CHANGING PERSPECTIVES AT MASHATU

It was with great excitement that we trekked north on our annual pilgrimage to C4's first Mashatu workshop for the year. Meeting all our guests at the Alldays coffee shop on our way to the camp has become an institution for those participating. It was great to see all the excited faces, mostly friends who have done trips with us before, but also some new faces that would soon become part of the C4 family. We confirmed that the weather forecast looked great for the next few days as we headed for the border into Botswana and the start of our five-day Mashatu photo workshop.

Bath time

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 | 1/640sec at f/5.6, ISO 400

Mashatu Tent Camp is a lovely small camp nestled in a forest that makes you feel closer to nature and would be our home for the five day trip. It offers all the necessities and luxuries for a photographic weekend with wonderfully friendly helpful staff. Mike Dexter met us at the border. He is C4's hide expert and is permanently stationed at Mashatu. As a well-respected guide and photographer in his own right he was going to be my fellow host for this weekend.


I was telling the guests all about Margaret's famous lemon meringue pie at Mashatu Tent Camp that is considered to be the best in the world. With great disappointment we learned that it would only be served during Sunday high tea, which we would miss. We persuaded the kitchen staff to switch Saturday and Sunday menu's around to experience this decadent delight and in the end I was happy that everyone agreed... the best lemon meringue pie in the world!

Following mom

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark II N | 600mmf/4 | 1/1000sec at f/4, ISO 200

After settling into our new home we got together for high tea and set off on our first drive. A call came about a cheetah with five cubs. Seeing a cheetah with such a big litter of cubs is quite rare. We've had a cheetah with six cubs in the Masai Mara in Kenya before, and I've heard of someone seeing a cheetah with seven cubs once, but this is extraordinary for Mashatu and we raced to the sighting with great anticipation. We were not disappointed and found them all in great late afternoon light. Shutters were clicking furiously and it was a fantastic way to start the workshop.


The next morning we stumbled upon two lionesses on a fresh zebra kill not far from camp. Everyone was enjoying the early morning photography. While sitting at the lion kill, at one stage I turned around facing the back of the vehicle to help a guest with camera settings. Suddenly, in a moment of disbelief I saw a wild dog out of the corner of my eye. I immediately stopped talking out of pure shock! A pack of wild dogs were trotting on the road where we came from and also stumbled onto the lions. The one lioness immediately got that expression of intense focus on her face, stood up and started chasing the wild dogs. They all moved at an incredible speed. Luckily the lioness did not have any other intentions except for chasing the dogs away from their kill and thus gave up the chase quickly. We followed the wild dogs over very rough terrain and were amazed at the speed and stamina they had trying to move out of the lions' reach.

The watchful eye

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 | 1/640sec at f/4, ISO 400

Heading home

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark II N | 600mmf/4 | 1/1250sec at f/4, ISO 1250

The afternoon was spent photographing general game and a big herd of breeding elephants in the last light of day. Some of the baby elephants were very entertaining and one young brave baby came to smell our vehicle, but he shook his head in disgust as his trunk touched the metal bar on the side of the vehicle. We had planned to do star trials that night but our plan was interrupted by the sighting of a leopard cub and his mother playing and drinking water on our way back to camp. The guests were not much disappointed for missing the star trail that evening and luckily the forecast was for clear skies for the next evening as well.

Baby in the bush

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 | 1/640sec at f/5.6, ISO 200

Queen of the night

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Nikon D3s | 200-400mmf/4 | 1/200sec at f/4, ISO 6400

When I arrived at Mashatu, Mike had been telling me about the great sightings at the elephant hide and showing me some of the pictures he's taken from within the hide. I was bursting with excitement to go to the hide. We organized with him to go to the hide during the next two morning game drives. The elephant hide was recently completed by C4 in the middle of the reserve at a place called 'Moddergat', close to the Mujali river. The hide is sunk into the ground next to a waterhole with two small openings, giving you an eye level view of the waterhole. The perspective is amazing. To see the animals from that angle creates a whole new dimension to wildlife photography. It looks spectacular - even the usually dull-looking turtle doves and grey go-away birds looks great from this new perspective when they come down to drink.

