“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” John Muir
The definition of to seek is to attempt, or desire to obtain or achieve (something). This defines photographing wildlife for me.
It is to attempt to distinguish a difference between the image you are taking verse the image from the person next to you at the same angle. The desire to obtain an image that is going to create not only a memory for yourself but an experience for anyone who is going to view it. Lastly it is to achieve what you wanted in picking up the camera in the first place, as this is a tough decision on its own; whether to observe and be in the moment or capture it.
Experiences are ultimately what are vital for us when we commune with nature, and evoking a memory of an experience for oneself or representing it accurately through a photograph for someone who wasn’t there is the challenge in wildlife photography.
Enjoy this Week in Pictures…
A herd of elephant walks with purpose as they make their way to a waterhole.
An Nstevu female feeds on the remains of a kill made by her pride in the early morning.
An African Pied kingfisher caught in flight just before an impressive dive down into the Sand River in an attempt to catch a fish.
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Herbivores like zebras have poor binocular vision because their eyes are on the sides of their heads, but their field of view is very wide as a result, allowing them to detect predators coming from behind them almost.
The relationships in a pride are built predominantly through touch which is illustrated by two of the Ntsevu females here as the rest of the pride follows closely behind
For a brief moment we caught the Senegal Bush male’s eye as he slowly opened up a fresh Nyala carcass. This dominant male leopard has noticeably been spending more time on Londolozi as the dynamics of the leopards territories continue to change rapidly in the south-east portion of the reserve. Will he stick around or will the Inyathini and Tortoise Pan males drive him back east?
A reed cormorant perches on the causeway of the Sand River. These birds are specially adapted to dive beneath the water’s surface to catch fish and other fresh water morsels. Once full-bellied, they will find a sunny spot to sun themselves, not only to dry off but to warm up on the cooler winter mornings we’ve been experiencing.
A Birmingham male stares out into the distance from his shady resting spot. With the high temperatures of summer now upon us, lions choose to find shaded areas to escape the midday heat.
A rarity; seeing a Red-billed oxpecker drink. They usually obtain the needed hydration from blood when feeding.
Two Buffalo bulls get into a small confrontation over a puddle of water.
A male cheetah sits on a low termite mound as it scours the landscape for any threats as a multitude of colours from a stunning sunset fade over the horizon.
Rhino females are highly protective of their youngsters, often positioning themselves between the vehicle and their calf. However this calf’s mother was fairly relaxed allowing me to capture it standing just a few meters from its mothers side.
The lilic-breasted roller’s striking colours continue to break the landscape’s monotonous hue during the dry season. With summer fast approaching we’ll begin to keep an eye out for the rarer broad-billed rollers as they return from their winter grounds further north in Africa.
A male cheetah provided a great photographic opportunity as he used this fallen over Knob-thorn tree as a vantage point to scan the open areas on an overcast day.
The Tatowa female plays with her cub. This was a special moment watching the pair bond.
The Tatowa female was one of a litter of three females born in early 2012 to the Ximpalapala female of the north.
The newly discovered hyena den in the northern portion of Londolozi has been providing some memorable moments for all. It’s always quite difficult to tell just how many cubs are residing at a particular den site but no less than 9 different individuals have been seen there! Fairly relaxed and forever inquisitive, the cub’s cute faces are enough to sway anyone’s negative view point of the species.
The Hosana Male descends from a tree after feeding on one of the two kills he had stashed.
The Hosana Male arrived in mid-2018 and is now dominant over Othawa, rarely seen on Londolozi's western boundary.
Dean, some really great pictures here specially the eyes of the Senegal Bush male
Thanks so much for comment. Glad you enjoyed them.
Wow Dean! Your pics are stunning this week. Love the rhino calf.
They always provide a memorable moment.
Fascinating image of the buffalo bulls!
Thanks Vin. Tried something a bit different.
Dean, wow, great photos
Thanks so much Joan
Wonderful photos, Dean.
Thanks Saki
Great WIP! I loved the almost abstract nature of the buffalo bulls, and the cheetah sitting on the fallen tree.
Was an incredible sighting. THANKS Chelsea
Thank you for the stunning photos.
Gald you enjoyed.
Marvelous series of photographs – well done.
Thank you Karen
Dean, great commentary on photography and wonderful images! Love the Rhino calf with the ears up! How cute!
Very cute. Thanks for comment, hope you guys are well.
Fantastic selection of pictures Dean! Especially enjoyed the ones of Kunyuma/Senegal Bush Male, Hosana, and my favorite, the hyena cub! That hyena den must be quite large to be able to house nine cubs in it.
It’s a very big Den in the Northern parts of the reserve. Can sit there for hours. Thanks for the comment Michael.
Dean, really enjoyed the variety of photos this week, especially the detail shots of the Buffalos and the leopard tail/kill. Having the desire to seek will yield wonderful experiences as well as the possibility to achieve beautiful photos. 👏📷
Thank you for the wonderful comment Denise. Couldn’t agree more.
Another great selection of the weeks pictures. Watching the animals always lifts the spirits. I especially loved the king fisher, perfect! The wonderful colorés of the lilac crested roller are always gorgeous . Victoria
Thank you Victoria. Appreciate the comment.
Dean, .. the picture of the Ntsevu female lions is just so heart warming, while the picture of the Lilic-Breasted little bird is just stunning! So beautiful!
There is not a day that goes by that the Londolozi’s staff’s photo-journaling is such a treat!
So glad you enjoyed the photos. Thanks for the comment Jen.
I love this gallery, especially that cheetah!
Thank you Callum
Exceptional week in photo’s, Dean. All great. I enjoyed the abstract close-ups…..tail/head…..hoof/head. And who can resist the cute hyena cub! Thanks!
Thank you Joanne. It’s my favorite too.