Ghostly Duo

A moment of magic in the bush as a Black Rhino cow and her calf approach the nearby waterhole. A storm is brewing and the day is drawing to a close. Every step is weary, and every sound is carefully tuned into with their amazing hearing. We sat very still in our vehicle and watched for more than 30 minutes as they carefully emerged from the thickets, quenched their thirst, nearly charged some impala that were also on their way to have a drink, and slowly disappear into the fading light...

To view the photos at their optimal sharpness and resolution, merely click on one and cycle through them using your left and right keys.



Moments like these are getting harder and harder to experience...
Rhinos in Southern Africa are being decimated at higher and higher rates by the day...
The Black Rhino is the least populous of the species found in Southern Africa...
Please check out the following initiative: www.breakingthebrand.org

I hope you like this image. The monochrome conversion I created really spoke to me in a way the colour version could not do...I always like to show my before and after versions (colour and monochrome) - so here they are.

Techs:
Nikon D800
Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
f5.6 | 1/500 SS | ISO-3200

Thanks for having a look! Have a great week...

Morkel Erasmus

Thirst of a Kudu

The sound of a francolin's call fills the air - air which is crisp with chill, fresh as only a new day in a remote piece of African bush can be. The sky is painted the hue of a delicate rose. It's dawn, that magical time of day when the bush comes alive, when everything is on alert, when the crimson sun is not yet beating down relentlessly on the dusty earth...

A herd of graceful and beautiful Greater Kudu approach the waterhole. Gregarious, as they ever are, big radar ears scanning around for the slightest hint of danger. There are young ones in this herd, and there's no bull present, so the ladies must be vigilant indeed!

I sit motionless, my head, shoulders (and my camera of course) sticking out of a manhole made in the top of an underground concrete research bunker at this specific waterhole. I have been sitting here for a while so the Kudus have no idea I am here - unless I chase them away by moving suddenly. As they approach the water, I gently move my camera and lens in their direction by shifting its orientation on the beanbag I am using for support. The light is very low, so I need to have very steady hands. I switch on my lens' Vibration Reduction (VR) for extra stability, and I switch my camera to the quiet shutter mode, so I can be as non-intrusive as possible .

The herd eventually relaxes enough to start drinking their fill...but the vigilance never leaves them. Ears alert, heads popping up every time my shutter trips, females looking around for danger the whole time. But danger is far away on this morning...they have a good long drink, and eventually saunter off back into the bush in search of food. I relax, and take a deep breath as the sun peeks over the horizon. 

Nikon D3s  |  Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II  |  f5.6  |  1/320 SS  |  ISO-2500

Moments like this is what it's all about...for so many it's just chasing those iconic species like lions, leopards, elephants...and yes of course I enjoy seeing and photographing them...but it's about so much more. Wildlife photography is about appreciating the diversity of Creation, the immense balance and beauty that exists in nature. It's an immersive experience, and one you need to be present for when you are in the field. 

Nikon D3s  |  Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II  |  f4.0  |  1/320 SS  |  ISO-1000

As usual, the photos will display at best resolution and sharpness against a dark background if you merely click on them and cycle through with your arrow keys.

Thanks for having a read of my blog! I hope you have a stunning day.

Morkel Erasmus

Stumped by a Cheetah

Okay, I should probably post some images from elsewhere for a change, but allow me one more Zimanga moment...

I had some amazing encounters with Cheetahs on foot during my stay at this reserve. On one occasion, Charl Senekal (the manager of the reserve which is owned by his family) took me and my young daughter up to within 7 meters of a female he's named Scarlet as she was resting under a tree on a hill after making a kill early that morning. She was very relaxed in our presence and needless to say my daughter was thrilled with the experience.

This photo was taken a day or two later, when we released the oldest male on the reserve (called Kalahari) from a boma in which he was recuperating from a small surgical procedure he'd been subject to. We followed him on foot as the boma was opened and he started patrolling his territory again. These cheetahs are wild and hunt for themselves, and have been habituated to Charl's presence since they first came onto the reserve.

In this photo, he had jumped onto a fallen tree and took in the scent of a rival male who passed through here the previous day. I crouched down and framed my shot to have the curious Giraffe in the background as well (he just happened to walk by at this point in time).

