Photos Kenya sept/oct 2008

But you do have some nice shots, keepers. What do you think went wrong with the others? Most likely camera shake/movement. Did you use a monopod or bean bag? Personally, I'm to lazy to use either, I try to keep shutter speed very fast. But know I still loose more than if I had supported the camera.

Nice shots of wildebeest/zebra crossing. I've seen it only once at the Mara River and it is something special.

BTW, I like the Kodakgallery format you used. Photos (on a monitor) look so much better against a black background. (Instead of white background).

regards - tom

Some nice shots, cheetah and lion cubs are wonderful and the Wilde crossings are great. Toms thoughts on shutter speed should help you in the future, another thought is to shoot in aperture priority and to close your aperture down two f stops from wide open. This will give you a greater depth of field and your absolute focus will not be as critical. I assume you were using the Canon 100-400 4/5.6 lens. This is a great lens for safari but like most telephoto zoom lenses (even the better Canon L lenses) they benefit by being stopped down 1-2 f stops. Also you increase your depth of field and this can help in wildlife photography. You have nothing to apologise for-you have some great stuff.
Chuck

Alex - These are great, with lots of detail. The vulture wings, baby cheetah fur, crown cranes landing, big teeth, brilliant sunsets, those yummy tomatoes. You did good!

Hi Alejandra,

You have lots of good photos in there and some wonderful sightings. Very tempting to return to the Mara - need to figure out when. That tent of the Serian mobile camp seems just perfect!

Thanks
Hari

Thanks for the comments.

Tom & Chuck: I didnt use anthing no beans bags no monopod, just my hands and arms. On a next occasion i must give the bean bag a try though, especially the dear ones that came out blurred really upset me... I m not sure exactly what happened..but a lot went wrong and my previous results with weaker lenses were much better. Going to try a faster shutter speed next time, thank you both for the advice. I Yes i was using the Canon 100-400, if i cannot handle it on a next journey to Africa I will sell it cos there is no use getting upset at home when the pictures suck, whereas i t could have been much better with a less heavy lens.
The kodakgallery format must be new and i didnt have to do anything to get it this way, it was all automatically arranged.

Sandi: Thank you dear...still waiting for that moment we will run into eachother in Kenya..positive will happen some time. Those tomatoes do look pretty fresh...mmmm.

And Hari: Yes i m looking forward to meeting you at Serian and spending a few days at the mobile camp together! My intentions were mid February but i will have travel to China again that time.

having not gone on my safari yet, and just beginning to look at what lens to take, i will remember you thoughts on the weight. But i thought these photos were great!! the zebras and wildebeast shots really conveyed a sense of motion. and i loved the cranes, and the baby fuzzy leopards. i cant wait till i go.
amy

Wow. Really nice photos. You must have been there same time as me. Like the compositions. Just use a beanbag until you build up the right muscles enough.

I thought the cheetah on Ol Kiombo Plain in late September was Shakira, minus a couple more of her cubs - but I don't really pay much attention to the names thing and our guide from Kicheche Bush Camp was not the naming type - so that was an assumption by me and him that could easily be wrong. Doesn't really matter, but I'd hate to be a source of misinformation.

I'll check out the photos in a week or two when my technology allows.

Wow, these are stunning. Out of focus my aperture!

You have fantastic aerial bird shots, aerial wildebeest shots diving into the river, the crossing shots, oh these baby cheetah, and baby hyena too. A serval photo is lucky but you got a fighting pair and a happier pair of lions in a portrait. Plus some nice trees.

If this is out of focus, may all my photos lack focus.

Maybe she didn't put up the problem photos? Only the reasonably sharp ones?

regards - tom

Thank you and yes i only put up the fairly ok ones, if only more were good i'd be happier

it's hard to pic any - but the cheetah cubs, lion yawning,, servals playing, wildebeest crossing (and the zebras blocking their way up)..all are very good for enhancing the long for kenya feel.

div