Early morning visitor

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 + 1.4x | 1/1000sec at f/4, ISO 800

Warthog

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 | 1/640sec at f/5.6, ISO 400

Both sessions we had in the hide were fantastic. Shutters were firing away furiously as we were entertained by all kinds of birds coming to drink, impala, warthog, elephants and even a leopard tortoise that we saw approaching from a distance. When a 25 strong breeding herd of elephants arrived it was breathtaking. They surrounded the waterhole and it felt as if you became part of the herd. Looking up at these majestic creates from ground level, standing meters away from you, was a surreal but humbling experience - one of my ultimate bush experiences ever. The photographic experience was overwhelming and when the herd left we were all shaking from adrenaline and excitement. I can now envisage all the potential photographs from this hide and wish I could stay there forever to capture all those shots. C4 has definitely hit a home run with this hide and the other three that are near completion.

Thirsty giants

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 5D Mark II | 16-35mmf/2.8 | 1/100sec at f/8, ISO 400

Around the waterhole

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 5D Mark II | 16-35mmf/2.8 | 1/500sec at f/5.6, ISO 800

The rest of the drives on our workshop seemed average in comparison to what we experienced at the hide but they were spectacular in their own right. Lots of leopards, including the three cubs that we had seen during our August workshop seven months ago and that are amazingly all still alive, two young male lions, breeding herds of elephants and all of the general game.


The format of our workshop weekend includes morning and evening game drives, tuition and advice on the vehicles, and photography instruction in the day between game drives. Definitely hard work that everyone is very keen for and just can't get enough of! Since all our guests are experienced photographers, most of whom have travelled with us before, our curriculum for the weekend included flash photography for wildlife, a demonstration and discussion on Lightroom and the changes in the new version 4, and image reviews. I was blown away by the quality of the images from our guests, once again confirming what a magical place Mashatu is and the quality and diversity it offers the wildlife photographer. Thanks Jake, Justice, Commando, Ona, Congo and the staff at Mashatu tent amp for an unforgettable experience.

MASHATU WINTER BLISS

The dry season in Mashatu usually means good game sightings. The dry conditions force animals to congregate at the last remaining waterholes. Our recent photographic workshop to Mashatu in June always had the prospect of good sightings, but nothing could have prepared us for what we were about to see. The sightings and photographic opportunities were not just good, they were phenomenal!

First day

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 | 1/400sec at f/5.6, ISO 200

Catching up

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark II | 16-35mmf/2.8 | 1/640sec at f/8, ISO 200

One of the highlights on our first afternoon drive was to try different lighting techniques on a pair of lions with the vehicles' spotlights. Everyone had fun mastering backlit/rim, side and front lighting. The next morning we were out early and found a hyena den close to camp - a big clan with lots of youngsters that were playing outside the den each morning until late. Mashatu also delivered the usual specials with large breeding herds of elephants, including a day-old baby still with a piece of its umbilical cord attached, good bird photographic opportunities and the normal plains game.

Low angle glossy Ibis

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 | 1/1600sec at f/5.6, ISO 800

Open wide

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 | 1/400sec at f/8, ISO 200

One afternoon we stumbled upon a small pan with about 30 foraging glossy ibises. These usually bland subjects looked spectacular in the late afternoon sun. That was exactly the type of photography that gets my heart racing - making ordinary subjects look spectacular. They were surprisingly accommodating and allowed us to get very close to them - out of the vehicle and onto the ground for that low angle perspective.

