A typical day for me during the normal hustle and bustle of Londolozi Game Reserve living is unfortunately not filled with photography. However with a slightly slower pace during the global lockdown, the unexpected silver lining is I have the opportunity to spend more time with our ranger team out on the reserve, enjoying some remarkable sightings as well as my own ventures chasing photographic opportunities. The setting or rising sun and the smaller creatures I bump into on a daily basis, have all helped me build even more of an appreciation for the life I live here as well as the fauna and flora we share Planet Earth with.
My photographic journey over the 5 years here at Londolozi has led me in a slightly different direction to what is typically photographed and featured on our blog. I love photographing elusive leopards, giant elephants and roaring lions as much as anyone else but I have found myself gravitating towards what I find much less frantic but more challenging; the photographic genres of landscape and macro photography. I find pure satisfaction in patiently waiting, days, months or years for the right conditions and factors to come together for a landscape shot I have in mind. I am always assessing cloud formations in the hope that they will allow for an incredible sunset and I find myself whilst out doing inspections of the roads and dams on the reserve, looking for interesting trees or rock formations and potential compositions to photograph. It becomes quite consuming but worth it if it all comes together.
Enjoy this Week in Pictures…
A face only a mother could love. An adult Warthog takes the opportunity to feed on the green grass of Varty Camp lawn. I really like the dappled light highlighting some of the features on this charismatic animal.
A misty morning looking over one of the waterholes near camp. The diffused sun creating an incredible lighting opportunity.
A large jumping spider eyeing me out. I always enjoy photographing these arachnids with their large eyes and furry faces.
A beautiful section of the Sand River. I was drawn to these rocks and the interesting colour of the water. After shooting different angles and compositions, I finally found this to be the most balanced composition which I feel best tells the story of what if felt like to be in this location.
Two young male Impalas take a break from sparring with each other as the sun rises.
Two members of the Mangheni pride. I was drawn to the symmetry of the the two lions looking in opposite directions as well as the backlight highlighting the lion in focus.
A female Natal Spurfowl with her newborn chicks. For the last week her and the chicks have been seen scratching around the undergrowth around the staff living area. After many failed attempts at trying to photograph her in the open with her chicks, patience finally paid off.
Another section of the Sand River in front of Granite Camp. By photographing during “blue hour”, which is typically the hour before the sun rises or an hour after the sun sets, beautiful blue and purple tones appear. I also used a polarising filter to saturate the colours a bit more and a 6 stop ND filter to create a longer exposure which gave the water a very flat feel.
A Southern Tree Agama blending in amazingly well to the rough texture of the Knobthorn tree. During the breeding season, males will develop bright blue heads and orange tails in order to attract a mate.
On an overcast morning a gap in the clouds allowed the sun to burst through. The S bend of the road provides a nice leading line into the image and the dead tree adds additional interest.
A simple portrait of an African Wild Dog. The pack spent the morning resting in the shade after making a kill close to the Londolozi Camps.
The Senegal Bush male on a territorial patrol, framed by a grove of trees as he slinks towards a dry river bed.
Sometimes nature comes to us. I woke up on a morning to find this little Sharp-nosed Grass Frog attempting to look inconspicous on my kitchen counter. Reptiles and especially their eyes are always interesting to photograph and this one was no exception. I managed to usher the frog out the kitchen window back into its natural habitat after I took this shot.
A fork in the road. Will we find a leopard if we take the left fork or a herd of elephants if we take the right fork? Nobody knows, but until then, enjoy the scenery.
I think it is hard to dispute that this reptile has the most fascinating and eerie eyes out of all reptiles. A low angle shot of this Nile Crocodile with its head just poking out of the reeds adds to a ghostly and creepy stereotype associated with these animals.
A pre-sunrise image of a well known location at Londolozi called Plaque Rock. The blue and purple tones creating a striking sky.
An hour later; same location and composition except with the sun starting to peek over the horizon. By closing down the aperture of my lens the small aperture created a greater sun flare. I also shot this image with a graduated filter which assisted in achieving a more balanced exposure between the bright sky and dark foreground. I could not decide between either featuring the pre-sunrise image or the sunrise image so please leave a comment as to which you prefer.
A Tent Web spider hanging from its amazing construction. These spiders will create relatively large webs which are draped over tree or shrub branches and have a bedouin tent-like form, hence the name.
A Purple-crested Turaco. I am lucky enough to have these large, brightly coloured birds frequenting the bird bath in my garden. They tend to prefer hopping around in the safety of the tree canopy so they always seem a bit nervous when coming down to ground level to drink hence this individual peering over its shoulder at me whilst I photographed it.
Cracking photos , and as you say sometimes it’s the usual, though in all fairness it sometimes takes many trips to appreciate it
Loved the Turaco photo, good use of rule of thirds and unusual eye contact
Rob, your photos are stunning.
what a wonderful and diverse week of photos! I loved the « scenery » shots, the rocks in the river and the leopard walking off into the golden sunshine. The wart hog indeed has a face even a mother might have a bit of trouble loving, but they are always fun to see. the turaco is gorgeous, I don’t remember ever seeing one up close. last but least I always love seeing the wild dogs either at rest or on the hunt. Thankyou for a great beginning to the day. stay safe Victoria
Thoroughly enjoyed your photographic journey across Londolozi. Excellent work. And I personally prefer the sunrise over Plaque rock as the sun burst and reflections in the water are just first class. Thank you for sharing.
Rob, No need to choose between those river scenes, both are evocative and gorgeous, like everything you’ve shown.
