A picture a day.

[Tom Kellie]

Have a good weekend, relax and enjoy, from Meru NP.

 

~ @@Ben mosquito

 

What a lovely image!

From Meru, no less!

A finer gift couldn't be received.

Merci Beaucoup.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Grasses, Wildflowers and Bustard

Photographed at 3:43 pm on 7 February, 2014 in Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, using an EOS 1D X camera and an EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II super-telephoto lens.

ISO 100, 1/1000 sec., f/2.8, 400mm focal length, handheld Manual exposure.

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This Eupodotis melanogaster, Black-bellied Bustard, was spotted during the long drive back to the tented camp where we were staying, after a highly productive all-day game drive.

What I especially liked was how the bustard stood out in the sea of grasses and tiny wildflowers that constitutes its home. Ecological context images have an especially powerful impact.

[Tom Kellie]

Trachylepis quinquetaeniata

Photographed at 3:51 pm on 2 October, 2014 at the Samburu Sopa Lodge, Kenya, using an EOS 1D X camera and an EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II super-telephoto lens.

ISO 1000, 1/2000 sec., f/3.2, 400mm focal length, handheld Shutter Priority exposure.

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During the midday break between game drives in Samburu National Reserve I swam in the Samburu Sopa Lodge pool. When finished I looked for subjects to photograph.

This Trachylepis quinquetaeniata, Five-lined Skink, was out in the open between the bar and the pool. It posed long enough for a few images before running off into a more protected location.

Edited July 8, 2015 by Tom Kellie

[Tom Kellie]

Sausage Tree Branching

Photographed at 7:43 am on 22 January, 2013 in Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, using an EOS 1D X camera and an EF 200mm f/2.8L IS telephoto lens + EF 2x extender.

ISO 100, 1/400 sec., f/5.6, 400mm focal length, handheld Manual Exposure.

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Here and there in Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, a solitary Kigelia africana, Sausage Tree, may be encountered. Favored of big cats, they merit a glance to see if anyone is in their sturdy branches.

This sausage tree's branches were bright in the early morning sunlight. One easily sees how a leopard might consider hanging a kill from such solid extensions from the tree trunk's mass.

[dlo]

Masai Mara 2006. This was taken right after our wedding. There were flowers tied to our vehicle which this elephant made a beeline for, we were backing up to quickly to get any photos of that.

 

Kilimanjaro 2006. Nothing says honeymoon like a climb up Kilimanjaro.

[Tom Kellie]

Older Amateur, Younger Professional

Photographed on 28 July, 2015 at 3:29 pm at the Emakoko, Nairobi, by Peking University Health Sciences Center research student ZHU Jinjie.

The EOS 1D X camera was combined with the EOS 135mm f/2L telephoto lens at ISO 800, 1/1000 sec., f/4, handheld Manual exposure.

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The lunch with @@armchair bushman and my safari companion, photographer ZHU Jinjie (祝锦杰), was enlivened by Emakoko Asst. Manager Rachel Davis, who had opened the Kicheche Mara Camp with @@armchair bushman some years earlier.

The zestful conversation flow, crackling intelligence, sincerity, passion and love of African wildlife made the lunch a highlight of any safari. This image captures the warmth, kindness, and exceptional competence of Kenya Gold Star Guide @@armchair bushman.

[armchair bushman]

Great photo. Thanks @@Tom Kellie.

Hopefully it won't be too long before we can repeat this.

[Earthian]

GW did mention that we could post any photo, and not necessarily from Africa or India. So here goes:

 

This picture was taken in Yellowstone national Park, with a Nikon D3S, 24-70 mm lens. I found this place extremely peaceful and serene. Just imagine, once upon a time much of our planet was like this till our greed plundered it.

[Tom Kellie]

Close-range View of a Hidden Hippo

Photographed on 28 July, 2015 at 9:27 am in Nairobi National Park with an EOS 1D X camera and an EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II super-telephoto lens.

ISO 800, 1/1250 sec., f/2.8, handheld Manual exposure.

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On the final full day of a two-week safari, talented Emakoko guide @@Peter Muigai. had stopped at my request to facilitate photographs of light violet-hued Nymphaea caerulea.

We'd also been photographing a Malachite Kingfisher which had perched on reeds above the blooming waterlilies, which was the first time I'd been in such a favorable position to do so.

Looking more closely at a dark patch in thick reeds to the right of our vantage point, it occurred to me that it was a hippo's back. I pointed this out, to which Peter replied that he hadn't known that a hippo lived in the very small pond.

This photo was taken after the hippo stirred, walking slowly to another position. It conveys how such an immense organism is capable of concealing itself in relatively small spaces.

[Wild Dogger]

Backlit Yellow Baboon, Lion Camp South Luangwa

 

[sandya]

This photo was taken in Kroonstad, South Africa. I recently published "African Lions: King of the Beasts" which is available here. Since I got back from South Africa I have had many requests to share my photos so this publication seemed like the best way to do this.

[Tom Kellie]

 

This photo was taken in Kroonstad, South Africa. I recently published "African Lions: King of the Beasts" which is available here. Since I got back from South Africa I have had many requests to share my photos so this publication seemed like the best way to do this.

 

~ @@sandya

 

Welcome to Safaritalk!

It's very nice of you to share that lovely lion photo in Safaritalk.

Your recently published book sounds fascinating!

If it's ever comfortable, a personal background self-introduction would be most welcome in the Introduction section.

http://safaritalk.net/forum/87-introductions/

With Appreciation,

Tom K.

[Earthian]

@@Wild Dogger

That is one great picture.

[Earthian]

here is a picture of two rhinos fighting.

[KaingU Lodge]

I finished building a hide on an island opposite a bee-eater colony two days ago. So yesterday afternoon we spent an hour there.

 

[Soukous]

congrats on the new hide @@KaingU Lodge

how far away is the bee eater colony? what length lens works best?

[Peter Connan]

@@KaingU Lodge, how i would love to use that hide of yours!

 

When is the breeding season for these birds?

[PCNW]

@@Earthian a beautiful photo of Yellowstone...what time of the year was this? We're heading the The Tetons and YS in two weeks.

[Earthian]

@@PCNW

Thank you. We were there during the last week of May, in 2014

[Earthian]

Here goes @@PCNW one more from yellowstone.

[Peter Connan]

That's beautiful!

[KaingU Lodge]

@@KaingU Lodge, how i would love to use that hide of yours!

 

When is the breeding season for these birds?

 

Peter, basically from now through to November. They started tunnelling a few weeks back and I suppose want all the chicks fledged before river levels start rising in November.

[Earthian]

@@Peter Connan

Thank you, Peter. Here is another one for you: This was shot in New Zealand and is the end of a glacier. We were in a boat and it added to the challenge of shooting in bad light, non vivid and predominantly blue colours:

[KaingU Lodge]

congrats on the new hide @@KaingU Lodge

how far away is the bee eater colony? what length lens works best?

 

@Soukous:

 

Martin, I reckon about 50m or so. Longer the better really. I was shooting with my 100-400 with a 1.4x converter on a 1.3x crop body. Getting the shutter speed and ISO acceptable was not the best at f8 even at 3:30pm!

[Peter Connan]

Thank you @@Earthian and @@KaingU Lodge!