Those popular dead trees

If you've been following trends in landscape photography, then you would know what "Dead Vlei" means. If you're unfamiliar with the place, it's basically a very photogenic dried up lake near Sossusvlei in the Namib-Naukluft National Park in Namibia. In the midst of this dried up lake stand a bunch of dead camelthorn trees.

Despite having been to Sossusvlei in 1995, we didn't actually knew about Dead Vlei back then. So, upon our recent road-trip through Namibia, we just had to make a plan to visit this iconic spot.

The problem with visiting a place of which you can see legions of photos over the course of a year is that it has the risk of not feeling new when you step into it for the first time. That's what happened to me. The place is haunting and special, make no mistake. I just think I'd seen so many photos of it that it didn't take my breath away in real life. I guess that is one of the problems of the modern photographic explosion.

I also found it ironic that you need to travel around 300km of gravel road from any direction to get to the entrance gate, but then you have a lovely 57km stretch of asphalt to take you to within 5km of Dead Vlei and Sossusvlei...the impact of modern tourism demands I guess.

Be that as it may - the other challenge is that it's pretty hard to capture unique and "fresh" photos of this place by now. But then again, I think often us photographers get so caught up in wanting to capture a location in our own unique way that just being in the moment and enjoying the privilege of being in a splendid spot of nature can pass us by.

So here are a couple of photos I was able to grab on the one morning we spent there.
I hope you enjoy them...

Nikon D800  |  Nikkor 14-24mm f2.8 @ 14mm  |  f16  |  1/25 SS  |  ISO-200

Nikon D3s  |  Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR-II @ 145mm  |  f11  |  1/400 SS  |  ISO-200

Nikon D800  |  Nikkor 14-24mm f2.8 @ 14mm  |  f16   |  ISO-200

Let me know what you think of these in the comments below.

Keep clicking!

Morkel Erasmus

Returning to Namibia

For someone who feasibly lives merely a day's hard drive from the glorious expanse that is Namibia, I visit very seldom. I suppose that's the way it is - life gets in the way, other destinations beckon...but that will change soon.

We will be embarking on a 24-day camping adventure, with families in tow, across a vast portion of Namibia. That's something we South Africans love to do - overland camping, lugging everything along from a freezer to a portable shower to a mini-kitchen, "spending a fortune to live like a hobo", as the meme goes.

We were originally only going to go to Etosha for 2 weeks, but then we got thinking - we will be there already, why not add another week? So here is a quick rundown of our trip:

• Etosha National Park
• Spitzkoppe
• Sossusvlei
• Namib Rand Reserve
• Quiver Tree Forest
• Fish River Canyon

As you can see, it's a veritable bucket list of destinations.

We hiked the Fish River Canyon in 2009, and visited Etosha last in 2013, but I haven't been to the Namib desert regions since 1995!

To say we are excited is an understatement...

Camping with those you love under the immense stars in the wide spaces of Namibia for 3 weeks, cut off from social media and the political turmoil and all the drama in the world...eating good food, drinking good wine, taking some photos, reflecting on how God has blessed us...what more could you want?

See you all on the flipside...

Morkel Erasmus

A day spent with a Lion Creche

Every now and again, you find yourself having a day on safari that seems hard to top.

The 11th of December, 2014, was one such a day. My wife and I were on a quick safari to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park that straddles South Africa and Botswana. If you've been following my photography for a while, you'd know it's a destination that's on my travel list most years.

After having a fairly quiet trip thus far when it came to big cat sightings (yet a trip to the Kalahari is always special and unique in its own right), we struck gold that day. It was all lions for us on this day.

It started with us being roared from our sleep at 3am in the morning while staying in the Urikaruus Wilderness Camp, and seeing those same lions drink from the camp waterhole later as the sun rose (see the photo HERE).


When it looked like this pride of 8 lions was going to flop down for the rest of the day like lions do, we headed north to the 13th Borehole waterhole to see what was going on there.

There then found a gorgeous-looking male lion and a lioness, having just drunk their fill from the waterhole, mating right next to our vehicle! To see images of that sighting, and that particular male, check out THIS POST.

