Hard to believe that I actually travelled to Africa this calendar year. I was fortunate to get the trip in back in January. In addition to Kenya, we visited Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and got to know a small group of mountain gorillas that live there. This was one of three silverbacks in the nine-member troop. He was rather accommodating and posed for several close-up portraits. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 102mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/800th of a second.
With all this cold and snow we’re getting on the east coast, I thought I’d post this image I took of Khlong Saeng in Thailand, one of the more tropically beautiful spots on this earth. Those floating cabins in the lower left are where I stayed. That said, I do enjoy a good snow storm now and again. Enjoy everyone. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 70mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/800th of a second.
White-tailed deer have taken over the back woods now that the bears have (for the most part) cleared out for the season. This young female has become a regular. I wanted to create a different perspective so I put my camera on the ground in one of her favorite spots. She walked past in the perfect position with her eye visible and in focus. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 500, f/14 at 1/160th of a second, Cognisys camera box, remote trigger and flashes.
It can get awfully windy on the beaches of the Falkland Islands. The repair bill on my cameras and lenses to remove all the sandy grit can attest to that. But babying my equipment is usually the last thing on my mind when out in the field. For this shot I was face down in all that prickly blowing sand to capture gentoo penguins as they fought their way back to the relative calm of their colony. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/7.1 at 1/2000th of a second.
Always nice to capture images of a new species. I’ve seen flying squirrels on a few occasions but never photographed one. Although common, they are rarely seen as they are strictly nocturnal and shy. Last night I was walking around the woods behind my house with a headlamp when I saw this little guy running up and down a tree trunk, and then gliding from one tree to another. Quite a sight to see at close range. They are so silent as they move through the forest. Now I just need to figure out how to capture a shot of one gliding through the air. There are two types of flying squirrel in Connecticut, the southern and the northern. The southern are much more widespread in the state. I’m pretty sure that’s what this guy is, although it’s tough to distinguish one from the other. They’re about the size of a chipmunk but appear larger when their loose skin is expanded for flight. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 800, f/8 at 1/60th of a second, Nikon SB-900 flash.
There are about 17 species of genet (I say about because there’s some disagreement as to the exact number of species vs subspecies). They are all native to Africa, although a few have been introduced into parts of Europe. They are also all nocturnal. This common genet was photographed in Botswana one evening when it came to visit us at dinner. Good thing I always carry my camera when I go to dinner. You never know what may come creeping around, attracted by the smells coming from the kitchen. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 240mm) ISO 640, f/4 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-900 flash units.
I saw this elephant a few times on my most recent trip to Kenya and each time it appeared as if he was presenting me with his trunk, like a waiter presenting a bottle of wine. Perhaps he just needed a place to rest the trunk so it didn’t drag on the ground, or maybe it was some sort of an injury. Who knows, but it was interesting that it seemed to be a habitual thing. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 150mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/800th of a second.
I photographed this pair of American toads in a park in Toronto a few years back while on a commercial shoot. Even through the hazy blur, she doesn’t look too impressed with his vocal sac. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/2500th of a second.
My camera trap captured this image back in early October. I still see the opossums rummaging around the yard, although not as active as a few months ago. The lack of hair on their tails, feet and ears makes them susceptible to frostbite so they spend the colder days hunkered down in their dens. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 20mm) ISO 400, f/11 at 3 seconds, Cognisys camera box, trail monitor and remote flashes.
This cheetah and her two cubs (there’s another one hiding in there somewhere) were just settling in for the night on the Mara Plains of Kenya. Unlike many wild cats that are nocturnal hunters, cheetah prefer more of a nine-ish to five-ish schedule. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 350mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/200th of a second.