Feb 2010- Mini report and current Migration Update - Tanzania
Feb 8th, 2010, 09:33 PM
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Feb 2010- Mini report and current Migration Update - Tanzania
Hi, Folks,
My wife and I are back from our private photo tour from the Northern Circuit. It was a fantastic trip with all big-5 seen and captured (including babies). There's babies everywhere, the Serengeti is lush green, works well for photography backgrounds.
Highlight of the trip was 11 Black Rhinos (+ a baby), 14 Cheetahs and six hours with a Leopard mom + baby (3-5 months old). There were two lions on separate early mornings right outside our room (Ndutu Lodge and Ngorongoro Sopa), that was quite an experience. The escort/guard just flashed a huge beam of light at them, and they stayed put while we walked to the reception.
"Destination Tanzania Safaris(www.detasa.com)" was my provider. I wasn't disappointed by the service, the vehicle (probably the best stretch land cruiser available) was awesome. Zero vehicle breakdowns, Alex Lyimo, my guide worked closely with us to make the most out of the trip. That would mean waking up very early and working hard to capture the species I wanted to.
I could see other photogs and drivers stare at our vehicle all the time, haha! Huge windows, lot of moving space were two things that I required for my photography.
Anyway, will write a detailed review once I get rid of this jetlag.
Migration Update(Feb 7 '10): The migration (majority) is currently in Southern Serengeti near Lake Masek and Ndutu area. They are also spread out towards the Kusini plains (and woodlands). Huge herds of wildebeest and zebras are moving around in these areas.The entire area is lush green with lots of rains (we encountered torrential rain one night while staying at Olakira, that was quite an experience). The herds are currently located right from outside of Naabi Hill gate in the north down to the south all the way to the NCA. Calves are being born left and right, we saw a couple of Wildie calves (within minutes after birth) rise up, drink milk, then run a mile with their mother- all in under 20 minutes after they were born !!! There's nothing (in terms of migration) inside the gates of Naabi Hill (towards Seronera).
As per Paul Oliver (I met him at Olakira, nice guy), Serengeti has never been this green since 1998. The crater is also all-green currently. The only brown grass I saw was in Central Serengeti, near Seronera.
For those who are about to leave to TZ, you will be very happy you chose this month, enjoy !!!
Lastly, Thanks to all those who helped my wife and I plan this trip. We have come back after a memorable trip to TZ and after making a few friends and some good pictures. Will process/share them as soon as possible.
Btw, airlines (KLM) did not give any trouble for my huge camera gear etc. It is business as usual except that you get a body-massage-pat-down head to toe after going through the metal detector or that fancy MRI machine (just kidding). I ended up not carrying my camera gear all over the camps and lodges, nothing was stolen.
Regards,
Tiger
My wife and I are back from our private photo tour from the Northern Circuit. It was a fantastic trip with all big-5 seen and captured (including babies). There's babies everywhere, the Serengeti is lush green, works well for photography backgrounds.
Highlight of the trip was 11 Black Rhinos (+ a baby), 14 Cheetahs and six hours with a Leopard mom + baby (3-5 months old). There were two lions on separate early mornings right outside our room (Ndutu Lodge and Ngorongoro Sopa), that was quite an experience. The escort/guard just flashed a huge beam of light at them, and they stayed put while we walked to the reception.
"Destination Tanzania Safaris(www.detasa.com)" was my provider. I wasn't disappointed by the service, the vehicle (probably the best stretch land cruiser available) was awesome. Zero vehicle breakdowns, Alex Lyimo, my guide worked closely with us to make the most out of the trip. That would mean waking up very early and working hard to capture the species I wanted to.
I could see other photogs and drivers stare at our vehicle all the time, haha! Huge windows, lot of moving space were two things that I required for my photography.
Anyway, will write a detailed review once I get rid of this jetlag.
Migration Update(Feb 7 '10): The migration (majority) is currently in Southern Serengeti near Lake Masek and Ndutu area. They are also spread out towards the Kusini plains (and woodlands). Huge herds of wildebeest and zebras are moving around in these areas.The entire area is lush green with lots of rains (we encountered torrential rain one night while staying at Olakira, that was quite an experience). The herds are currently located right from outside of Naabi Hill gate in the north down to the south all the way to the NCA. Calves are being born left and right, we saw a couple of Wildie calves (within minutes after birth) rise up, drink milk, then run a mile with their mother- all in under 20 minutes after they were born !!! There's nothing (in terms of migration) inside the gates of Naabi Hill (towards Seronera).
As per Paul Oliver (I met him at Olakira, nice guy), Serengeti has never been this green since 1998. The crater is also all-green currently. The only brown grass I saw was in Central Serengeti, near Seronera.
For those who are about to leave to TZ, you will be very happy you chose this month, enjoy !!!
Lastly, Thanks to all those who helped my wife and I plan this trip. We have come back after a memorable trip to TZ and after making a few friends and some good pictures. Will process/share them as soon as possible.
