Jumping wildebeest
Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Nikon D3s | 200-400mmf/4 | 1/640 sec at f/8, ISO 800
This photo is part of portfolio of mine on the Masai Mara in Kenya featured in a leading South African outdoor magazine Weg/Go!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
NEGOTIATING THE MARA RIVER
Crossing the Mara river is the most dangerous time for the 1.5 million wildebeest that migrate over the grass plains of East Africa. Not only is the river full of big hungry crocodiles but it is also deep and fast flowing. Many wildebeest die from drowning or swallowing water. During a large river crossing some sort of frenzy starts where the wildebeest get bewildered, often jumping straight into the water from high cliffs, sometimes even on top of each other. I tried to capture the mood and different approach each one has to enter the water.
This photo is part of portfolio of mine on the Masai Mara in Kenya featured in a leading South African outdoor magazine Weg/Go!
This photo is part of portfolio of mine on the Masai Mara in Kenya featured in a leading South African outdoor magazine Weg/Go!
Monday, January 10, 2011
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!
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.
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.
Mashatu always deliver spectacular subjects in unique environments. C4 Images are looking forward to 2011 and our workshops to this wonderful place!
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
Saturday, January 1, 2011
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
Monday, November 15, 2010
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
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