A picture a day.

[africapurohit]

Another magnificent male lion seen in Chitabe, Botswana.

 

[Sharifa]

Kalahari Lion

 

 

[africapurohit]

Bed of Horns - Duba Plains, Botswana

 

[africapurohit]

Taken on a bank of the Rufiji River in Selous, Tanzania

 

 

[africapurohit]

Tsaro Pride Female, Duba Plains (Botswana) - taken lying down on the floor of the vehicle to try and capture at her eye level.

 

[PCNW]

Londolozi August 2012

[AKR1]

Journey of Giraffes- Mara North, 2010

 

[africapurohit]

One of the Skimmer Pride males yawning after just waking up - Duba Plains, Botswana

 

[marg]

when was this taken?

[africapurohit]

@@marg that was in 2006

[marg]

Here is the Skimmer male who is taking care of the Tsaro females. September 2007 then 2010.

[africapurohit]

Member of the Chitabe Pack (Botswana) right next to the side of the vehicle

 

 

 

[AKR1]

Remnants from the great drought, Amboseli, 2010

 

[mmackwan]

Spotted Harrier

 

 

Edited June 5, 2013 by mmackwan

[PCNW]

Chitabe 2013

[africapurohit]

Taken with 35mm film in Amboseli, Kenya - this bull elephant backed up by another two bulls behind him rushed into a pride of 13 lions causing them to scatter.

 

[PCNW]

this must be your 600mm, right? I decided against one of the big guns and went with the Nikon 300mm 2.8 and I'm trying all of the TC's with it. I just can't seem to get used to the idea of the size and weight of the big boys. But, I wonder if I'll regret it in the end since I will have to use something the stabilize the 300 anyway. Really, really good work photo wise on this recent trip. Very impressive. I'm waiting on a trip report.

[marg]

@@PCNW.....I needed more lens than my 300mm. TC's would not work. And, I did not want the weight and size of a bigger lens. So, I got a Leica V-Lux 4. It goes up to 600 mm. I am still playing with it but it is really lightweight and should be a good companion to my Nikon.

[africapurohit]

Taken in Savuti, Botswana

 

[Alex The Lion]

Cheetah - Okavango Delta.....(Sigh, he dreams of when he can return)

 

[africapurohit]

My picture for today was not taken in Africa, nor is it an African animal. I took this photo yesterday when visiting a local wildlife park, for my second son's 4th birthday. The wildlife park is affiliated with the Wildlife Heritage Foundation (UK) who focus on big cat conservation. Personally, I think this is the most beautiful big cat on the planet - this photo was taken at 400mm through a dirty glass window, so I'm surprised I got anything decent.

 

[JohnR]

@@africapurohit, I know how difficult it is to take good photos of the cats in this snow leopard enclosure. Well done.

[AKR1]

Eye of the tiger cheetah, Ngorongoro, 2010.

 

[africapurohit]

@@africapurohit, I know how difficult it is to take good photos of the cats in this snow leopard enclosure. Well done.

@@JohnR.....photography in Africa is so much more easier than zoos and wildlife parks!!!!

 

My tips for photographing through glass:

• Wear black because it helps to reduce the reflections
• Keep the lens as close and flush with the glass as possible - angles introduce reflections
• Hope that the window is clean!
• And after all that, pray that the animal stays where you positioned and focussed your lens!

Polarising filters may help with reflections, but I have not tried them.

 

Bars and fences introduce different problems but can be overcome (made to "disappear") if you use a telephoto lens and you are closer to the bars/fence than the animal is. The colour of the bars/fences will also significantly affect the outcome - the less reflective the better (black is best).

Edited June 9, 2013 by africapurohit

[Rainbirder]

The Ivory Queen!

This matriarch had very impressive tusks and was the dominant cow in a large family group that we came across. The calf in the image is hers (there is also an almost hidden "aunt" in this image behind her).
She is not just a mother, she is also a leader. She is a font of knowledge for her family and her other contacts. She has seen it all before and with that experience comes great wisdom. When the going gets tough she knows where to go and what to do; the survival of so many depend upon her. Her death would not only be a family tragedy it would also be a catastrophic blow to local elephant culture!
Imagine how human society would collapse without teachers, without the sharing of knowledge and without collective wisdom freely given.

The Ivory Queen is really a Pachyderm Professor.

 

Lets hope that when her time comes she dies with her ivory and not because of it!!!

 

 

Image taken by the Ol Tukai Swamp, Amboseli, Kenya; July 2012.

 

Edited June 9, 2013 by Rainbirder