Mounting tension

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Nikon D3s | 200-400mmf/4 | 1/800sec at f/5, ISO 1000

Bone collector

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 | 1/2000sec at f/4.5, ISO 1250

You know that a trip is going well when a sighting of lions fighting with hyenas are not even considered the highlight of the weekend. On the second morning's drive we followed the same male and female lion we saw on our first game drive and observed how they wandered too close to the hyena den. The whole clan of eight adult hyenas grouped together and started harassing the trespassers. The young male's temper flared up in a number of sequences that offered first class action photography opportunities as he defended himself.

Red nose day

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Nikon D3s | 200-400mmf/4 | 1/100sec at f/4.5, ISO 3200

Mom and daugter

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Nikon D3s | 200-400mmf/4 | 1/160sec at f/4, ISO 2000

A female leopard with three cubs have been in the area for our entire stay and we were dying to get a good look at them. Small gaps through the thicket allowed us to get some record shots at various stages, but with such young cubs we knew our chances were slim of getting good leopard cub shots. On our fifth drive our patience were rewarded when the leopard and her cubs walked in a dry riverbed an even allowed us to observe them while drinking water. This was a special moment for us all. At the time we did not know however, that this was just an appetizer for things to come. That night she made a kill and dragged it into a nearby tree. We returned to this sighting on each of our last three game drives and felt privileged to observe and photograph an episode of these leopards' lives!

Quelea chaos

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 | 1/5000sec at f/8, ISO 800

An ear with character

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 | 1/250sec at f/5.6, ISO 800

Once again Mashatu revealed to us some of its unique and spectacular treasures. We can not wait to return there soon!

CHANGING ANGLES AT MASHATU

"Changing your angle" is one of the techniques we teach during our photographic workshops. It means photographing from a different angle than normal, usually from a lower angle, close to the ground, capturing the subject eye-level with a soft background to create more striking photographs. With the right subject and conditions, this technique can help you make a good photo, GREAT!

Leopard King

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mm | 1/20sec at f/4, ISO 800

During C4 Images' last Mashatu workshop for 2010, in early December, we focussed on applying this technique - with great success I might add. It's not just the freedom that a place like Mashatu Game Reserve gives us to get out the vehicles and try different techniques, but also the number of photographic opportunities that makes Mashatu such a productive photographic destination. It always delivers unique and spectacular subjects and environments.

Saddle-billed Stork Looking for Breakfast

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Nikon D3s | 200mm (200-400mm) | 1/1600sec at f/4, ISO 400

During the photographic workshop, our clients thoroughly enjoyed exploring all genres of photography. It was not only the striking images we got from changing our angle and photographing laying flat on the ground on numerous occasions, but also one afternoon's spectacular thunderstorm with photographs of lightning and landscapes that had everybody very excited. A great sighting of a leopard on a log and lions with very small playful cubs rounded off a very successful five days spent in the bush.

Low Angle Hyena

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Nikon D3s | 320mm (200-400mm) | 1/320sec at f/4, ISO 400

Mashatu always deliver spectacular subjects in unique environments. C4 Images are looking forward to 2011 and our workshops to this wonderful place!

Low Angle Photography

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 5D Mark II | 16mm (16-35mm) | 1/250sec at f/8, ISO 800

Mopani Contrast

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark III | 150mm | 1/20sec at f/22, ISO 400

ROUNDING OFF THE YEAR WITH THE MAGIC OF CHIEFS CAMP

The scenic beauty and wilderness feeling that Chiefs Island offers makes it one of my favorite places in Africa to visit. It was quite fitting to end the year for C4 Workshops at such a great location.

Typical delta

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 5D Mark II | 16-35mmf/2.8 | 1/3200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 200

Shake it off

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 + 1.4tc | 1/200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 800

With the early December rains, the area has transformed into beautiful green, different from what we had seen five weeks earlier on our previous workshop to the island. It was quite noticeable how much more water was around from the local rains they've had - a beautiful sight to see and exactly what one always envisage the Okavango Delta to look like.

