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    • Image of the Day – Timing

    Cheetah lying in the grass while yawning, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.

    (click on the image to see larger version)

    Cats sleep almost 20 hours a day.  This makes it challenging to get a picture of them doing much of anything.  Capturing a cheetah in mid-yawn is cause for excitement, even if it signaled his plan to go right back to sleep.

    This cheetah was photographed in the Serengeti during a recent African photo safari.  The image was captured using a Canon 1D mark 4, 500mm IS lens, at 200 ISO.  The image was shot from a vehicle and the camera and lens were supported using a beanbag.

    Written on February 28th, 2011 , Africa, Animal Behavior, Image of the Day, Tanzania
    Image of the Day – Hippo Fight

    Male hippopotamus fighting in the water, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.

    (click on the image to see larger version)

    I wanted to touch base with everyone and let you know that I haven’t forgotten about the blog.  The combination of high school class trips, end of the grade term, and visiting relatives, hasn’t given me much opportunity to get any blog posts up.  I expect for things to be back to normal next week.  In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the above image of two male hippos settling their differences.

    The image was captured using a Canon 1D mark 2, 500mm IS lens, at 400 ISO.  The image was shot from a cliff overlooking the Mara River in the northern Serengeti, Tanzania.  There were almost a hundred hippos in the section of the river we were watching and I was constantly scanning the pods in an attempt to predict fights before they started.  By handholding the lens (a very heavy lens), I was able to react fast enough to capture the action before it ended (usually only a few seconds after it began).  Wildlife photography at its finest.

    Written on February 25th, 2011 , Africa, Animal Behavior, Image of the Day, Tanzania
    Technique Tuesday – Quality of Light

    Juvenile giraffe leaning against its mother, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.

    (click on the image to see larger version)

    Writing with light.  That is what photography means.  Light is the key to photography.  In the right light, every subject is beautiful, while the wrong light can ruin even the most remarkable image.  Light is constantly changing and these changes impact the photographs we create.  Over the next few weeks, we will take a look at the different aspects of light.

    Lets begin with the quality of light.  Light can be described as being either hard or soft, depending on its directionality.  Hard light is highly directional, lighting up one side of the subject while throwing the opposite side into shadow.  While it can come from any direction, hard light creates a high contrast situation in which the subject is partly lit and partly shadowed.

    Photographically speaking, the challenge of hard light is contrast.  Imagine walking outside at noon on a sunny day.  The brightness difference between the areas in the sun and the shade is dramatic.  Hard light creates bright highlights and dark shadows and the camera is limited in its ability to record these differences.  As a result, we are forced to compromise, prioritizing the elements of the scene.

    Despite its limitations, hard light can help create stunning images.  The golden light surrounding sunrise and sunset is called the magic hour for a reason.  It is dramatic and has impact.  A key photographic expression is, “light reveals, shadow defines.”  The combination of light and shadow work together to give a two dimensional photograph a sense of depth, helping to give the illusion of three dimensions.

    Soft light, on the other hand, surrounds the subject, coming from multiple directions at once.  Again, imagine walking outside at noon, but this time the day is overcast.  The light comes from everywhere, rather then a single direction.  Shadows are less distinct, if not absent.  While the directionality of light is lost, soft light has its own beauty.  The even distribution of light helps to bring out the smaller details of the scene, working especially well for both macro and portrait photography.

    The image of the two giraffe above was captured in the northern Serengeti about an hour before sunset.  The golden color of the light was enhanced by smoke in the air from a controlled burn in the area.  The image was captured using a Canon 1Ds mark 3, 120-300mm Sigma lens with a 1.4 teleconverter (set to 420mm), at 400 ISO.  The photograph was taken from a vehicle and a beanbag was used to support the camera.

    Written on February 15th, 2011 , Africa, Photography Information, Tanzania, Technique Tuesday
    Image of the Day – Elephant Curiosity
    Young elephant with his trunk raised in the middle of the herd, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.
    (click on the image to see larger version)
    Humans are rare in the Northern Serengeti, and it is entirely possible that we were the first humans this young elephant ever encountered.  While his herd continued to feed, this little guy stopped what he was doing and took an interest in us.  Unlike humans, which rely primarily on sight, elephants often use their other senses to support what their eye tell them (there is a reason their ears and trunks are so large).  By raising his trunk high in the air, this young elephant was trying to get a better idea about who and what we were.  Once his curiosity was satisfied, he rejoined the herd and continue on his way.
    In the end, I am not sure if he was comforted in the knowledge that we did not pose a threat, or is he decided we were boring.
    The image was created using a Canon 1Ds mark 3, 120-300mm Sigma lens with a 1.4 teleconverter (set to 310mm), at 400 ISO.  The image was taken from a vehicle and the lens was supported using a beanbag.
    Written on February 14th, 2011 , Africa, Image of the Day, Tanzania
    Image of the Day – Feathered Love

    Northern Gannets in courtship display, Cape St. mary's, Newfoundland, Canada.

