Hi All: I am a "newbie" on the block and am excited to have found this site...
I live in Kwa Zulu Natal - South Africa and am very fortunate to have done all the "hard yards" in life, which leaves my wife and myself the time to follow our passion.
We move around sub-Saharan Africa in the pursuit of animals and birds with cameras.
We spend quite a lot of the time camping in the awesome wilderness areas with our little camping trailer and 4x4, but also spoil ourselves by visiting various lodges where camping is not permitted.
About four years back, our thirst for more knowledge about our environment and everything that lives there, caused us to go back to "school" and study for our FGASA Field and Trails Guide qualifications ( www.fgasa.co.za ) which gave us the initial boost to continue with our specialised subjects such as Snake Handling and Treatment of snakebites in the wild. We have also been most fortunate to have done a four day Elephant Workshop with Dr. Johan Marais who is considered an authority elephants and rhinos in sub-Saharan Africa.
Strictly in terms of the very high ethical and safety standards demanded in our training, we maintain the highest bush ethics out in the wilderness areas. We will not bait, try to attract, disturb or alter the behaviour of any bird or animal in the pursuit of trying to get that ultimate shot, but we do put ourselves where the animals are, which sometimes may present us with the odd anxious moment or two... ;-)
I try to avoid simple "portrait" shots of birds and animals, unless they are documentary shots, specifically required for a particular purpose....
In my efforts to achieve my photographic objectives, I accept that my technical ability is sometimes rather "challenged" , but I always try to find an element of anthropomorphism ( The attribution of human characteristics in birds and animals ), emotion, expression and action in the subject matter of my images.
I live by the motto: " Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional......One day when my body can no longer keep the appointments which my brain makes, only then will l think about growing up...."
I hope that my contributions will be as intersting to those who view them, as they have been in the making...
All my images are shot in the wild, spontaneously and in the moment that they occure.
Location: The Munyawana Game Reserve - Northern Kwa Zulu Natal ( South Africa )
This image was taken at ground zero...
Canon 1DMkiv / Canon 500f4
1/400th sec
F9
ISO 800
Best regards to all.