Painted snipe

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 + 1.4tc | 1/1250 sec at f/5.6, ISO 800

Feeding time

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 + 1.4tc | 1/2000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 2500

The workshop was a great success - from the flight into the lodge over the Okavango Delta that gets the excitement going at the beginning of the workshop, to the sharing of photos during our afternoon informal workshop sessions. Anywhere in the bush where you have great game-viewing and a relaxed atmosphere is a great place to learn and put the theory of wildlife photography into practice.

Who's looking at me?

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 + 1.4tc | 1/160 sec at f/5.6, ISO 800

Horns of the bushveld

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Nikon D3s | 200-400mmf/4 | 1/500 sec at f/4, ISO 400

December in the Okavango Delta means lots of birds, and we had great sightings of raptors, waders and the all the migrant species. Some of our highlights included seeing Pygmy Geese and Rosy-throated Longclaw, and in addition we got great photos of kingfishers and the African Painted Snipe to name a few.


We made the most of the variable weather conditions we experienced as we photographed everything from early morning backlit buffalo, carmine bee-eaters in the rain, to lions shaking their head after the rain. I loved the variable weather and mild temperatures and I like in particular how it forces you to be creative and experiment with all the different genres of photography to make the most of the trip.

Striped kingfisher

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 + 1.4tc | 1/200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640

Transport

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 5D Mark II | 16-35mmf/2.8 | 1/200 sec at f/8, ISO 800

Chiefs Camp is one of the best camps in Africa. Having cocktails on the deck while watching elephants bathing in the water right in front of you makes you realize that this is a special camp. It's not just the location, the luxury, the quality of the service or the food, but also the homey feeling that it provides that people always enjoy the most. Besides game drives, the camp also offer a variety of other activities. A flip over the swamps with a helicopter was a great way to end our workshop and we were all very sad to leave Chiefs Island. We are already looking forward to visiting there next year again. We'd like to say a big thanks to Rory, Jade, Basil, Petra, the rest of the camp staff, and our fantastic driver guides Rex and Jonathan who made this such a memorable trip for us all!

NOT JUST ABOUT THE PUKU

The Puku is an antelope found in wet grasslands in southern Democratic Republic of Congo and in Zambia. It stands about 80cm tall at the shoulders and weigh between 70 to 80kg. Puku are sandy brown in colour with the underbelly a few shades lighter. Males have around 50cm long ridge structured horns. Both territorial and alarm calls are a repeated shrill whistle sound. They are beautiful animals! The recent C4 Images Workshop took our guests to Puku Ridge Camp in the South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. There are a lot of puku in the park, but we didn't specifically go there to photograph them! Our objective was to find plenty of game and other photographic opportunities. Not only did we find exactly what we were looking for, but we were also blown away by the incredible beauty and variety that the park had to offer!

Puku Portrait

South Luangwa, Zambia

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mm | 1/1250sec at f/5.6, ISO 400

The South Luangwa National Park is a photographer's dream - wild and remote it's one of Africa's most unspoiled places with enormous spaces, a wide variety of habitats and a high density of game. It is one of Zambia's largest National Parks, covering an area of over 9,000 square kilometers in the Luangwa Valley. The survival of the valley depends on the winding Luangwa River, crowded with hippos, crocodiles and waterfowl, and its numerous tributaries that course through the park. Just before the big summer rains the bushes have wilted and the earth becomes bone dry, so animals assemble along the river and at the remaining waterholes. This is the best time for game viewing.

Leopard Meal

South Luangwa, Zambia

Nikon D3s | 400mm (200-400mm) | 1/160sec at f/4, ISO 1600

The Photographic Workshop was held at Puku Ridge Camp, located in a remote area of the National Park overlooking a floodplain close to the Luangwa River. To reach this camp requires a two hour flight from Johannesburg to Lusaka and then a chartered transfer to Mfuwe Aiport. It's a small intimate camp with seven luxury tents and a communal area with a lounge, bar, dining area and deck, all overlooking a waterhole on the floodplain. As at all Sanctuary Lodges, the food and service are exceptional and we were especially impressed by the quality of the guides. At the waterhole in front of camp there is a constant flow of animals coming to drink during the day, making it an attractive option to skip the afternoon drive to photograph at the waterhole instead, and this from the comfort of the lounge. When we saw a leopard drinking at this waterhole during dinner on our first night, we knew this workshop was going to be special.

Splashing in the Luangwa River

South Luangwa, Zambia

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mm | 1/500sec at f/4, ISO 800

As a photographic workshop our guests were not just keen to visit one of Africa's world-renowned wildlife havens, but also keen to learn all the genres and techniques of nature photography. Our workshops always attract people that have an appreciation for nature and a passion for photography which by default guarantees the workshop to be a great success. We had great fun teaching everything from light and composition, portrait, action, landscape, slow-shutter panning blur, flash, spotlight-at-night, and HDR photography, to processing photos and managing a large photo library. The theory is put into practice during the morning and afternoon game drives where the photography guides are close by to lend a helping hand.

Carmine Snack

South Luangwa, Zambia

Canon 1D Mark III | 200mm (70-200mm) | 1/2500sec at f/5.6, ISO 400

We were spoiled with excellent sightings of predators and general game, birds and spectacular landscapes. Highlights included three leopards trying to break through the tough skin of a dead young hippo. The cause of death was unsure, but the leopards struggled for hours to get to the meat without success and became very agitated with the whole situation. Later that night we returned to see how four lions eventually chased the leopards off the carcass. Other highlights included photographing at a carmine bee-eater colony, ebony forests, mating lions, elephants walking through the river, pools with hundreds of hippos, and spectacular sunsets and sunrises on the Luangwa River.

Ebony Grove

South Luangwa, Zambia

Canon 1D Mark IV | 16mm (16-35mm) | 1/250sec at f/8, ISO 400

Scaping on the Luangwa River

South Luangwa, Zambia

Canon 5D Mark II | 23mm (16-35mm) | 1/10sec at f/8, ISO 1250

A big thank you to camp managers Don and Suku, our guides Joseph and Malemia, and the staff of Puku Ridge Camp who made this such an awesome experience for us all!

EXPERIENCE WILDERNESS

Chiefs Island in the heart of the Okavango Delta is pure wilderness and a land of incredible beauty. Vast open seasonal floodplains with palm tree islands. Herds of animals roaming free and wild exactly like they have for thousands of years. Unspoiled scenic beauty that stretches as far as the eye can see. To experience this and to have it all to yourself to enjoy is pure magic! The recent C4 photographic workshop to Chiefs Camp offered our guests exactly that. This is my favorite destination in Africa.

Leopard and Cub

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Nikon D3s | 400mm (200-400mm) | 1/640sec at f/5, ISO 1600

New Life in Gold

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Nikon D3s | 290mm (200-400mm) | 1/60sec at f/16, ISO 800

Our photographic workshop was a great success, especially because we're such like-minded people, having a lot of laughs together, and enjoying the good photography and nature experience that this wilderness had to offer. Game viewing was fantastic with great sightings of the general Delta game, the big five, and a rare glimpse of a leopard carrying a week old cub. This leopard is close to camp and very accommodating towards photographers, a beautiful poser. We are looking forward to seeing her more during the upcoming safaris to Chiefs Island. Although we didn't do serious birding, we unofficially tallied more than 130 species for the trip. This included numerous lifers for most of the guests.

Scouting

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Nikon D3s | 200-400mmf/4 | 1/640sec at f/5, ISO 1600

Chiefs Camp is tucked between beautiful big Jackalberry, Sausage and Apple-leaf trees on the edge of the actual island, overlooking a seasonal floodplain. The camp has recently been renovated and the accommodation, food and comfort that the camp offers are exceptional. It's easy to see why this camp has been voted the best lodge in Botswana for three years in a row now!

