It’s been a while since I posted a meerkat. Here’s one that was running straight toward my camera. As usual when I get the chance, I was face down on the ground. It was a challenge capturing focus on these little guys — they’re pretty quick — but I was able to get quite a few shots like this during my three day stay at Makgadikgadi Pan in the Kalahari Desert of Botswana.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/8 at 1/1000th of a second

A springbok stops to pose for the camera in front of the rising sun in the Kalahari Desert.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 160mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/1600th of a second

Here’s another one of spotted hyenas playing keep away with a pair of impala horns. This was taken first thing in the morning in a swampy area of northern Botswana. The light was very low, as was my shutter speed, so I was hoping for the hyenas to run parallel to me so that I could pan with their movement to capture some relatively sharp, motion-blurred action shots.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm), f/4 at 1/80th of a second

The oryx is a mysterious creature, some believing that it is the antelope on which the unicorn is based. The oryx, of course, has two straight horns, rather than just one, but I can see where the comparison makes sense.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/13th of a second

This was the last morning of our trip to Botswana. Much like the first five mornings, a big orange sun rose at six a.m. into a cloudless sky. The sun was still low enough for some decent shots when we came across a solitary giraffe. I was hoping the big guy would entertain us with a drink at the water hole, but he seemed a bit timid, perhaps because he was on his own in an open area and sensed danger. Giraffes put themselves in a vulnerable position when they splay their legs and take the considerable effort to quench their thirst. Instead, I took a few portraits and we moved on.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 130mm) ISO 560, f/22 at 1/20th of a second

We ran into this leopard several times during our six days in Botswana. On this encounter, she was sitting in a sausage tree waiting for impala to walk beneath to eat the flowers that had fallen on the ground. From the reports we heard back at the camp, we just missed the action. She sat patiently for hours until a small herd, noses to the ground, came foraging for the flowers. Then she dropped from the tree and killed one of the unsuspecting impala. We would later catch up with her again with the fresh kill.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 300mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/500th of a second

The lilac breasted roller has few rivals as the most colorful bird in Africa. It also happens to be a fairly common bird. I was able to get a few shots of this one perched on a branch before if flew off.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 270mm) ISO 400, f/7.1 at 1/1600th of a second

Late in the afternoon toward the end of our Botswana trip, we came across a large troop of baboons. Most of them scattered upon the approach of our vehicle, but several stood their ground, including this mother and her baby. There were lots of other babies as well, all curiously peeking around their mothers to get a better look at us.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/200th of a second

Sometimes, it’s nice to put the big lens down and go a bit wider to include the environment. In this case, the first rays of the Botswana sun were illuminating this tree and the three impala that were grazing beneath it, turning them all a deep red.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 70mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/4000th of a second