Oct 15, 2014 | Wildlife Photography
Yep, that’s basically all we did last night. Not having been to Africa before, I thought Leopards are kinda rare to see. But we’ve already spent a lot of time photographing SIX different individuals in just 36hrs! Seriously, Images in Africa and the folks here at Mala Mala really know their stuff and our opportunities prove it. This mom had just killed a Impala and when arrived, her two, ten month old daughters had just cleaned out the stomach to lighten it. We were just in time to watch mom carry up into the tree and hang it for the kids to feast on. Afterwards, well you can see what mom did. Shot handheld with the D4s / 80-400VR3 it’s a simple click as we literally for two hours hung around with them. Just bloody too cool!
Oct 14, 2014 | Wildlife Photography
Yep, Africa is magical! I’ve been on two drives so far and seen elephants, leopard, buffalo, even a pack of Wild Dogs taking down TWO antelope! Gavin at Images in Africa and the folks here at Mala Mala have brought us to an amazing slice of our wild heritage. While I planned on lots of blogging live from Africa this week, just dealing with the 8k images so far has got me jumpin. So, just wanted to let you all know I’m here, it’s great and have tons of stories to share, when I can. This is a two year old female Leopard who we were able to spend a hour with last evening. Shot with D4s / 80-400VR3 handheld from the back of the amazing Land Rover.
Oct 13, 2014 | Wildlife Photography
It’s a common question, “Does flash scare birds” or critters? I posted this video some time ago in an attempt to answer this question. But it’s come up a lot of late so just wanted to share my answer with you all again. And for what it’s worth, there are lots of videos with answers like this on my YouTube Channel that you might want to check out sometime.
Sep 29, 2014 | Wildlife Photography
Starring through the D4s / 800mm at the Red-breasted Sapsucker, I’m looking for those images aren’t the basic “perched” shot. This means looking for and picking up on the biology that might just make for the uncommon shot from the common. That is the main reason I’m shooting with the D4s.
I use a camera that shoots 11fps a lot to make up for my “day dreaming.” Often, I get so involved in what I’m seeing I forget to push the button. Then when reality hits and I do hit the button, the 11fps makes up for the “day dream lag” I suffer from. And in order, often to catch that uncommon moment, you need that rapid burst of frames. I offer up these three images as examples of what I’m rambling on about. The top photo, the sapsucker is looking at a Red-breasted Flicker that landed in the adjacent tree. The middle image, it’s watching Stellar Jays raising a ruckus about whatever it is jays talk about. And the bottom photo ….
it’s the one I like the best. Not that it’s a killer image, but I didn’t have a “wing stretch” photo of a Red-breasted Sapsucker in my files. Another photo I was really pleased to get but you don’t see it here, is that of the sapsucker fertilizing the meadow. Didn’t have that photo either but now I do. Coming up with these photos started with the subject, then the gear and the most important ingredient, the time to watch. Now crossing the fingers that he sticks around the next couple of weeks until the Apsens turn yellow. Another uncommon possibility for a common shot.
Sep 29, 2014 | Wildlife Photography
With that, I came running out to the living room to see what Sharon was looking at. Sure enough, the Red-breasted Sapsucker that first visited last fall had returned to his wells. We’ve been watching but we’d not seen him since he left last year until today. You can see the wells he drilled last year in this photo, they seem to be all dry and useless. It’s hard to tell so far if he is opening these up or drilling new ones. It’s sure fun to see him though!
I’m on the deck shooting, so I’m able to shoot basically at eyelevel with him. I’m shooting across the meadow so having to use the normal rig: D4s / 800mm w/TC-.25 on the Gitzo 5561SGT w/ Wimberley Head to get the shot. What was cool about shooting him this day, was it was literally cool, so cool it was snowing! Ya, the “rosie” whitish background is the background being diffused by the falling snow. Of course, that made for a soft wrap around light. It really brought down the light level so to stop the action and take advantage of that light, I raised my ISO, not my favorite solution. He turned out to be a great subject all weekend and I’m sure for the next couple of weeks. mtc
Sep 26, 2014 | Wildlife Photography
With nearly 500 earthquakes in the last 24hrs, Sharon & I wanted to see what the Pika were up to. I mean, you’d think they’d feel them just like the rest of us, so how would the react? This population is kinda unique because of their home on the slope of a volcano, with minimal talus cover and very little food. There were 53 earthquakes while we were on the slope with the little guys this morning, ranging from 2.6 to .3. We didn’t feel any of them and didn’t see any unusual reaction to them in the Pika. As you can see in the bottom photo, they live on a kinda steep slope. The cold snap has finally hit the Eastern Sierra this morning so the Pika spent a little more time sunning themselves before getting busy. Both photo were taken with the normal rig: D4s / 800mm w/TC-.25 on the Gitzo 5561SGT w/ Wimberley Head with the addition of the killer eyes of Sharon.
The top photo (a favorite with his shadow there) was taken at about 75′. At that distance, when it squirts around the rocks, by the time I take my eye from the viewfinder to follow it visually around the slope, I’ll loose it at times when it shoots down a crevice. Sharon’s great eyes help me keep track of not only where it is, but more importantly where it’s going. This is #4 and while we’ve seen it in the sand, the goal of getting photos of it foraging there hasn’t happened it yet. The second photo is of #2 (18′ away) who I am convinced is a ham! Literally, when we’re over with #4, a couple of hundred yards away, we hear #2 calling. We get over there and this is what we find. He hams it up for a while and then goes back about his life once the clicks are made. He always makes the morning fun! But Sharon & I swore we’d have rocks rolling down on us with all the ground shaking, but not a one moved. Since the earthquakes are a pretty common place thing for us, I can only assume the critters pay them no never mind. It sure is a grand way to spend the morning!
