A stump-tailed macaque relaxes in a tree while waiting for the rest of the troop to catch up. I think it goes without saying that guy is in fact a guy. He allowed a close approach and I was able to use my wide angle lens to get him within his forest environment. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 1600, f/4.5 at 1/400th of a second.
Lilac breasted rollers are common birds throughout sub-Saharan Africa, but that doesn’t make them any less spectacular. Especially when you see them in flight and displaying the full range of color on their wings. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/6400th of a second.
Badlands National Park is one of my favorite locations for wildlife. I almost always see bighorn and on this occasion, a few lambs with their mothers showed up. This little guy took a break from playing to pose for a quick portrait before getting back after it. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/320th of a second.
Madagascar isn’t just about the lemurs and chameleons. It is also teeming with frogs and is thought to have over 300 species, 99% of which are endemic. Interestingly, frogs are the only amphibians found in Madagascar. There are no toads, newts or salamanders. This guy is the Goudot’s Bright-eyed Frog, spotted in the central part of the country at Ranomafana National Park on a night hike. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 92mm with Canon 500D close up filter attached) ISO 100, f/22 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units.
The chital, also known as the spotted deer, is native to the Indian subcontinent. They were quite common in the two national parks that I visited in India and kept me quite occupied while waiting for tigers to show up. They look a bit like our white tailed deer if the young were never to lose their spots. This male chital was posing in the late day light in Kanha National Park. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/500th of a second.
I took this photo in the early days of experimenting with macro when I still used a close up filter screwed to the front of my 80-200mm lens. Definitely a lightweight way to always have macro capability when in the field. The butterfly is a Cairns Birdwing and it was photographed at the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary in Kuranda, Queensland, Australia. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 155mm with Canon 500D close up filter) ISO 100, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units.
Botswana can present a photographic challenge with all its dry scrubland and bright sunshine. Not always a good combo for pleasant images. But when that African sun is low on the horizon, even the dead bushes can look great if the subjects are catching the light just right. I spotted this small herd of impala early in the morning in the Linyanti Concession. About twenty minutes later, the lighting conditions quickly deteriorated. Of course, that made it the perfect time to put the camera down and just enjoy the amazing sights and sounds that only Africa can provide. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/800th of a second.
This is the spotted thick-knee, also known as the spotted dikkop or Cape thick-knee. As the name would suggest, those knees are pretty thick. Thick-knees are also pretty smart, often faking an injury to draw predators away from a nest. They range throughout much of sub-Sahara Africa, preferring grasslands and savanna where they spend the majority of their time. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/200th of a second.
A rather large black bear fills up on berries, preparing for hibernation a few years back in Yellowstone National Park. The denning period for black bears in Yellowstone is roughly five months. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 260mm) ISO 2000, f/4 at 1/400th of a second.
This crowned lemur was a member of a free-ranging troop that took residence in Park Ivoloina on the east coast of Madagascar. Typically, these endangered lemurs are restricted to the northern, dry forests. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm (at 145mm) ISO 400, f/4.5 at 1/60th of a second.