With this image I take you back to Zimanga Private Game Reserve for a brief interlude. You will remember I posted some images on my blog after our family’s visit to this amazing place last month.
This photo is from my first session in the Mkhombe bird hide – where the action was coming thick and fast and recent updates from the reserve show no indication of the current state of affairs being otherwise.
A whole flock of Yellow-fronted Canaries were occupying the waterhole in front of the hide that morning, and the males in particular had very short fuses. With it being my first session in the hide, I was not accustomed to how shallow the depth-of-field would really end up being (the edge of the waterhole is merely 5 meters from the hide), given I was using my 500mm lens.
I now know which settings to change for my return next year when I host a Wild Eye workshop there. The end result is that the bird with the outstretched wings was just-just out of my DOF here. I still like the photo, though, and the light is exquisite.
What do you think?
Morkel Erasmus
I used to relish writing these kinds of “bio” pieces and would flaunt the odd impressive word and use dashing grammar to make it sound like I am a boundary-shifting photographer. These days I prefer stating it in much simpler ways, much more relatable ways, much more believable ways… The fact of the matter is this: I love Africa. I love its people, its wild places and its wildlife. I love being immersed in these places, observing and photographing the fall of light on the land and the daily lives of the creatures that call it home, and presenting the results to whoever will take a look. To me, nature photography is all about being in the moment, and capturing that moment in a way that can relate to someone who didn’t have the privilege of being there with me. Sometimes I am able to capture a unique vision of the scene before me, and sometimes I just capture it the way most folks would according to classical photographic guidelines. Yet I always enjoy sharing the images and experiences and imparting the knowledge I have, both in-the-field and later online or in presentations, workshops and courses. I also just simply enjoy capturing and sharing the beauty of God's creation! The greatest thing I’ve found about wildlife and nature photography in Southern Africa is the unity and familiarity of the community of people that share this passion. We come from all walks of life and all cultures and backgrounds, yet our passion for our natural heritage and our dream to see it preserved for future generations binds strangers together and fuels conversations around campfires long after other people have run out of conversation and energy. Join me on a WildEye adventure to experience this sharing community spirit and learn to anticipate that fleeting moment and be ready for it, learn to immerse yourself in the experience without losing focus of your photographic goals…and above all, learn to see Africa anew… because there are none as blind as those who look but do not see!
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