Btw, airlines (KLM) did not give any trouble for my huge camera gear etc. It is business as usual except that you get a body-massage-pat-down head to toe after going through the metal detector or that fancy MRI machine (just kidding). I ended up not carrying my camera gear all over the camps and lodges, nothing was stolen.
Regards,
Tiger
Feb 9th, 2010, 08:14 AM
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Thx, Shaytay ! They were all seen in the Crater on various occasions, I spent 4 days in it, was worth it. We sat patiently for hours after spotting the rhinos at a distance, patience paid, they eventually came close to our vehicles(grazing), close enough for me to get full-frame shots at 600mm. I will share some soon. 11 was the total count, but some could be the same rhinos on multiple visits, like a mother and 2 adult cubs spotted twice = 6.
Feb 9th, 2010, 11:37 PM
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Thanks, folks !
This jet lag is keeping me awake, so I thought I might as well process a couple of pics and post them here before presenting them anywhere else. I apologize in advance for the huge copyright notices but that's the only way I can present large size images for your viewing pleasure, I hope you understand my dilemma. These images are my way of saying "Thank You" to all of you here including Tom,Leely, Shaytay, Atravelynn,Linda,Sandi,Spassvogel and many others who have assisted me in my Serengeti quest. In the end, it was all worth it. The sweet taste of my trip still lingers...I will go back again.
#1: Simba And Mufasa.
I do have a full body image, but wanted to emphasize on the emotions on his face by cropping tight.Taken in early morning light.
Any guesses what's going on in this scene?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2697/...8eafb7dd_o.jpg
#2: Duma In Evening Light. Boy, those red eyes are tough to expose correctly.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2789/...54bb9699_o.jpg
#3: Black Rhino Female And Calf. This was in the Crater, this image evoked a lot of emotions in me considering the sorry state of this species.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/...5749c4bd_o.jpg
Again, I apologize for the big copyright notices, but I hope you look through them and enjoy the images as presented.
Thanks !
This jet lag is keeping me awake, so I thought I might as well process a couple of pics and post them here before presenting them anywhere else. I apologize in advance for the huge copyright notices but that's the only way I can present large size images for your viewing pleasure, I hope you understand my dilemma. These images are my way of saying "Thank You" to all of you here including Tom,Leely, Shaytay, Atravelynn,Linda,Sandi,Spassvogel and many others who have assisted me in my Serengeti quest. In the end, it was all worth it. The sweet taste of my trip still lingers...I will go back again.
#1: Simba And Mufasa.
I do have a full body image, but wanted to emphasize on the emotions on his face by cropping tight.Taken in early morning light.
Any guesses what's going on in this scene?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2697/...8eafb7dd_o.jpg
#2: Duma In Evening Light. Boy, those red eyes are tough to expose correctly.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2789/...54bb9699_o.jpg
#3: Black Rhino Female And Calf. This was in the Crater, this image evoked a lot of emotions in me considering the sorry state of this species.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/...5749c4bd_o.jpg
Again, I apologize for the big copyright notices, but I hope you look through them and enjoy the images as presented.
Thanks !
Feb 10th, 2010, 01:40 AM
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Last one, a running Wildebeest pan-blur (in-camera):
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2746/...ee5abd11_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2746/...ee5abd11_o.jpg
Feb 10th, 2010, 08:00 PM
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Hey TigerPhotog,
Great photos! Especially love the lion sho!!
Would you mind sharing your photo settings (aperture, shutter speed, focal length, ISO) and whether you used any filters (polarizer, neutral gradient)???
I can only hope to take fantastic photos like these. Any advice would help. I'm an amateur shooting with a canon XSi and have 18-200 and 70-300 lenses with me.
I'm going next week!
Thanks,
doc
Great photos! Especially love the lion sho!!
Would you mind sharing your photo settings (aperture, shutter speed, focal length, ISO) and whether you used any filters (polarizer, neutral gradient)???
I can only hope to take fantastic photos like these. Any advice would help. I'm an amateur shooting with a canon XSi and have 18-200 and 70-300 lenses with me.
I'm going next week!
Thanks,
doc
Feb 10th, 2010, 11:23 PM
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Thx, John and Stamiya, appreciate your words of praise.
John, I use fixed focal length/fixed aperture lenses for maximum subject isolation and the highest image quality.
Xsi is a good camera, nice image quality, it does not have the high fps or pro-AF which one might need in case action happens.
I would recommend you do this, for static or slow moving subjects:
1. Shoot in Av mode, tweak the aperture based on desired Depth Of Field. f/8 or higher(f/11) works well for getting end to end sharpness. f/5.6 or below gives better subject isolation and higher shutter speeds.
2. Start the morning with high ISO (800 or above) and turn it down as soon as the light becomes better.
3. I did not use polarizing filters on animals (but did on landscapes), it's pretty useless on animal skin (good for sky and water).
