When people ask me about the best time to visit Africa, I always recommend the short rainy season in November — because you get skies like this. Most tour companies recommend visiting in the dry season because animals become more visible as they congregate around water holes. This is true to a certain extent, but you also have to deal with dry, dusty conditions, and a less than ideal landscape. In November the hills are lush and green and the true beauty of Africa is revealed. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 140mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/2000th of a second
A bat-eared fox licking its chops late one afternoon on the plains of the Masai Mara in Kenya. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 360mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/250th of a second
Hope everyone had a great holiday. Here’s a cheetah cub to get the week started right. There were actually two little cubs tucked behind their mom on the northern plains of the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 360mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/500th of a second
Dik Diks are the smallest antelope species in Africa. It’s hard to get a sense of just how small they really are in a photo like this because there is no frame of reference. That being said, the average height of a dik dik at the shoulder is about 13 inches. If you don’t get a clear look at one bounding through the grass, you might mistake it for a large rabbit. As to why this one was smiling at me like that, I couldn’t say. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 340mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/160th of a second
One of my favorite sightings on our Kenya trip two years ago was this serval cat. It was our last night of a two week safari and we were on our way back to camp for the last time, quite satisfied with all that we had seen. We had already photographed the big five, including many rhino and a few leopards. This was icing on the cake and we almost missed it as we were packing up my camera gear for the night. Servals are a medium sized cat, but with long legs, and an unusually small head a top a long neck. This one had been crouching in the grass and was just getting up — most likely to go hunting. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70_200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 1600, f/2.8 at 1/80th of a second
The Verreaux’s eagle owl is the one owl that I’ve seen the most of in my six trips to Africa. That being said, it’s still a fairly rare sighting. It’s the third heaviest owl in the world and fourth longest (just behind the great gray owl). I’ve always liked the pink eyelids that make the Verreaux’s eagle owl look like it’s wearing colorful eye shadow. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/80th of a second
I’m still waiting to hear about my eleven finalists in this year’s Nature’s Best/Smithsonian photo competition, but below are a few recent winners in other contests. Most you’ve probably seen before, but perhaps a few you haven’t.
The above image of bat eared fox pups that appear to share one furry body continues to do well for me. It will appear in the 2013 Africa Geographic Calendar and it also just placed in the National Wildlife Federation photo contest. Still not sure of where it placed — I’ll know come November.
The above two images placed in the top 100 in this year’s North American Nature Photographers Association (NANPA) Showcase Competition.
And the above three placed in the top 250 in the NANPA Competition.
It was just after sunset when we spotted these two little bat eared fox pups. Their mother had just left the den, presumably to go catch some dinner. The pups were staying pretty close to the den but were playing around, having a good old time while mom was away.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/125th of a second
Nice form and hang time for this male impala as he leaped out of a forested area and onto the plains of Laikipia in Kenya. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/1000th of a second
This spotted hyena seemed to be waiting for the rain to let up before venturing completely out of the den. Photo taken on the Laikipia Plains of Kenya. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/320th of a second
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