2024-02-04: Sunrises and Sunsets

We’ve had some beautiful weather the last few days, and my road is finally clear of icy and easy to walk, so I’ve been getting the dogs out for nice morning walks. The morning twilight and sunrise have been beautiful, but since I didn’t have my camera with me to capture them, I went through some of the many images I have left to edit, and found a selection that shows some of the beautiful colours I have been enjoying.

Sunrise along the banks of the Zambezi River, just outside the town of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. November, 2022.
A misty early morning drive in Hwange, Zimbabwe. November, 2022.
The dawn of a beautiful day in Hwange, Zimbabwe. November, 2022.
A rather spooky looking sunset captured in the Sabi Sands. May, 2019.
Sunset along the Zambezi River, just before taking the boat back to Tsowa Safari Island. Zimbabwe, November 2022.
Zambezi Sunset from Livingstone, Zambia. November, 2022.
A peaceful bush sunset from the Sabi Sands. May, 2019.

2023-11-26: An assortment of birds

I felt like some colour on a dull day, so small birds with bright feathers it is. The lilac breasted roller remains one of my favourite birds to spot on safari, and I was quite excited on my past trip to have the chance to see other types of rollers as well. I didn’t get great photos of the other rollers, but included them anyways to show the variety of colours.

A lilac breasted roller.
A purple roller.

It was unfortunate to only see the purple roller and racket tailed roller high up against very bright skies, but at least I did get the racket tailed roller at the right angle to show off the interesting tail feathers.

A racket tailed roller.
A southern masked weaver.

These weaver images were taken in different areas; the southern masked weaver is wide spread and they create very interesting nests that often hang over water. The males are in charge of construction, and the females in charge of determining if the nest is up to standards or not. When you come across a large colony, you will often see nests that have been abandoned partway through construction.

A southern masked weaver colony in the midst of nest construction.
A male long tailed widowbird in breeding plumage.
A male violet backed starling.

2023-06-04: Victoria Falls

I’m recently back from a trip, and I took loads of photos that I am excited to go through, But, since I only managed to get them onto my computer today, sharing them will have to wait a little bit. Instead, I have an image of Victoria Falls, taken from the Zambian side of the border, from my trip in November, 2022.

This is such a different feel to the first time I saw Victoria Falls in April of 2013: the volume of water was significantly less. One of these days, I am going to get around to finding some of my old images to compare just how different it was in the spring versus the autumn.

That’s all for today, have a great week!

2023-04-30: Zambezi Sunrise

Today, I made it to the end of the weekend long before the end of my to do list, so I’ve just selected one image today to work on. I’ve decided to share a lovely sunrise along the Zambezi River. Our group was fortunate to have a few sunrise and sunset river cruises, thankfully they happened after all the wild weather we had with heavy rains at the start of the trip.

Sunrise on the Zambezi River. November, 2022. Zambia.

2023-02-12: Rhinos

I’ve been fortunate to see many rhinos over the years, and it is always a thrill and a privilege to have the opportunity to view them. Sadly, rhinos still face intense pressure from poaching. Many reserves are needing to make the decision to dehorn rhinos in an effort to avoid the animals becoming targets, and seeing rhinos with horns may be less likely on safari in the future. Horn or not, they are impressive animals to be around.

A rhino family in the late afternoon. November, 2022.
Rhino cow & calf. November, 2022.

2020-02-23: Heading into the photo vault

I have some bird images that I took on my first trip to Africa, which I printed to fill a frame with 4 – 5″ x 5″ openings. While I see it every day, I haven’t really given it much thought in years.  But today when I looked at it, I wondered if with the skills and software I have now, I could improve upon those images.

All of these were shot in raw format with a Nikon D5100 with a 55-300mm kit lens.  I did the best I could at the time with editing them, but we all know that software has come a long way in the last 6 years, not to mention there has been a ton of room for improvement in my skills with editing (and still so much to learn).

A lot of these were taken during the harsh light of midday; but when you are out and about, you shoot what you see, when you see it.  You never know if you’ll even see the same species of bird again, let alone have another opportunity to photograph it.  And as it stands, after 6 trips to Africa, I have only seen carmine bee-eaters on that very first trip while in Zambia, so I am glad I did capture what images I could 🙂

For each image, first is the original edit, and second is the updated edit.