4. If you are dealing with harsh light, just convert the pics into black/white in PP
5. Make sure nobody in the vehicle moves(and vehicle engine is turned off) when you are shooting
6. Try to get down to the animal's eye level (avoid the hatch in the roof, unless it's an elephant or Giraffe)
7. Use beanbags,use beanbags,use beanbags....(infinity)
Good luck on your trip, you are going to have a blast, I wish I could go again right now.
John, I use fixed focal length/fixed aperture lenses for maximum subject isolation and the highest image quality.
Xsi is a good camera, nice image quality, it does not have the high fps or pro-AF which one might need in case action happens.
I would recommend you do this, for static or slow moving subjects:
1. Shoot in Av mode, tweak the aperture based on desired Depth Of Field. f/8 or higher(f/11) works well for getting end to end sharpness. f/5.6 or below gives better subject isolation and higher shutter speeds.
2. Start the morning with high ISO (800 or above) and turn it down as soon as the light becomes better.
3. I did not use polarizing filters on animals (but did on landscapes), it's pretty useless on animal skin (good for sky and water).
4. If you are dealing with harsh light, just convert the pics into black/white in PP
5. Make sure nobody in the vehicle moves(and vehicle engine is turned off) when you are shooting
6. Try to get down to the animal's eye level (avoid the hatch in the roof, unless it's an elephant or Giraffe)
7. Use beanbags,use beanbags,use beanbags....(infinity)
Good luck on your trip, you are going to have a blast, I wish I could go again right now
.
Feb 11th, 2010, 03:04 AM
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Here's 1 of the crater. A pano stitch of 3 UWA shots. Circ Pol filter was used.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/...b7fffb24_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/...b7fffb24_o.jpg
Feb 11th, 2010, 07:38 PM
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Your trip sounds just wonderful. May I ask you how many days you spent in Tanzania and about how much they charged you for the private safari? Also, did you design the itinerary, or did they recommend it to you? Did you put in the special request concering the transport, etc?
I too cannot see the photos, but will try again!
I too cannot see the photos, but will try again!
Sep 3rd, 2010, 11:51 AM
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Hi there:
Great TR and update! I know this is an old thread but maybe someone will read it! *fingers crossed*
I'm thinking about the Serengeti and Crater in Feb 2011 and wonder if February 2010 and the migration were "the norm". We went to the MM in Kenya this August and the migration to the MM was early this year. Do you know if this will mean babies will be born earlier in 2011?
Great TR and update! I know this is an old thread but maybe someone will read it! *fingers crossed*
I'm thinking about the Serengeti and Crater in Feb 2011 and wonder if February 2010 and the migration were "the norm". We went to the MM in Kenya this August and the migration to the MM was early this year. Do you know if this will mean babies will be born earlier in 2011?
Sep 5th, 2010, 08:42 AM
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Hi, Kits55,
I will be back in Jan end -early feb 2011 in Tanzania specifically for the birthing season. Yes, the migration is 'usually' in the NCA area near Ndutu/Kusini (Southern region) during that time of the year. Grass is green,there are wildflowers everywhere, flower beds will adorn the landscapes, you will see many babies of multiple species running around happily. Crater was lush green in 2010, much more than it was ever before in a long time (so said my guide).
As for predicting when the calves will be born...tough, but the majority do celebrate their birthdays in feb-march. A smart guide can spot a cow that might be ready to give birth...but you have to be patient to witness the actual event (if that's on your wish-list).
Just like the river crossings...it does not happen all at once. These are massive herds...they do it in bursts over a longer period (birthing).
Bottomline, you are going at the best/peak time to Tanzania, good luck !
PS: Sandi (if you are reading this), the TZ embassy replied, my visa will still be valid since I enter 3 days before it expires...woohoo $100 saved
I will be back in Jan end -early feb 2011 in Tanzania specifically for the birthing season. Yes, the migration is 'usually' in the NCA area near Ndutu/Kusini (Southern region) during that time of the year. Grass is green,there are wildflowers everywhere, flower beds will adorn the landscapes, you will see many babies of multiple species running around happily
. Crater was lush green in 2010, much more than it was ever before in a long time (so said my guide).As for predicting when the calves will be born...tough, but the majority do celebrate their birthdays in feb-march. A smart guide can spot a cow that might be ready to give birth...but you have to be patient to witness the actual event (if that's on your wish-list).
Just like the river crossings...it does not happen all at once. These are massive herds...they do it in bursts over a longer period (birthing).
Bottomline, you are going at the best/peak time to Tanzania, good luck !
PS: Sandi (if you are reading this), the TZ embassy replied, my visa will still be valid since I enter 3 days before it expires...woohoo $100 saved
Sep 6th, 2010, 06:53 AM
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Hi TigerPhotog! Thank you so much for the response. Your advice is extremely helpful, especially the specifics of where the migration typically is! Seeing a live birth is definitely on my wish list! When it comes to wildlife I can be as patient as the day is long. Thanks for the great advice and I hope you have an amazing time again next year!