This post, however, is about the other members of this particular pride. When the male and female had mated for another round, and their throws of passion died out, I looked across the Auob riverbed and saw this bunch approaching!

This lioness was guarding a creche of 7 cubs of varying ages (we later saw that she was the mother of the eldest bunch of cubs), and she was marching them to the water at a pace!

The cubs spent quite some time drinking and playing around the waterhole...

Nikon D810  |  Nikkor 400mm f2.8 VR  |  f8.0  |  1/1000 SS  |  ISO-360

After about 15 minutes the whole bunch moved across the road where we were parked and up into the dunes. We decided to proceed north to Mata Mata as we needed to refuel.

Seeing as we needed to return to Urikaruus anyway, we decided to check up on whether the lions had returned to the waterhole at 13th Borehole when we came back down at around 11am. Sure enough, the whole creche was lying up under a bush right by the waterhole again!

They were going to be there for a while, given the heat and the proximity of water, so we headed back to our camp (about 10km from there) to have some lunch and a quick rest. The plan was to get back to this spot by around 14h00 and see what they would do for the afternoon.

Upon our return they were still lazing about - but the incoming storm caused the temperatures to drop and the light to go nice and soft, which turned out great from a photographic point of view.

Nikon D810  |  Nikkor 400mm f2.8 VR  |  f6.3  |  1/1000 SS  |  ISO-720

The lions had some shade - we didn't!

At one point the smaller cubs began playing around in one of the camelthorn trees close to the waterhole...

Nikon D810  |  Nikkor 400mm f2.8 VR  |  f4.0  |  1/1000 SS  |  ISO-1100

Afterwards, a couple of the cubs tucked into the female for a bit of milk - and she certainly wasn't having a great time between their sharp claws and fangs!

The weather was turning ominous pretty fast, and I had a feeling the lion creche would be on the move soon...

Nikon D3s  |  Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8  |  f5.6  |  1/400 SS  |  ISO-360

Sure enough, all of them got up and moved down to the waterhole again...

Nikon D810  |  Nikkor 400mm f2.8 VR  |  f5.6  |  1/1000 SS  |  ISO-640

...filling their bellies with life-giving water...

The lioness then moved back across the Auob. Seeing that they seemed to have come down from the dunes on the Namibian side I concluded that they would head back there (their place of shelter) when the storm came in.

The cubs played around for a few more moments, and then followed after her.

Nikon D810  |  Nikkor 400mm f2.8 VR  |  f5.6  |  1/800 SS  |  ISO-560

We drove around to the main road leading over the Auob riverbank heading back north to intercept their approach as they made their way back up the dunes.

Nikon D800  |  Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR-II @ 180mm  |  f5.6  |  1/1250 SS  |  ISO-1800

As they moved away, we reflected on the special time we had with these 7 cubs and the lioness that took care of them. For the most part of the day, except for the morning session which was shared by about 10 vehicles, we had them all to ourselves because we stuck it out in the heat and spent time with them when everyone else was trying to relax in the uncomfortable hours of the afternoon.

It's worth putting the time in with wildlife photography! I always say - keep what you have.
Too often people see an animal, decide that it's too static for them, and move on in search of the next sighting...when much can be achieved by simply sitting, observing, waiting, and merely enjoying it for what it is - a privilege!

Morkel Erasmus

The Promise of Rain

I've been keeping this photo under wraps for a while...just never felt like it was time to share it - until now. By now, if you've followed my work for some time, you would know that I have this sort of fetish for contextual atmospheric wildlife photos taken with shorter focal lengths. I simply love the scenery of Africa too much to resort to frame-filling portraits in the majority of my image-making.

This photo shows a herd of desert-hardened Oryx, also called Gemsbok, moving across the barren Etosha salt pan as the first summer rains roll in from the distance. Etosha is a hot, harsh and unforgiving land for most of the year. However, towards the end of November a transformation happens - clouds start to form, moisture is tangible in the air, and storms start to build across the endless horizon. Water comes to this land, much needed sustenance, preserving life and keeping this fragile ecosystem in the right balance.