    (click on the image to see larger version)

    These two Northern Gannets were photographed performing their courtship display at Cape St. Mary’s, Newfoundland.  The image was captured using a Canon 1D mark 2, 500mm IS lens with a 1.4 teleconverter, at 200 ISO.  The lens was mounted on a Gitzo tripod with a Wimberly tripod head.

    Written on February 11th, 2011 , Animal Behavior, Image of the Day
    Capture a sense of place

    Northern Gannett colony at Cape St. mary's, New Foundland, Canada.

    (click on the image to see larger version)

    When it comes to photography, are you a wildlife addict?  I sure am.  Put a wildlife subject in front of me and I can photograph for hours.  Take that subject away and I might struggle to find anything worth photographing.  OK, I exaggerate a little, but the fact is that closeup images of wildlife and the details of its behavior is what gets me excited.  Knowing that, would it surprise you to learn that some of my most successful images hardly focus on the wildlife at all?

    Several years ago, I traveled to Cape St. Mary’s to photograph Northern Gannetts.  While I had a great time photographing these majestic birds and captured images ranging from flight shots to mothers with their chicks, it is the pictures of the entire colony that get the biggest response from viewers.  Why would that be?  Isn’t the beauty of wildlife photography in the details?  I think I understand.  People don’t go to Cape St. Mary’s to see the Northern Gannett.  People visit Cape St. Mary’s because they want to see over a hundred thousand Northern Gannetts.  It is the experience of watching thousands of these birds flying over the cliffs that draws people to the area.  No matter how beautiful the shot is, recording a single Gannett inflight can’t capture that experience.

    While detailed shots are great and will probably always be my passion, I have come to realize that it is important to give the viewer a sense of place.  They might enjoy watching animals, but what they really want is to experience the animals the way you experienced them.  By including the wildlife as part of the larger environment, we provide our viewers with an opportunity to join us, just for a moment, in these marvelous locations.

    Written on February 10th, 2011 , Photography Information, Understanding Photography Series
    Technique Tuesday: Elements of Composition – Repeating Patterns

    closeup image of threads mounted on a loom, Otavalo, Ecuador.

    (click on the image to see larger version)

    Most of the time, photographers seek out a single subject to emphasize in the image.  Be it a lion on the savanna, a leaf in the snow, or a child chasing a soccer ball we tend to think of photography as being about the subject.  There are times, however, when the subject is not an object, but rather the patterns that are revealed as we look through the camera.  Patterns can be literal or abstract, but either way they shift focus away from the subject itself and encourage the viewer to see things in a new way.

    Successful pattern images tend to fill the frame with the pattern.  By extending to the edges of the image, the impression is given that the pattern repeats forever.  While this is not really the case, it captures the viewer’s imagination and pulls them into the illusion we are creating.

    The image above shows threads of wool mounted on a traditional loom and was created during one of my photo workshops in Otavalo, Ecuador.  By zooming in and emphasizing the individual threads, the image becomes about the pattern rather then the loom.  The image was created using a Canon 1Ds mark 3, 24-105mm lens (set to 35mm), at 400 ISO.  The camera was handheld and lighting was provided by bouncing a Canon 580 EX II speedlight off a nearby wall.

    Written on February 8th, 2011 , Composition, Ecuador, Technique Tuesday
    Image of the Day – Ice Ride

    Boy spinning on ice while riding his green monster bigwheel.

    (click on the image to see larger version)

    Friday morning found San Antonio covered is a blanket of freshly fallen snow, an almost unheard of occurrence.  As I woke up, I heard the kids getting their warm clothes on and getting ready to head outside.  At that moment, I was presented with a choice.  I could curl back up and go back to sleep or I could get out of bed and share their experience.  I am happy to say that I got out of bed and followed the kids outside.  Of course, I also took my camera with me.

    When I got outside, I found children and parents enjoying our rare winter wonderland.  Snowballs were being made, snow angles were being created, and snow was being eaten.  Everyone was having fun.  It wasn’t long before everyone had figured out where the ice covered patches were.  Did that mean they avoided them?  Heck No!  Minutes after their discovery, the boys brought out their big wheels and started riding across the ice.  Did you know that with enough speed you can spin around at least four times before your ride ends (I submit the picture above as evidence)?

