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WILDLIFE BLOG
Photo Safari Skills: What constitutes ethical post-processing?
The arrival of digital camera technology has put photo manipulation into the hands of every computer owner. Previously, only darkroom experts had the ability to control the output. Now that we all have this power, what level of 'adjustment' is ethical, and what is cheating?! I'm about to reveal my secret and share some of my favourite images, in both their RAW and edited forms. But before I do that, I want to explore this idea [...]
Tour Info: South Luangwa – a world-class destination for bird photographers
The South Luangwa National Park proudly boasts a bird list totalling more than 450 species. This is certainly impressive, but perhaps more relevant is the incredible fact that it’s possible to see more than 100 species in a day! As a destination for birders, it must be high on all bucket-lists with particular focus on the park’s healthy populations of Pel’s fishing owl, Southern Carmine bee-eaters and numerous Eagles and raptors. A Barn Owl in flight, [...]
Through the Lens: My Favourite 5……Mammals
Number 5: Giraffes along Luangwa Canon EOS 1D Mark 3, 70-200mm f2.8 lens at f5.6, ISO 200, 1/2500sec, EV 0 and Evaluative metering. For me, a photo is a winner when it shows wildlife in its environment and captures some beauty of composition at the same time. This image could only have been taken in the Luangwa, and anyone who has been here would immediately recognise these unique giraffes, and their equally unique surroundings. We spent [...]
Wildlife: The scourge of the rainy season?!
The rainy season is full of life: baby impalas, colourful birds and fat, healthy-looking antelopes. But there are other types of life that aren't so attractive: bugs, an explosion in the numbers of scorpions and centipedes.....and some very frustrating bird songs! It seems churlish to say it, but there are some birds that have a call so repetitive, insistent and loud, that it begins to grate the nerves a little. One such bird is the Woodland [...]
Through the Lens: My Favourite 5……Landscapes
Through the Lens: My Favourite 5......Landscapes. Number 5: Flooded Dambo Canon EOS 1D Mk 4, 24-105mm f4 lens at f4, ISO 320, 1/1600sec, EV 0 and Evaluative metering. Landscapes are a much more difficult technique than portraits of animals and birds, in my opinion. How often have you seen a beautiful scene and snapped a photo, only to find that it doesn't do justice to the view in front of you? Several elements have to come [...]
Wildlife: Long Grass, High Water and plenty of Colours
Wow, it's beautiful out there! The bush is in its most fantastic period of the rains. The grass is long and straight, making gorgeous patterns and the greenery has dulled slightly from the lurid hue that dominated back in December. Everything is full of life; elephants are happily munching mouthfuls of grass, impala calves are growing in strength and bound relentlessly around, and there are insects, bugs, flies and crawling creatures everywhere you look! Not ideal [...]
Through the Lens: My Favourite 5……Birds
I am going to add some details about the settings used to take the shot and why I chose them. I hope it's interesting - please feel free to Share! So here goes.... Number 5: Backlit White-fronted Bee-eater Canon EOS 7D, 300mm f4 lens at f4, ISO 800, 1/1600sec, EV -2/3 and Evaluative metering. The bee-eater was using this Picnostachys spp. plant repeatedly as a launch point for aerial sorties to capture insects. I crept in [...]
Wildlife: The ever-challenging dogs
The South Luangwa is one of the best wildlife destinations, in part because of the diversity of species that it offers. Wild Dogs are just one of our 'specials' and particularly since they can be found at almost any time of the year. I took my first trip into the park since returning from the UK and followed up on some Wild Dogs who had denned just south of one of my favourite camps last year. [...]
Through the Lens: Vulture Silhouettes
While waiting for some lions to get up from their slumbers and "do something", some Hooded Vultures flew up off the ground and landed on a dead branch in front of us. They too had been waiting for the lions, but in their case they wanted the lions to do something in the form of making droppings which they could then eat!! Unappealing as it may seem, there is a lot of goodness in lions' dung [...]
Wildlife: of a different kind…
I am on my annual month's holiday in UK with my family. This morning I took my daughter to go and meet the lambs at the neighbouring farm!!
Guest Report: Ken MacLennan-Brown & Sandra Rossi, UK
It's a great pleasure to post some of Ken and Sandra's images on my blog. They are seasoned travellers, great photographers and good fun to take on safari. We spent 5 days together in October, and this is their report of the trip, through their words and images. Hope you enjoy - it's a good read! Africa keeps calling us back, but of all our trips to wildlife destinations, it was only the combination of the [...]
Guest Report: Roger and Vicky Fry, UK
I have known Roger and Vicky Fry for over 5 years, and have taken them on safari annually since then! They are great lovers of the Luangwa and have been wonderful people to take on safari - keen to explore new things, sit and watch whatever the bush is offering and good company to sit with over lunch and dinner. Here's a summary of their time on safari with me since they first came in 2011, [...]
EDWARD SELFE
I organise & run photographic safaris in the finest wildlife areas on Earth.