This image is being released into my limited edition monochrome print series. It was taken with the stunning 36 megapixel sensor of the Nikon D800 and will print massively for a beautiful adornment for a home or office wall. Only 30 of these prints will ever be sold, each one signed and numbered, delivered with a certificate of authenticity.

If you would like to own an edition of this print, please send me an email at PRINTS@morkelerasmus.com to discuss your custom sizing, print medium (fine art canvas or Hahnemuhle Fotorag) and obtain a personalised quote. I handle each print personally.

Please do click on the image below to display properly against a dark background...

This photo is the copyright of Morkel Erasmus and unauthorised use is prohibited.

Photo Techs:
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR-II @ 175mm
Circular Polariser
f8.0  |  1/400 SS  |  ISO-900

I hope you enjoyed viewing this one! Have a blessed day, folks...

Morkel Erasmus

Drive-by Kalahari Scenes

By now you should know that I love the Kalahari desert.
It's a place that soothes the soul.
It's a place of silence, solitude, serenity and splendour.

Most of my visits to this region have been to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, a National Park straddling South Africa and Botswana. Due to the nature of this place you are confined to exploring its landscapes photographically in two ways...within the confines of the rest camps and campsites, or from your vehicle as you drive around looking for wildlife (among which the magnificent black-maned lions of the Kalahari).

Over the years, I've managed to collect quite a few nice "drive-by" landscape photos in my pursuit to capture the arid beauty of the Kalahari effectively. It takes a different approach to traditional tripod-stomping, as you are really limited in how you can compose your photos. The following collection of images show some of the "drive-by" shots that I am most happy with to date. Most of these were taken handheld or resting on a beanbag on the vehicle door.

As always - the photos are best enjoyed by clicking on them...


1. "Kalahari Ghost Rain"
It gets very hot in the Kalahari - this image depicts "Ghost Rain", rain that evaporates even before hitting the earth. It's that hot! And this was taken right at sunrise!! Location - the dune fields between the Auob and Nossob riverbeds.

Nikon D800  |  31mm  |  f7.1  |  1/60 SS  |  ISO-640

2. "Southern Nossob"
A typical scene in the lower Nossob riverbed. Red sand dunes, camelthorn acacias, and big skies. This "river" runs only once every 100 years or so.

Nikon D800  |  24mm  |  Polariser  |  f8.0  |  1/320 SS  |  ISO-500

3. "Red and Blue"
A typical late morning scene in the northern stretch of the Auob riverbed. Another fossil river, this one experiences a flash flood a bit more regularly than the Nossob, perhaps every 20 years or so!

Nikon D7000  |  92mm  |  f8.0  |  1/200 SS  |  ISO-100

4. "Heart-shaped Cloud"
The space and the skies in the Kalahari are immense...and when the conditions are right you can capture something of that vastness on camera.

Canon 1000D  |  16mm  | Polariser  |  f11  |  1/80 SS  |  ISO-200

5. "Rain of Fire"
Although veld fires are common in the summer months, this was merely a spectacular sunset storm to the west, as seen from the lower Auob riverbed during a rare lush green season.

Nikon 1 V1  |  27mm  |  f3.5  |  1/200 SS  |  ISO-400

6. "Ominous Overheads"
The storms in this part of the world can get quite rough. We were parked at a waterhole on this particular afternoon when a ripper came through - dust, rain, wind and lightning...

Canon 1000D  |  16mm  |  f8.0  |  1/80 SS  |  ISO-400

7. "Road to the Kalahari"
Just a grab shot of the road in the northern Auob riverbed. Doesn't this just make you want to get in your SUV and drive to the Kalahari??

Canon 1000D  |  28mm  |  f18  |  1/160 SS  |  ISO-200

Did you enjoy these? I hope it inspires you to not neglect your landscape photography even when you are not allowed to leave the safety of your vehicle...

Let me know what you think - which is your favourite? I intend on building this collection with every return visit!