The fact that I was shooting with at 112mm focal length should give you an idea of how close I was...

Techs: 
Nikon D3s 
Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR @ 112mm 

f4.0  | 1/1000 SS  |  ISO-200

click on the photo to view at optimal resolution and sharpness

Encounters with the predators of Africa on foot are special and to be recommended - provided you do it in the company of guides who know the animals of the region and are trained to handle dangerous encounters on foot.

Have a great day, folks. Keep your eyes on the Wild Eye website as we should be releasing a Zimanga-based package soon!

Morkel Erasmus

Zimanga Wolfpack

Sticking with my recent trip to Zimanga Private Game Reserve...

The majority of photos coming from people who were fortunate to visit Zimanga leading up to their official opening in July 2014 have shown the fabulous photos obtainable from the bird hides currently in operation on the reserve. If you follow the reserve's Facebook Page, though, you would have seen that there's more to Zimanga than just birds. Charl Senekal has built up a gem of a reserve over the years where there's a wonderful immersive bush experience to be had. For me - a wildlife nut who enjoys to photograph birds now and again - being on foot with the resident Cheetahs and local pack of African Wild Dogs was an even better prospect.

I captured this photo one morning after we were relentlessly tracking the pack of "Painted Wolves" as they were hunting in the thickets and valleys of the reserve. These animals are the most endangered of Africa's predators. We eventually caught up with them as they finished a small kill. We approached them on foot, and as they came out onto the road I was able to lie flat down on my side and capture an image that framed them with the natural dense foliage of the area they were in, complemented by the morning light filtering through the tree canopy as well as the very low angle I was able to achieve. I can't wait to get back there and spend more time with this pack of impressive canines!

I left the collar on the one on the left...easy to clone out though if that's your thing. This pack is monitored by the reserve management and the Wildlife ACT volunteers - adults from this pack have been used to successfully repopulate various reserves across South Africa at no cost, also adding valuable genetic variation to regions with limited genetic variation - a good beacon of hope for Africa's most endangered predator. I have tremendous respect and appreciation for the way in which Charl is managing his wild dogs and using them to aid in bolstering the genetic pool of Wild Dogs in other reserves in South Africa.

Techs:
Nikon D3s
Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
f4.0  |  1/640 SS  |  ISO-400

click on the photo to display at optimal resolution and sharpness

Thanks for your time! I hope you enjoyed this image.

Morkel Erasmus

Photographic Safaris with Wild Eye

Those of you who follow me on social media would have seen that I am now a Wild Eye Ambassador. What does that mean?

First - you need to check out what Wild Eye is about. Browse around on the homepage:

www.wild-eye.co.za

So what does it mean? Effectively, it means you now have the opportunity to join me on various photographic safaris throughout the year. During these trips we will focus on maximising building your photographic portfolio, learning from each other and above all, having fun (because wildlife photography is supposed to be fun, right?).

You can see my profile, as well as those of the other ambassadors (all good friends of mine and excellent photographers) HERE.

The preliminary dates for my trips with Wild Eye for 2013 are as follows:

1 - 5 May 2013 

Samara Game Reserve in the Karoo desert, South Africa

The focus of this one will be the wildlife and landscapes of this uniquely South African biome. I will release more information once this goes live on the website.

17 - 21 July 2013

Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe

You've probably seen some of my photos from this magical place. Marlon du Toit and I will be leading a camping safari for max 10 people into this pristine wilderness, staying on the banks of the mighty Zambezi and exploring the floodplains, forests and riverbed. More details HERE.

22 - 28 September 2013

Masai Mara Migration, Kenya

The Great Migration is the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth, and once again Marlon and I will be there to help you capture this phenomenon on your camera - frame by frame. We will operate from the Wild Eye tented camp, a mobile tented camp on the banks of the Mara river. More details HERE.

If you've ever wanted to spend time in the field with like-minded people, having fun doing what you love to do, then these trips are just for you. There are many departures throughout the year, not all led by me, but led by amazing people who will help you grow your portfolio and have fun with the same passion and vigour as I will.

I hope to see some of you on safari next year!

Keep well,

Morkel Erasmus