    All of this begs the question, how does this relate to photography?    Let me answer that question with another one.  How many times have you thought to yourself, “Cool shot, I better come back and take a picture”?  How many times have you actually gone back and taken the picture?  Photography is about capturing moments in time and often those moments do not repeat themselves.  If I had gone back to sleep, I would have missed my son playing in the snow for the first time.  I would have missed the entire experience except for the stories.  Once these moments are gone, they are gone forever.

    On the surface, this sounds like a bad thing.  A missed chance can’t be recaptured.  The reality, however, it wonderful.  Life is full of unique moments, each of which is waiting to be captured with your camera.  Even when something repeats itself, it will be different.  The light will be different, the expressions will be different, or the energy will be different.  The differences are what keep me pulling out my camera and going back for more.  How about you?

    The image of the boy riding across the ice was captured using a Canon 1D mark 4, 24-105mm lens (set to 32mm), at 400 ISO.  The group of riders were happy to go where I asked and I was able to time my shots for the peak action.  The camera was handheld.

    Written on February 7th, 2011 , Image of the Day
    Snow Day

    We woke up this morning to find a covering of snow on the ground.  You have to understand that San Antonio rarely gets snow (once every few years) and even when snow falls, it NEVER sticks.  It is not very often that the kids here get a snow day and they took advantage of the time off to go out and play in this white wonderland.  For many of them, including my son, this was their first time seeing snow.  Here are a couple of the pictures I captured as as the neighborhood bundled up and moved outside (note the official San Antonio snow outfit – the bathrobe.)

    Tristan playing in the snow, San Antonio, TX.

    Kara playing in the snow making a snow angel, San Antonio, TX.

    (click on images to see larger versions)

    Written on February 4th, 2011 , Personal, Texas
    Understanding Animal Behavior – Hyaena Hunt

    Spotted hyaena standing in the grass watching a Thompson's gazelle walk across the savanna, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.

    (click on the image to see larger version)

    Previously, we discussed a typical lion hunt and how these large cats use ambush techniques and group hunting tactics to increase their chances of catching their prey.  Of course, lions are not the only large predator found on the savanna, nor are they the only group hunters.  Spotted hyaenas are regularly sighted in grasslands and have proven to be extremely efficient hunters despite the misconception that they are scavengers.  Unlike lions, hyaenas are dogs and have evolved a much different approach to hunting.

    Spotted Hyaenas are pack hunters, but they do not ambush their prey.  Hunting mostly at night, hyaena are outstanding long distance runners.  The quick trot commonly seen in dogs is used to run prey to the point of exhaustion.  As night falls, a pack of hyaenas will spread out and openly approach a herd of antelope.  The antelope respond, moving in the opposite direction.  This process repeats over and over as the hyaenas evaluate their prey.  Over time, individual antelope begin to stand out.  The small, the old, and the injured all have a difficult time keeping up with the herd.  As the night progresses, the hyaenas target these weaker individuals and ignore the rest of the herd.  The hyaenas continue their advance, forcing the antelope to constantly be on the move.  As the hours pass by, the antelope, weak to begin with, can’t maintain the pace and falls to the ground.  It is at this point that the hyaenas move in for the kill.

    Photographic Tips – Unlike the cats, hyaenas and other dogs tend to be involved in prolonged hunts which offer numerous photographic opportunities.  Finding a hyaena pack at sunset can provide the opportunity to watch them begin to work the herd.  Since most of the time is spent in a slow chase, panning and frozen motion shots can be an effective way to document the action.  It can also be effective to record images that include both hyaenas and their prey.  Telephoto lenses help to compress distances and will give the appearance that the predator and prey are closer together then they really are.  Unfortunately, the biggest challenge to photographing these nocturnal hunters is the absence of light.

    The above image shows a spotted hyaena considering its chances of catching an alert Thomson’s gazelle.  The use of a telephoto lens helped to compress the distance, making the antelope appear to be much closer to the hyaena, thereby emphasizing the relationship.  The image was created using a Canon 1D mark 2, 500mm IS lens, at 200 ISO.  The image was shot from a vehicle and the lens was supported using a beanbag.

    Written on February 3rd, 2011 , Africa, Animal Behavior, Photography Information, Tanzania
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    Through the lens with Chris Gamel

    Musings of a photographic educator.