Morkel Erasmus

Dawn of the Striped Ones

It's early on a summer morning in Namibia's +Etosha National Park.
The first summer rains have just started to fall - so everything looks and smells fresh.
There's still a lot of cloud cover overhead from last night's deluge...but there's a gap for the sun to rise into on the Eastern horizon.

As I drive out of the gate of the Okaukuejo camp with my wife and kids in the back of the SUV (kids still dozing), I head East towards the nearest waterhole, which is called Nebrownii. 

As the sun starts peeping over the horizon and through the break in the clouds, I find my first willing subjects - a small group of Plains Zebra.

Stop the car.
Fiddle to grab the nearest camera. Lens too long (500mm).
Switch to the other camera - this one has a better focal length (70-200mm).
Start snapping.
Check exposure.
Make adjustments.
Snap again.
Check exposure.
More adjustments.

Framing a rising sun and plenty of sky with wildlife at the bottom makes for a tricky exposure. This is where using your exposure lock function helps, as well as back-button focus to be able to focus and reframe.

Finally satisfied with my exposure on the D800 and 70-200mm combo, I contemplate swopping the 500mm on the D3s for a shorter lens, but realise the sun will rise behind the clouds in a few moments. So I grab my instamatic wide angle that is always with me (that would be the Apple iPhone 5, folks), switch on the HDR function, and snap a few images that way.

Here's the DSLR photo...

Nikon D800  |  Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR-II @ 70mm  |  f4.0  |  1/250 SS  |  ISO-800

And here is the photo taken with my iPhone...

Which do you prefer?

Sure, the iPhone version doesn't have the same high resolution quality, and it came out a bit over-the-top when it comes to the HDR effect, but it does make it look quite surreal. The perspective is definitely better for me at this wider focal length. Perhaps I should have switched lenses right away when I got there...but I will have to take that lesson into my next safari.

What's the old adage? The best camera is the one you have with you...

Morkel Erasmus

Lions of the Red Dunes

I have just gotten back from hosting a Wild Eye Great Migration Photographic Safari, with a mountain of new images to catalogue and process. I am already looking forward to my next safari, though, and this one will be to one of my favourite wilderness areas - the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park - with my favourite person: my lovely wife Nicole!

This park is known for its harsh landscape, its heat, and its amazing wildlife encounters - notably the black-maned male lions that call the Kalahari home.

Over the past 5 years I've been back many times, always looking for that elusive and iconic photo of a lion on or in front of the red dunes that line the Auob and Nossob riverbanks (these are fossil rivers that very occasionally in a century).

Here are 3 of my best attempts to date of capturing this scene...of course you can only capture what you are presented with, so it helps being at the right time and the right place. By now you know that I love adding context to my wildlife photos, and these kinds of photos leave you in no doubt as to where they were taken. As usual, clicking on the photos reveals the best display resolution and sharpness...

Nikon D3s  |  Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II  |  1.4x teleconverter  |  f5.6  |  1/500 SS  |  ISO-800

Nikon D3s  |  Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II  |  f5.6  |  1/400 SS  |  ISO-1600

Nikon D800  |  Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR-II  |  f5.6  |  1/640 SS  |  ISO-100

Nikon D3s  |  Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II  |  f4.0  |  1/200 SS  |  ISO-3600

Nikon D800  |  Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR-II  |  f11  |  1/250 SS  |  ISO-800

Let me know which of these is your favourite! I will undoubtedly try to return with a better one in December. Your best photo is the one you will take tomorrow, is it not?

Until I write again, keep clicking!

Morkel Erasmus

Giraffe Sunburst

I've been making a point of sharing some photos of ungulates on my blog and Facebook page recently. It's so easy to share the photos of the iconic big cats, other predators, elephants and rhinos...but many people have more appreciation for the lesser-known forms of life in the bush and actually enjoy seeing photos of them just as much.