DSC_0465

DSC_0465 copy-Edit
A lilac breasted roller in flight.  A challenge I still enjoy trying to capture; these are my favourite bird.

DSC_0273

DSC_0273 copy1-Edit
A red bishop in breeding plumage.  

DSC_0141

DSC_0141 copy-Edit
A pair of blue-cheeked bee-eaters.

DSC_0146-Edit

DSC_0146 copy-Edit
A flock of carmine bee-eaters.

I think in every case, the re-edit made substantial improvement.  As soon as I remember to pick up a replacement light magenta ink cartridge for my printer, I am going to reprint these and replace the original images in that old frame.

I have a few other ideas of images I would like to explore from my archive, so watch this space in the coming weeks and months.

Have a great week!

2016-12-24: Photo Slideshow

Hi everyone!  I recently put together this photo slideshow for my photo club Christmas party, and thought I would share it here as well.

The photos are taken over the past three years, and there are several from each of my trips to Africa.

I hope you enjoy, Merry Christmas, and all the best for the coming year.

Weavers

Along with the Southern Red Bishops, the Weavers kept me entertained and happily snapping away while they went about their business.  The amount of bird life was fabulous when we were in Zambia and as well for our day trip into Botswana.  Such an amazing variety of bird life, and such extraordinary colours and patterns on the feathers.  I can’t want to return!

A group of weavers alongside the Zambezi River.  One of them looks like it's trying to climb the grass, rather than fly to a new spot! 1/4000sec, f5.6, ISO400
A group of weavers alongside the Zambezi River. One of them looks like it’s trying to climb the grass, rather than fly to a new spot!
1/4000sec, f5.6, ISO400

I haven't been able to figure out what type of weavers these are, but they were in abundance in the tall grasses next to my room at Royal Chundu. 1/640sec, f5.6, ISO200
I haven’t been able to figure out what type of weavers these are, but they were in abundance in the tall grasses next to my room at Royal Chundu.
1/640sec, f5.6, ISO200

Southern red bishops

Last April I was lucky enough to stay at the Royal Chundu Zambezi River Lodge, and just outside of my room there was a fabulous variety of birds to watch.  I was fascinated by the red bishop; the male was quite a bully, scaring off any of birds that got too close to his territory.  He was always easy to spot amongst the tall grasses with his brilliant red feathers.  The females are much more subdued, but still very beautiful.  To me they have a lovely, soft face and gentle eyes.

1/640sec, f5.6, ISO200
Female southern red bishop   1/640sec, f5.6, ISO200

1/640sec, f5.6, ISO200
Male southern red bishop   1/640sec, f5.6, ISO200

Birds in flight

I’ve not been having much success in crafting regular posts these days.  I had planned on dedicating a post to birds in flight, but many of the photos I thought I would use do not look as crisp as I would like, and are now in the reject pile.  Besides, it seemed a bit discriminatory towards those birds I have had the pleasure photographing that do not have the gift of flight.

So instead I’ve put together a rather random selection of birds to feature this week, and fingers crossed I will have both the time and inspiration for something more next week.

So without further ado…

A vulture coming in to land, South Africa, April 2013
A vulture coming in to land, South Africa, April 2013

Cormorant in flight over the Chobe River in Botswana, April 2013
Cormorant in flight over the Chobe River in Botswana, April 2013

A penguin at Boulder Beach, near Cape Town, April 2013
A penguin at Boulder Beach, near Cape Town, April 2013

A group of bee-eaters along the Chobe River in Botswana, April 2013
A group of bee-eaters along the Chobe River in Botswana, April 2013

I have no idea what type of bird this is!  The photo was taken in January 2011 while on a Caribbean cruise.  Several of these birds flew next to the ship for hours at a time.
I have no idea what type of bird this is! The photo was taken in January 2011 while on a Caribbean cruise. Several of these birds flew next to the ship for hours at a time.

An ostrich near the Cape of Good Hope, April 2013
An ostrich near the Cape of Good Hope, April 2013

Egyptian Geese at the Botanical Gardens in Cape Town, April 2013
Egyptian Geese at the Botanical Gardens in Cape Town, April 2013

 

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