Monthly Archives: September 2016
Lion cub
Lion cub, Kruger National Park, South Africa
We found a medium sized pride of lions basking in the shade near a waterhole in Kruger National Park in South Africa. There were a dozen of what looked like adult females (a few of those might have been young males), and cubs of at least 4 different ages. This was the smallest, seen here having a rub along its mother’s flank as it moved to find a new spot among it’s larger cousins.
Sony RX10iii at 1200mm equivalent field of view (2x Clear Image Zoom). 1/320th @ ISO 100 @ f4. Processed and cropped from the top for effect in Lightroom.
Zebra classic
Zebras, Kruger National Park, South Africa
This is a classic Zebra pose from Kruger National Park in South Africa. Though it might look like a tender moment, the Zebras are actually resting. The posture allows each to relax, while still keeping watch in both directions for potential danger.
Sony RX10iii at 500mm equivalent field of view. 1/500th @ ISO 100 @ f4. Processed in Lightroom.
Hippo in the sunset. Happy Sunday!
Hippopotamus, Tshukudu Game Reserve, South Africa
“If your eye is generous, your whole being is full of light.” Jesus
I am more or less back from nearly a month of intensive travel, with spotty to non-existent wifi, and very little unscheduled time. I am actually in Columbus Ohio for the Great American Birding Expo, but that is relatively close to home, with excellent hotel wifi, and some time this morning to properly reflect on the Sunday. I am thankful for the time this morning, but I am also thankful for the travel. I spent a week in Panama, and 11 days in South Africa, and my head and my heart is full of new and memorable sights and experiences. This shot is from a sunset drive at a private, fenced, Game Reserve in South Africa. Tshakudu Game Reserve specializes in Rhinoceros, but they have all of the “big five” game animals on their extensive property. The small herd of Hippos was basking in one of few ponds that still have water at the height of the severe drought that has the Greater Kruger region in its grip. The water is actually shallow enough so the Hippos are kneeling on the bottom of the pond. This is a classic Africa shot, with the Hippo roaring in the sunset.
I feel incredibly blessed to have stood on the dam in Tshakudu to witness this. And incredibly is just the right word. I am very close to not being able to believe it. Africa has been a dream of mine since childhood, and, now, just after my 69th birthday, it has come true…and it was everything I had dreamed it would be. I went into the trip determined to be as generous as I possibly could be…open-hearted and open eyed as the blessing deserves. I failed, of course, but each day I woke with thanksgiving and did my best to enjoy what might well be a once in a lifetime experience. Just to be there…just to see…just to record…just to share. Overwhelming! God, please grant me generosity of spirit to match the gift. Happy Sunday!
Harvest Moon -1
Harvest Moon -1, Columbus Ohio.
My Facebook feed is full of moons this morning…Harvest Moons. I took this shot 2 nights ago, before I had been reminded of the significance of this particular full moon, so one day shy of full…just because it was so beautiful emerging from a layer of clouds over Columbus. Grange Insurance Audubon Center, Columbus Ohio.
Sony RX10iii at 600mm equivalent field of view. Hand-held Twilight Mode (multiple exposures processed down to one in-camera). Post-processed in Lightroom.
Run Dumbo Run
Young Elephant, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Disney would never have gotten away with titling a major release “Dumbo” today…but as a historical association I am stuck with the name. This young, perhaps year old, elephant at Kruger National Park in South Africa had fallen behind his mother and was covering the ground pretty fast to catch up. I have a whole sequence of shots, but, of course, forgot the video button on the camera (as usual). This collage, created in Coolage, captures some of the effect. There were, as I mentioned in a previous post, lots of young elephants among the herds at Kruger.
Sony RX10iii at 580mm equivalent field of view. 1/320th @ ISO 100 @ f4. Processed in Lightroom and assembled in Coolage.
Red-billed Hornbill
Red-billed Hornbill, Trimisana Lodge, Balule Game Reserve, South Africa
Hornbills are by far the most numerous and visible birds in the South African bush at the end of a dry winter. The most see is the Yellow-billed Hornbill…familiar to most as a main character in the Lion King. Thus is a Red-billed Hornbill. I was two days in Africa before seeing one.
Sony RX10iii at 600mm equivalent field of view. Program Mode. Processed in PhotoShop Express on my Android tablet.
Hippos in early light
Hippopotamus. Olifant River, Balule Gamer Reserve, Greater Kruger NP, South Africa
One of the things that attracted me to Viva Safaris was the inclusion of a 4 hour bush walk at Balule Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park in South Africa. Experiencing the African bush from a Game Viewer (a converted Land Cruiser or Land Rover with high seats and open sides) and experiencing it on foot are two very different things. The Olifant River, a perennial river that flows across Kruger, is not far from Viva’s Tremisana Lodge were we stayed, and we were driven out to walking distance and then walked up over a ridge and down to the river. There were, as promised, Hippopotamus. (Hippopotami?) A fairly large group, already back in the water after a night of feeding on the sparse grasses of late winter in a drought. Just as we got to the river, the hippos had a crocodile scare and all burst up out of the water at the same time…too fast for a pic, but I took plenty as they settled back down. These animals are the most dangerous in Africa…and kill more people every year than Lions and Rinos and Cape Buffalo combined…largely because it only takes one bite when you get between a Hippo and the water, and that is evidently not all that hard to do. The guides at Tremisana are cautious and respectful and do not approach the river if the Hippos are still out of the water. Once in the water, you are safe, if you maintain a reasonable distance, and offer no threat. Though they might appear to be swimming, the hippos are actually kneeling on the bottom in shallow water, and can, as we saw when we got there, burst up pretty quickly. We saw other game and lots of birds on our bush walk, and learned a lot about the environment of the South African bush, but the highlight is certainly the Hippos of the Olifant River.
Sony RX10iii at 591mm equivalent field of view. 1/250th @ f4 @ ISO 125. Processed and cropped for effect in Lightroom.
Hansom Fellow. Giraffe at Kruger
Giraffe, Kruger National Park, South Africa.
As I suspected, the wifi at the lodges and camps in greater Kruger National Park in South Africa was somewhat chancy, so I have some posts to make up from my 11 days there. I will be doing it over the next several days. This hansom male Giraffe could not have been better posed, and the light could not have been better. You can tell it is a male because of the smooth round knobs on the end of its bony extrusions (horns). Females have tufts of hair there. I had many opportunities to photograph Giraffes and you will undoubtedly see several over the next few days. 🙂
Sony RX10iii at 390mm equivalent field of view. I found that full zoom was only occasionally needed when photographing the larger animals at Kruger. Program mode. 1/640th @ ISO 100 @ f4. Processed in Lightroom.