Giraffes are certainly an iconic African species, and frequently turn up on the lists of "have-to-see" animals for new safari tourists to the continent. They can be tricky to photograph, though, as their awkward lanky stature makes it hard to compose your photos in such a way to do them justice. This old bull was feeding on a tree by the roadside around sunset in the Kalahari desert one afternoon back in November 2012. Giraffes were reintroduced to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park a couple of years ago after being hunted out many many years before that - and they are doing very well, particularly in the northern reaches of the Auob river valley where this photo was taken.

I used the late afternoon mood and position of the sun here to add interest to the photo (after careful positioning of my vehicle). Stopping down my aperture to f22 helped me make the most of the sun's rays creeping over the back of the giraffe - creating the "sunburst" or "sunstar" effect. The incredible dynamic range of the Nikon D800's sensor allowed me to have immense detail to work with, even with shooting directly into the sun. 

Does it work for you?

Techs:
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 @ 100mm
f22  |  1/400 SS  |  ISO-900
Exposure bias -1.3

click on the photo to view at optimal resolution and sharpness

Morkel Erasmus

Stumped by the Kalahari

This photo is one of the older landscapes in my archives. I took this one back in September 2009 while visiting the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park for the first time in years. It was captured behind our tent in the Kalahari Tented Camp (where lions often roam through since there are no fences).

It was taken with my first entry-level DSLR and a kit lens, but you know what? I still like it. This photo was also processed by blending together 3 exposures of the same scene manually. I used an aperture of f22 to create the sunburst. My new Nikkor lenses great much more pleasing sunbursts, and that's one advantage of a high-end wide angle lens for sure.

What do you think? Are there some "old" shots in your portfolio that you still cling to and enjoy viewing? This one takes me back to a lovely morning in one of my favourite parts of Southern Africa...smelling the smells and hearing the birds and feeling the glow of the sun on my face, with a lion roaring somewhere in the distance.

Techs:

Canon 1000D

Canon 18-55mm IS @ 18mm

f22  |  ISO-100

Have a lovely day, my friends!

Morkel Erasmus

Classical Etosha

Hey everyone. I am just back from a round-trip family safari with my wife and two small kids. We visited Etosha National Park in Namibia, and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa. Both parks are arid and unique in their own way and we enjoyed the trip very much, despite there being some quiet days when it comes to game viewing.

This photo was taken one afternoon as the storms were passing over the Etosha Pan. It's a classical composition and nothing unique, but I still like it. It shows a Gemsbok/Oryx alone on the vast Etosha Pan, with the nourishment of rain after a 2 year drought imminent.

Techs:
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR-II @ 200mm
f8.0  |  1/250 SS  |  ISO-640
Exposure Bias +0.7 

click on the photo to display properly

I am looking forward to sharing more of the images from this trip as time goes by!

Morkel Erasmus

Lady of the Dunes

It's almost Kalahari time for me and my family again. By now you already know that I love the place. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park takes a bit of your heart every time you visit - and you return to try and get it back, but you leave even more behind every time. Where else can you see a lion in this setting, right beside your vehicle?

Getting a low angle perspective is critical to increase the impact of your wildlife photos. So much of wildlife photography is done shooting "down" from your position in a vehicle, and in most places getting out isn't really allowed, so being able to position yourself to get this kind of perspective on your subject is first prize!

Techs:

Canon 7D

Canon 100-400mm L IS USM @ 340mm

f5.6  |  1/1000 SS  |  ISO-1600

click on the photo to display properly

To find out more about booking your own trip to the Kgalagadi one day, check out these links:
South African National Parks
Ta Shebube Lodges

Until I write again - keep clicking!

Morkel Erasmus

Ungainly Runner

Hello there! It's Monday - so why don't we just gallop into the week ahead full force, even if we might look a bit ungainly after the weekend's activities? This lone giraffe was running past a herd of elephants at a remote waterhole in Etosha late one afternoon. In about 5 weeks I will be heading back there with my family - can't wait! I love using other animals in the background to add context to a scene.

Techs:
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR-II @ 70mm
f8.0  |  1/800 SS  |  ISO-400

click on the photo to display properly

Chat soon!

