4 days in Namibia I have more than 1000 RAW files I am slowly working through - the place is unreal!!

Make no mistake, wildlife photography which I enjoy and would like to think I am quite good at is still something that gets me excited and makes me want to get up and out into the field every day but there is more. Much more and during the next few months I will be looking at expanding my focus (excuse the pun) and venture into different genres of photography.

I will be updating my own page on Photo-Africa which will be featuring various new galleries, images and services I will be looking at exploring. I will be posting some of these images, along with all the regular posts, on the Blog and would love to get your feedback.

Adele and I will be heading back to Madikwe on Wednesday but I will be back with the Weekly High Five on Friday.

As always I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time.

Gerry

New Wildlife Photography Book - Now Available!!!

My latest book "Wildlife. Photography. And everything in between." is now available! I have finally received my first copy and I am extrmely proud and pleased with the result!

The 192 page coffee table book is a visual journey through African Wildlife Photography with the first section including more than 200 African Wildlife images including all the African Icons such as Lions, Leopard, Zebra and Giraffe.

The second section looks at various composition guidelines, tips and tricks to help you improve your own wildlife photographs!

Here are a few images from the book.

Cover Page

Index Page

The Wildlife Section of the book features images and information on the following:

- African Sunrise

- African Icons (Including the Big 5, Wild Dog, Cheetah, Zebra)

- General Game

- Birds

- African Sunsets

- Africa is a Dark Place

The Photography Section is aimed specifically at Wildlife Photography and features basic text and many sample images to highlight the following:

- Introduction

- Shutter Speed

- ISO

- Exposure (Including Back Light, Side Lighting, etc.)

- Composition (Shapes, Lines, Rule of Thirds, etc.)

Wildlife

African Icons - Leopard

Information and Interesting Facts.

Each animal featured as an African Icon includes general information and interesting facts.

Composition in Wildlife Photography

Exposure in Wildlife Photography

This book is now available online as the following three version:

• Soft Cover - $60
• Hard Cover with Dust Jacket - $70
• Hard Cover with Image Wrap - $75

To see a preview of the book or to purchase your own copy now - click here! The book currently ships from the US and can be posted to anywhere in the world. If you are in South Africa and would like to order a copy let me know as I will be doing a bulk order in the next few weeks. If you already have a copy I would love to hear your thoughts!!

As always I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time.

Gerry

PS: I have just uploaded a few images of Adele and my wedding to an album on Photo-Africa. You can view these images by clicking here. G.

What a Ride!

After a road trip of just under 4,400km we are back in Johannesburg!

Not quite sure where to start as we have had the most unbelievable two weeks. Since leaving Namibia on 2 November we have pretty much driven across the whole of South Africa - to the St Lucia Wetlands, up to the Lowveld and back to Johannesburg. And the strangest thing of all is that I would get in the car and do it again in an instant!

The wedding feels like it happened months ago. We have done so much and seen so many amazing things that it is in a way quite nice to be home in Johannesburg for two days before heading back to Madikwe on Wednesday.

I have so many images that I want to work through and so many stories to tell so in the next few days expect quite a few posts on this blog! Just the various places we stayed at is enough to keep me going for a while so I will also be uploading my own reviews and images as soon as I get a chance!

For now I have to unpack and settle at home but I just had to upload this image that Glen took in Swaziland.

Keep in mind this was on a main road, highway if you will. Not fenced or in a game reserve or anything like that. I have seen a lot of 'interesting' signs in Africa but this one in Swaziland definitely caused a few laughs in our vehicle!

This is the real Africa!! :)

Will be back soon with a LOT of new images and updates!

As always I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time!

Gerry

First Images from Namibia

What a ride!! Adele and I have just arrived home from Namibia for a very quick stop before heading on to the St Lucia Wetlands and then to the Kwamadwala Game Reserve.

Our trip to Namibia was out of this world! Absolutely everything was perfect and we had the most amazing time. While we are getting ready to leave on a well deserved break at first light, I am busy downloading my own images from the trip. The scenery, landscapes and general photo opportunities was almost too much to contend with but I cannot wait to work through my images.

In between all the drinks, laughter and driving Pieter, our photographer, and Glen also took images all the time and from what we could see on the camera screens there were some awesome images!

Pieter will be editing the official wedding photographs and I will upload some of these when I receive it from him but in the meantime I have added a few of Glen's images from our Namibian adventure.

Adele and I at the old car at the Helmeringshauzen Hotel. The town is made up of the hotel and a petrol station but it blew us away with it's quaint charm.

Glen caught me 'hard at work' on the hill behind our hotel. Great landscapes and great light!

Skip forward a few days - Adele, Pieter and I play around with some images at Wolwedans where we stayed for the duration of our wedding.

Glen joining in on the action.

This was the setting for breakfast on 1 November, the morning of our wedding.

Jump forward to that afternoon. Glen shot this while Adele and I were on our way to the ceremony venue on the dune.

Adele and I after the wedding ceremony. The setting was out of this world!!

As soon as we return from Kwamadwala I will go through Glen's images and upload more images from the wedding. At first glance there are some great ones!! I will also be working on processing and uploading all the landscape, abstract and wildlife images I was able to capture during our trip. Some truly amazing scenes!!

Thanks for all the well-wishes and messages. It is greatly appreciated!! Will get back to you all as soon as the world stops turning this fast!

As always I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time.

Gerry