Beautiful images as always. I love macro and landscape photography as well. To me it’s the ultimate in being present because the scene is always right there in front of you without you really having to search for it. You just have to train your brain to look and see it.
Fascinating photos! I am so used to concentrating on animals, I forget sometimes to capture the incredible scenery. As far as the Plaque Rock photos, I love them both. If I HAD to choose, I would take the sunrise photo over the pre-sunrise by a slim margin! Great job with the photos.
beautiful photos, you do an exceptional job
Amazing pictures ! Thanks for sharing.
What a wonderful alternative to TWIP Rob, featuring macro and landscape images. I enjoy and practice both mediums and applaud your keen eye. I prefer your blue hour morning landscape over the sun-saturated version…. your kitchen counter frog shot is brilliant. In fact, each image you selected is my favorite! Thank you!!
Wow, those are some fantastic landscape images!!! I love the photos of the grass frog and the turaco too!
Dear Rob,
Regarding your two Plaque Rock pictures – they are both lovely in their own way. In the pre-sunrise picture, the green foliage in the foreground seems more vibrant and the still pool of water beautifully reflects the sky above. In the sunrise picture the foliage is more muted but the still pool of water seems to glow from within as it reflects the rising sun. Not sure I can pick a favorite. Thank you for sharing both!
Hi Rob, What a wonderful collection of pictures – I loved them all with the “fork in the road…” being my favourite. I preferred the pre-sunrise picture at Plaque Rock, but I would have been delighted to have taken either picture. Thanks for the different perspective.
I think the photo of Plaque Rock pre-sunrise is the most pleasing to the eye. It is restful and the colors are complimentary. The sunrise photo is more dramatic and encourages “participation”. Just a thought.
Loved the pre-sunrise blue hue!
Absolutely lovely photos! I like the sunrise photo – but it was incredibly difficult choosing between the two!
I can only hope to take photos that wonderful someday!
Absolutely stunning photography!! Congratulations!! Each picture is a masterpiece of its own.
Rob Excellent photos. The serenity of nature is captured. Thank you
What a wonderful portfolio presentation Rob! The pictures of the rocks embedded within the Sand River are so sedate and calming. Likewise, the the picture of the overcast morning showing what I call “The God Rays” bestowing the landscape speaks for itself.
All in all, the there is something to be said for the intricate detail and colors within the moment of each picture. As much as I always seeing the life of the lions, .. the unique capture of the the Turaco is divinely excellent!
Love this blog, Rob! I always enjoy your macro photos like the jumping spider- what an amazing face! The misty morning pond is magical and the blue turaco made me smile! I’d love to see one. My vote on the plaque rock versions – the pinky blue!!
Rob, my daughter (Carol Redmond) is the Santa Barbara Channel Keeper, founded by Bobby Kennedy, JR.
I love all your pictures!
Hay Rob! Definitely sunrise image! The sun’s vibrant colors make it alive. What wakes up a meditation on something good, something wonderful, something to look forward to, and it will be born in the day to come. That’s my opinion. By
Thanks Rob, you have a lovely perspective. I enjoyed the blue and purple colours of the Plaque Rock sunrise. The Sand River shot in front of Granite Camp is my favorite. So calming and serene.
Beautiful photos of the smaller creatures at Londolozi. Loved them!
Is it possible for me, an old non-traveler, to purchase copies of any photographs seen here on this fantastic BLOG???
Especially this week’s So. Tree Agama on a tree trunk, and an earlier shown “Tail on a tree limb”.
Thank you for any assistance and your time.
( I am new to computers and Londolozi = slow and uninformed )
Hi Donna,
Yes, many pics are available for purchase through our fine art website.
If there are any you like but can’t find there please fell free to mail me at blog@londolozi.co.za and I will be sure to upload them for you.
best regards
Welcome to TWIP Rob. Really enjoyed the variety of photos. Hope you are and Mands are well.
Thanks for a glorious portfolio! Your compositions and eye for detail are stunning! 🥂❤️
Loved the different views in this blog. My favorite is the wary hog!
Stay well.
Hey Rob, Great set of images! We loved the second sunrise shot at Plaque Rock. That’s one of our favorite sundowner stops! The Turaco shot is awesome too! Thanks!
Amazing shots, Rob. They were all fascinating and beautiful. On PR, both photos definitely! 🐾
I love the diversity of views and subjects in this set. Bravo Rob, your patience has paid handsomely!!
Loved your photos again Rob – beautiful composition and colours.
Difficult to choose between the two stunning Plaque Rock pictures – maybe pre-sunrise by a whisker.
For me loving both animals and scenery (without people) these are incredible enjoyable photos, some of the scenery photos might just as well be paintings (in particular the S-bent road) for all the atmosphere they have captured; e.g. the pre-sunset and sunset photos of the same motif express totally different moods, so I would not be able to really say which one is best, it depends on what you feel like at the moment. The photos make me miss travel even more acutely.
These photos are spectacular and as an avid wildlife photographer I really appreciated every one of these. My vote for pre-sunrise vs sunrise goes to sunrise.
Rob, all of your images are so well thought out and it’s very special to see them presented. Each is it’s own jewel.
Just had a chance to do this blog post justice, and look through the shots in a bit of peace and quiet. You are correct that landscape photography doesn’t get its due, and perhaps there’s not a great appreciation of what it takes (conditions, position, composition) to get a “great” landscape shot. I agree, no need to pick between the pre-dawn and dawn shots of the river, both stunning. I might lean to the pre-dawn, bringing out the greens of the plants better. Great work!