Morkel Erasmus

Kalahari Kinky

Wildlife behaviour is a treat to observe and photograph. Yes, there are many many mundane moments where you just have to sit and wait it out. Take sleeping lions, for example...boring...until they suddenly get up and stalk something that ambles by. If you really want to capture some interesting - almost anthropomorphic behaviour - you need to pay attention to the smaller critters of the bush. The primates and the squirrels are good examples.

This photo shows a trio of Ground Squirrels in the Kalahari desert (Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park) engaged in mutual social grooming...at least that's what the textbook tells us is happening...but what's the first thing that comes to mind when you see this frame? LOL

Techs:
Nikon D3s
Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
f8.0  |  1/1000 SS  |  ISO-450

click on the photo to display properly

Until next time...keep - uhm - grooming!

Morkel Erasmus

Just another Kalahari morning

I've been putting this off for too long...so here it is. The story of the hunting lions in the Kalahari. Fasten your seatbelts...

Date: 29 November 2012.
Location: Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

It was a morning much like any other morning in the Kalahari. Yet it would turn out to be a morning so unlike any other morning in the Kalahari. Sure, this happens all the time...but rarely does it happen in a setting like this, in light like this and at close range like this...it all came together.

Let me start at the beginning...because there are a few key elements to the story which highlights why it all came together so nicely. We had stayed in Twee Rivieren (the main rest camp at the entrance to the Park) for the first 2 nights of our week-long stay, and had been blessed with very good sightings of Lion, Caracal and African Wild Cat. We then headed up the Auob river to stay in Mata-Mata for what should have been 4 nights before we had to return to Twee Rivieren for another 2 nights...but after 2 days we decided to swop out our nights there to return to Twee Rivieren earlier. Why? The Auob river was bone dry. Actually, drier than bone dry. There was very little activity up that way, and we felt our chances for good sightings would be better in the south...and boy would we be glad we returned when we did!

We arrived in Twee Rivieren on the afternoon of the 28th of November, and after doing a short afternoon drive up the Nossob river towards the Leeuwdril waterhole we came across a pride of 5 lions resting under a tree...3 females and 2 males. They were being generally lazy and besides moving up to the dune for sunset, didn't do much at all before we had to leave to make the camp gate closing time.

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

My friend Hendri Venter was also at the sighting, though he was camping at Rooiputs, a camp further up the Nossob from this spot. We actually expressed the hope that they would move south towards the Samevloeiing waterhole and make a kill there during the night. Samevloeiing is a waterhole at the confluence of the dry Auob and Nossob riverbeds, and is about 3km from Twee Rivieren. This spot where we saw the pride that afternoon was about 8km from Twee Rivieren along the Nossob riverbed.

Anyhow - it was evening and it was morning...we got up at the crack of dawn and rushed to get everything ready for our short morning drive. I was on holiday in the Kgalagadi with my wife, our nearly-2-year-old daughter and our 4-month old son...so our drives were never too long - just enough for me to get some photos in that glorious Kalahari light, before we usually returned to camp to swim, rest and play with the kids. Just as we were about to leave, I saw legendary Kalahari pro photographer and coffee-table book producer Hannes Lochner driving past us towards the gate. I jokingly told him that he needs to go round up the animals for us...

We were all packed and shot out of the gate - first of all the residents of Twee Rivieren - no mean feat considering we had to bundle 2 young kids and their packages of toys and blankets into the vehicle...

We drove out towards Samevloeiing...and boy were we in for a treat. I noticed Hannes' Land Rover parked right across the waterhole. As we drove up beside him, he showed me the pride lying on the open plains across from the waterhole...

Nikon D800, Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8

...one of the males was also lying down a little further away...with a Black-backed Jackal for company...

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

At first I thought it was strange that Hannes had parked so far from where the pride was lying...and then I saw this lioness right on my 3 o'clock!

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

What's more, I saw two measly-looking young Eland antelopes a little further to my right...

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

At this point I just knew we were in for something special - whether they make the kill or not - just SEEING this unfold in front of us was a bucket-list experience for me...if things go well we could possibly watch lions plan a kill, stalk and execute it and feed all in the space of one morning!

It was slightly overcast on the horizon, so we had nice soft light with a hint of dawn colours - I had to push the ISO on my cameras a bit though! Luckily my Nikon D3s and D800 can handle low light photography very well.

Slowly the antelopes started walking towards the road (where we were parked, obviously), not noticing the stalking lioness. Now they had caught the attention of the other lions...

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

They moved ever closer to us, and to the waiting lions...by this time I was thinking the hunt would not happen. Surely on an open plain like this, with nothing to hide behind, the Lions would be seen by the Eland and they would run away before the Lions could get close enough?

Ever closer they came...I saw the opportunity for some unique photos and braced myself to get the timing just right. Shallow depth-of-field, check!

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

As the two antelopes walked STILL closer to the lions without even blinking...I saw a chance for a split-second photo...

I turn my camera to portrait mode to try and capture something of the lovely dawn sky in the background...pre-focusing on the lioness I waited for the exact moment...

CLICK-CLICK-CLICK

I fire three shots off.
I just HAD to look at the viewfinder to see if I nailed it.
I did. Look at this...
I firmly believe a good photo needs no description, no explanation, it will tell the viewer the entire story, and if possible leave the viewer with more questions. This photo does that - and I view it as one of the best I have captured in my brief photographic career. I also included this photo in my "best of 2012" collection posted here on the blog.

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

But doing a quick review of the image at this moment was a rookie mistake. Yes, I make rookie mistakes frequently, especially when I highly anticipate getting a specific shot. Ouch. At the moment I review my shot - the chase starts!! I quickly turn my camera around to landscape orientation and start tracking the running lioness...the D3s locking focus quickly and capturing a lovely sequence of running images...

My rookie mistake had cost me the "takeoff" or "launch" of the lioness...but there's no use in crying over spilt milk.

There's just something about a lion at full speed. I've captured photos of cheetahs sprinting and running with their lithe bodies, but a lion is different. There's a power and presence here that was missing with my running cheetah photos.

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

The moment they were past us, I saw them jump on the unfortunate Eland behind our position...and then the white dust enveloped them in an impenetrable cloud...

I quickly swung the vehicle around and pulled into a position that would give me a head-on vantage point with a relatively low angle for the ensuing struggle. My eyes could see there was something in the white dust-cloud but I couldn't make it out, much less take a photo. Then the dust started clearing quickly. I eventually discerned something through the viewfinder and locked focus...

This is the scene that emerged...

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

As usual the lionesses did all the work...but as soon as the buck was down, the males moved in (one of them was sleeping way at the back up to this point)...

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

Lion dynamics seem so unfair...but it's been this way for a looooong time. The Eland was still alive and kicking at this point, the male moved in before the female had strangled it properly...but then he also didn't finish the job. Instead he proceeded to play with it like a housecat would with a mouse it had caught...it was fascinating to watch...

On a processing note: I found these dust-filled images tough to process so that it shows the correct colour and mood as I remember it. The natural contrast picked up by the camera was quite low so I tried not to boost it too much.

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

One of the females decided to try her luck and came to "ask permission" to join the game...

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

The answer was "NO"...

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

The other male (the sleepy one) had strolled up by now and the two of them started finishing off the Eland. I know these images are upsetting to some, but I do like the fact that there's no real gore and guts involved here yet - just the playing out of one of Africa's oldest dramas.

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

The morning sun started to break through the clouds now, providing some welcome light that added a different mood to the scene.

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

I won't blabber much more. Most of these photos needed no explanation to begin with - but I do love telling the stories of these encounters almost as much as photographing them, so excuse my indulgence. I'll post some more photos and let them speak for themselves. Suffice it to say that the 2 males left very little for the females to eat, and thereafter the jackals took over. This pride made 2 more kills during the next 2 days but none of them were close to the roads and none of them provided such a sighting for those who were lucky to be there.

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II

There you have it! I hope you enjoyed reliving this sighting with me. I'm pretty sure I won't see something as great as this as thorough (start-to-finish) as this for a long time.

Morkel Erasmus