I captured this white rhinoceros crossing a dry river bed as we were leaving Nairobi National Park on the final night of our trip to Kenya last April. The horizontal layers of color on the rhino almost mimick the colors of the sky. You can also see deep scratches across the upper body of the rhino, likely from branches and thorns while walking through the thick bushes. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 70mm) ISO 450, f/2.8 at 1/400th of a second.

Due to the red dirt of Samburu National Reserve in the north of Kenya, the elephants take on a much more reddish tint than their identical, but grey, counterparts in the south. I used my wide-angle lens for this one, when the entire herd walked past us about ten feet away. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens (at 24mm) ISO 250, f/2.8 at 1/800th of a second.

I was able to lower the camera into the grass for this portrait of a black-backed jackal. We saw quite a few of these crafty scavengers on our last trip to Kenya in April — this one at the Ol Pajeta Conservancy in Laikipia. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 160, f/5.6 at 1/1250th of a second.

These two female lions had just finished a meal of Cape buffalo and were playing in the late afternoon just before the sun went down. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1100, f/5.6 at 1/1000th of a second.

I had previously posted another shot from this sequence of a drongo (the small black bird) attacking a tawny eagle. The eagle was raiding the nests of all the smaller birds, and this brave little guy finally took action and drove the eagle out. This action happened just outside of our tent in the Ol Pajeta Conservancy of Kenya back in April while we were heading to lunch. Never a dull moment on an African safari. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 720, f/5.6 at 1/3200th of a second.

I had a nice angle on these cheetah cubs as they raced each other across a ridgeline in Samburu National Reserve in Kenya. The late-day light added a nice bit of atmosphere. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1100, f/5.6 at 1/1250th of a second.

One of the reasons I like traveling to Africa during rainy season, is skies like this. Quite often the sky gets very dark due to an approaching storm, but the sun is still shining bright on the foreground subject. These reticulated giraffes were getting their fill of thorny bushes, seemingly unconcerned with the drama building behind them. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1250, f/5.6 at 1/3200th of a second.

We travelled to Kenya earlier this year in the middle of rainy season. That said, we had very little rain (at least that affected the trip). When it did rain it was at night, and for the most part, it was sunny during the day. With a few exceptions. This was the final afternoon before flying home that night. Karen and the rest of the guests decided to take it easy and check out a new restaurant in Nairobi. I, of course, saw one more opportunity to find wildlife and headed to Nairobi National Park. It rained a lot that afternoon, but that just made for some interesting photos. And the rhinos certainly didn’t seem to mind. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 120mm) ISO 6400, f/5.6 at 1/1000th of a second.

Vulturine guineafowl are birds we usually see in Samburu National Reserve in north central Kenya. They spend most of their time on the ground, but will take to the air when necessary. They have some impressive plumage with the stripes, dots and streaks of blue and purple. They are guineafowl and not vultures, but those heads are certainly — as the name would suggest — vulturine. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 70mm) ISO 2200, f/4 at 1/640th of a second.

Waterbuck are one of the largest of the antelope species we see on our Kenyan trips. Only the males have horns. This mother and her calf were getting some late grazing in before the sun set on another day in the Masai Mara. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 12800, f/5.6 at 1/1000th of a second.