Rufous-naped Lark Display

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mm | 1/2500sec at f/4, ISO 320

As a photographic safari our objective was to get top wildlife photos as much as it was to experience this untamed wilderness. Chiefs Island delivered superbly in both categories. Apart from the good photography, we also extended our experience into the air with a flip in a helicopter over the Delta, and an afternoon's mokoro experience on one of the main channels in the Delta.

Okavango Delta Helicopter Experience

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 16mm (16-35mm) | 1/1000sec at f/8, ISO 400

Elephants from the Air

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 5D Mark II | 78mm (70-200mm) | 1/2500sec at f/8, ISO 1000

Thanks to all our guests, my co-host Albie Venter, our drivers Ishmael and Sky, and all the staff at the camp who made this such a memorable experience for all of us!

COUNTING WILDEBEEST

How long will it take you to count two million wildebeest given that it takes you one second to count one wildebeest and that you can count for eight hours per day? This is the question that one of our guests had during the recent Masai Mara Photographic Safari with C4 Images and Safaris.

Migration

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Nikon D3s | 200-400mmf/4 | 1/1000 sec at f/8, ISO 320

The fact is that two million wildebeest is a lot of animals, and it is just as Shem warned people before the trip - it's a lot to take in. The sheer number of animals is overwhelming and as a natural history experience it's one of the spectacles everyone should see at least once in their lifetime!

Two brothers

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Nikon D3s | 200-400mmf/4 | 1/500 sec at f/8, ISO 450

The photography during our safari was brilliant - it really put wildlife photography in a new light. The sightings in the Mara is so good that we would often just drive past inactive predators because we knew that we were going to see better action somewhere else. Everyone was keen on the classic Mara shots - cheetah on an anthill, lions on a kill, vultures on a wildebeest carcass, wildebeest crossing, and the lone tree with big sky scene to name a few. We were fortunate that we had the opportunity to cover all those shots in the first few game drives which forced us to chase better sightings and more creative shots. Apart from the wonderful wildlife photography that the Masai Mara has to offer, the other highlight of the trip was the good coffee that Kenya is known for - strong, smooth and aromatic!

Open spaces

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Canon 5D Mark II | 16-35mmf/2.8 | 1/320 sec at f/8, ISO 200

The tent camp on the Mara river with it's bush feel was a hit with everyone. We were treated to all sorts of animal calls at night, and even leopard calls every morning. One morning during coffee we managed to spot a leopard as he walked past our camp only a few hundred meters away from us. The week before, our guests from the previous photo safari hit the jackpot when they saw one of the most dramatic wildebeest crossings right in front of camp.

Mine

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 | 1/400 sec at f/4.5, ISO 800

With camp located inside the reserve and having five safari vehicles to our disposal we made great work of first morning light. Early morning landscape shots were at the order of the day. Each vehicle had the option of having a packed breakfast out in the veld or to have breakfast back at camp, but we all wanted to stay out photographing as long as we could. The vehicles we use are very photographer-friendly, with the option of photographing through the top hatch or through the side windows. Each photographer also had a whole row of seats available to him/herself which added to the comfort of the ride.

Day awakens

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Canon 1D Mark III | 16-35mmf/2.8 | 1/10 sec at f/11, ISO 500

From all the Safaris I've ever hosted, this was the trip where memory cards got filled to capacity the fastest! Thank you Lexy and the staff for a wonderful trip!

Sunrise over the plains

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 | 1/500 sec at f/4, ISO 100

Taking flight

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Nikon D3s | 200-400mmf/4 | 1/2500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 900

So how long will it take you to count two million wildebeest? The answer is ... more than three months!!

Playing hyenas

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Nikon D3s | 200-400mmf/4 | 1/800 sec at f/4, ISO 2000

Secretary bird

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Nikon D3s | 200-400mmf/4 | 1/2000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640