I spotted this honey badger on the prowl well after the sun had set on the Kalahari Desert of Botswana. I was forced to use a low shutter speed in the dim light, but he/she stopped just long enough to allow me to capture a portrait. The lack of light, combined with the dry desert conditions, made for an almost monochromatic exposure. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/60th of a second.
Just a simple shot of a pronghorn being a pronghorn while grazing in his environment in Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 98mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/320th of a second.
Looks like I caught these two giant river otters in the middle of some sort of illicit activity. In reality, they were simply grooming each other while stopping for a moment to watch our boat float past. Photographed along the banks of one of the many rivers of the Pantanal in Brazil. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 360mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/200th of a second.
This image had some motion blur on the monkey’s face because he was turning just as I was snapping the picture at a slow shutter speed. Using Topaz Sharpen AI I was able to eliminate a good deal of the blur and salvage the shot. Which is great, because I love this type of portrait where you can really get a sense of the animal’s environment. In this case, the environment is the bamboo forest of Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 240mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/50th of a second.
The local squirrels have been busy collecting one of their favorite foods — hickory nuts. This eastern gray squirrel was captured by my camera trap, with a bit of a longer lens than I usually use. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 50mm lens, ISO 800, f/11 at 1/160th of a second, Cognisys camera box, remote flash and trail monitor.
I believe this tiny little frog (about half an inch) to be in the genus Eleutherodactylus. There are about 200 species, commonly called robber frogs or rain frogs. They are known for their high pitched calls. I photographed this one in the Punta Laguna Nature Reserve in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 105mm macro lens, ISO 1600, f/10 at 1/40th of a second.
What appears to be a one-eared hippo, is just a hippo wiggling one of his ears, perhaps brushing away a fly. Shot in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/1600th of a second.
The orangutan equivalent of lounging in a hammock — he seemed quite comfortable in that convoluted position. This is a mature male, as evidenced by the large cheek flaps. Shot in Tanjung Puting National Park in Indonesian Borneo. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 70mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/250th of a second.
The giraffe weevil is one of the more interesting insects that I’ve photographed over the years. Aptly named as you can see, the males have necks 3 times the length of the females, although the ladies have long necks too. Males, like this one, are about an inch in length and it’s a sight to see them flying around with that extended neck. The adaptation helps them with nest building and fighting. Photographed in central Madagascar. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm with Canon 500D close up filter) ISO 200, f/22 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units.
We didn’t see much wildlife while on Block Island, but we did hike out to visit seals on consecutive days. The tourist info says they are gray seals at the point behind North Lighthouse, but I’m pretty sure this one is a harbor seal. They often mix together and share habitat. On the second day we saw about 20 or so that were resting on shore, but the first day it was only the heads popping up out of the water to check us out. The sun was almost on the horizon, casting a nice rich light on the seals’ faces. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 800, f/8 at 1/800th of a second.