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Thread: Feast of the crocodiles.

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Default Feast of the crocodiles.

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    5.49am first light.

    140+ Crocs feasting on a dead hippo. Captured from a micro light fly over the Luangwa River, just an amazing sight.

    D700 70-200VRII 1/500s f/5.6 ISO1250@ 70mm. 10% crop. Sth Luangwa NP- Zambia Nov 2011

    C & C most welcome

    Cheers
    Marc
    Last edited by Marc Mol; 02-01-2012 at 05:08 AM.


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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    A nice departure in terms of POV Marc.

    TFS
    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    WOW Marc! You sure have gotten to see some pretty spectacular things in the African bush and thanks for sharing them! Is that an Albino/white croc? The one on the river bank about 5:30, and a inch and half below the dead Hippo!
    Last edited by Dumay de Boulle; 02-01-2012 at 07:57 AM.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Marc - fantastic view to capture the frenzy. I had the same question about the croc on the bank as Dumay.

    TFS,
    Rachel

  5. #5
    Ken Watkins
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    Marc,

    Not to sure about this one, the POV may be interesting, but there is too little detail for me. Do they have a height restriction for flights there as I would have prefered this to be closer.

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    BPN Viewer Pieter de Waal's Avatar
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    Amazing image Marc, certainly a different perspective. I don't think I have seen so many crocs in one place before.

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Appreciate all the comments guys, many thanks.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dumay de Boulle View Post
    Is that an Albino/white croc? The one on the river bank about 5:30, and a inch and half below the dead Hippo!
    Quote Originally Posted by Rachel Hollander View Post
    I had the same question about the croc on the bank as Dumay. Rachel
    He does look a little pale certainly, but it's just the dry bleached mud he's wearing.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Watkins View Post
    Marc,

    Not to sure about this one, the POV may be interesting, but there is too little detail for me. Do they have a height restriction for flights there as I would have prefered this to be closer.
    I know what you mean Ken, with aerial photography going too close loses a lot of impact also, which is why I tried for a wider shot, in an attempt to show the full armada of crocs.
    I do have a couple of closer ones, if I may ......such as this one here:


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    Hi Marc,
    THIS is truly a spectacular image TFS.
    VPN

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    BPN Viewer Tom Graham's Avatar
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    I very much like the POV on both of them.
    Even closer might be interesting -but- if there were no hippos on left, you might wonder what kind of animal the crocs were around.
    Tom

  10. #10
    Ken Watkins
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    Marc,
    I have never tried aerial photography so I really have no idea how diffivult it would be, not sure if I fancy a trip in a microlight

    The closer shot illustrates perfectly how difficult it must be to get good framing

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    BPN Viewer Steve Canuel's Avatar
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    Neat perspective and I like both versions. Not the time to have engine troubles

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    Lifetime Member gail bisson's Avatar
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    Amazing shot. It must be hard to take a picture on a microlight. Love the story being told here. It is weird to see the live hippos so close to all those crocodiles. Aren't they afraid of being taken down by all those crocs?
    Gail

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Thanks Tom, VP, Ken & Steve.

    Quote Originally Posted by gail bisson View Post
    Amazing shot. It must be hard to take a picture on a microlight. Love the story being told here. It is weird to see the live hippos so close to all those crocodiles. Aren't they afraid of being taken down by all those crocs?
    Gail
    Thanks Gail

    Hippos rule the water and the two will often mingle very close together, the only time the crocs may have a go is when a baby strays from mum.


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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    What a sight and scene! I think you did well - getting compelling aerial shots is a challenge at best, at least you had an "open" view and didn't have to shoot through glass/perspex .
    I dig the details in the closer comp but do like the flow of the crocs in the OP. You are making me seriously start planning a South Luangwa safari...
    Morkel Erasmus

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  15. #15
    Roman Kurywczak
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    Very unusual perspective and I find it very interesting!

  16. #16
    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Thanks Roman & Morkel
    Quote Originally Posted by Morkel Erasmus View Post
    at least you had an "open" view and didn't have to shoot through glass/perspex .
    You usually also have to wear a helmut with perspex visor but opted not to this year as it's very restrictive with photography and glad I did, making it a lot easier to compose shots.
    Notice the difference here below, with Patrick & pilot John taking off.
    The biggest challenge is balancing 2 large body DSLR's!!............make sure all clips are secure and nothing loose in pockets!
    Next trip I do, I'll be bringing a HD GoPro cam and secure it to one wing.
    *Just remember you have to sign a waiver before taking to the skies with John, doing so will not cover you for accident insurance.
    Last edited by Marc Mol; 02-02-2012 at 05:04 PM.


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    Nice perspective. I am sure it would be an amazing feeling to view the forests and wildlife below. However, I am not very keen of the low flying planes with giraffes and others scurrying for cover.

    Cheers,
    Sabyasachi

  18. #18
    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Thanks Saby

    I'm not too keen on scaring wildlife with low flying aircraft either, the fact is it was only the crocs that were concerned about the micro light, perhaps hearkening back eons
    when Pterodactyls filled the skies.


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    Hi Marc,
    The way I am unorganised, I guess if I were to photograph from such an aircraft, one of two lenses or TCs will definitely drop on a crocs head. :D How safe are these microlites? In India, we have some bad experience of small planes and helicopters crashing.

    Cheers,
    Sabyasachi

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    Great shot for me , post 1 ,2 and 3 too :))
    TFS

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