Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: The Elusive Aardvark

  1. #1
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    1,060
    Threads
    144
    Thank You Posts

    Default The Elusive Aardvark

    Name:  Aardvark---Tswalu-Kalahari-Reserve,-South-Africa---14-June-2015-2.jpg
Views: 58
Size:  379.3 KB

    As many of you may know my focus from a photography perspective is birds, but when you have the opportunity to photograph one of the more elusive mammals in southern Africa, you just go for it. :). My wife and I tracked this incredible creature on foot. One of my best experiences in the bush to date.
    Photographed at 17h27 on the 14th June 2015 at the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, where we were recently treated to a couple of nights stay. Tswalu is approximately 120 kilometres from Kuruman in the Northern Cape, and is unique because it combines the typical Kalahari savannahs and sand dunes with the Korannaberg Mountains.
    It is also arguably the best place in the world to view aardvark and pangolin. In our short stay we had 14 separate sightings of aardvark and 2 of pangolin.
    What an incredible blessing to experience this incredible reserve and to see these amazing animals!


    Location: Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
    Date taken: 14 June 2015
    ISO 400 / f4.5 / 1/1000s / -0.3
    Canon 7dMkii / 400mmf2.8
    I have done very little to the image apart from a small crop and some slight brightness adjustments & sharpened for web. (I decided not to clone any of the grass blades)

  2. #2
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    7,738
    Threads
    455
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hello Richard,

    This is incredible, what a wonderful capture of Aardvark in lovely soft light!

    Given your title, I think it was a good decision to leave the grass blades in, I actually like the way the subject is surrounded by vegetation and glad we are able to see its face so clearly:)

    Love this, very well captured, nice catchlight in the eye and wonderful detail in all the right places - a unique image well processed and presented, Richard

    Kind regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

  3. Thanks Richard Flack thanked for this post
  4. #3
    Lifetime Member Ákos Lumnitzer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Posts
    1,560
    Threads
    71
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I love the habitat and wow, what an incredible looking creature.
    I don't even mind the missing tail as the grass hides it perfectly.
    Thanks for sharing Richard!

  5. Thanks Richard Flack thanked for this post
  6. #4
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    14,320
    Threads
    929
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Richard - I am thrilled to see this image because I am just completing plans to include Tswalu in a 2016 itinerary. Great low pov. I like the walking pose and would have also left in the blades of grass.

    TFS,
    Rachel

  7. Thanks Richard Flack thanked for this post
  8. #5
    Lifetime Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    3,555
    Threads
    543
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Wonderful capture, Richard. Love the warm soft light and agree the grasses add to the overall IQ. Beautiful clear view of the face and ear. Great low angel too.




    Geoffrey

  9. #6
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Thousand Oaks, California, United States
    Posts
    3,023
    Threads
    416
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Richard, great to see this species here. never seen one in real life. The colors are very warm and rich and I don't mind the grass. Not sure if you have room on the left, the image looks a bit tight to me. May try to flip it around and see if you like it better, Loi

  10. Thanks Richard Flack thanked for this post
  11. #7
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Somewhere in Africa
    Posts
    3,723
    Threads
    251
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Great light and nice capture of this elusive (Well... where I work anyway) animal...I believe Tswalu is fantastic!

  12. Thanks Richard Flack thanked for this post
  13. #8
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    1,060
    Threads
    144
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi everyone, thanks so much for the comments! Really appreciate you taking the time. Loi, I do have space and will try that. Rachel, feel free to message me should you require any info about a trip there as we spent 4 full days there. Have an awesome evening!

  14. #9
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    14,858
    Threads
    1,235
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Fabulous sighting, angle and light here Richard!!
    I do wish you hadn't cut off the tail at the end - we've all been there with fixed focal length lenses :)
    Morkel Erasmus

    WEBSITE


  15. Thanks Richard Flack thanked for this post
  16. #10
    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Dortmund / Germany
    Posts
    10,906
    Threads
    1,196
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Richard lovely soft light and an outstanding as being elusive subject , so you have been lucky and you did quite well . Apart from the cut off tail , but as Morkel said .... we all ....

    Like the overall color /light and soft tones with very fine detail . Well processed !!

    TFS Andreas

  17. Thanks Richard Flack thanked for this post
  18. #11
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Nagpur, India
    Posts
    3,837
    Threads
    245
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Richard -- Thanks for posting this image !! loved this individual , looks so beautiful . I wished u would have cloned out that grass blade behind its ears atleast !

  19. Thanks Richard Flack thanked for this post

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics