WolfAvni

impala double

NIKON D3

Aperture 4/1 ISO 320 Shutter 125/100000 Focal Length 125/1

upload_date

Jul, 2016

Views

2916

Likes

+717

Awards

People's Choice in Contest Winner only Photo Challenge

People's Choice in The Letter 'M' Photo Challenge

Member Selection Award

Featured

Contest Finalist in Covers Photo Contest Vol 32

Peer Award

+231

Superb Composition

+90

Top Choice

+47

Absolute Masterpiece

+33

Magnificent Capture

+33

Outstanding Creativity

+13

All Star

Superior Skill

Genius

Emotions

Impressed

Top Ranks

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 2

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 2

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 20 rank

Top 20 rank week 2

Top 10 rank week 1

Behind The Lens

Location

This was shot from a ground-level overnight hide on Zimanga, a private game reserve in Zululand, Pongola, South africa.

Time

Ideally I would have liked to be on location before the first light of false dawn, but a slow start meant i got to the hide after the false dawn had broken. Some high cloud provided cooler than usual conditions and the game was a little slow in utilising the waterhole. I settled down to take advantage of whatever opportunity presented. A few birds ~ doves, Ibis and a pair of hammerhead storks dropped down to drink, and a couple of warthogs wandered in. Got some great stock, but by Zimanga standards the morning was slow. Late morning, around 11;00 a family of impala (Apyceros melampus) appoached, slowly as cautiously as game does at water, where they are always vulnerable to ambush from predators. But things stayed quiet and the antelope gathered around the water, jostling, and socialising as is their way.

Lighting

The hide, designed and built by Charl Senekal, really should be illegal. It just makes everything seamless. Shooting from behind one way optical glass means you are really close to your subject and can work with short focal lengths. The hide is set up as an overnighter, with bunks, ablutions, a kettle and small fridge. My stay was somewhat shorter ~ a couple of hours ~ I was doing a rece of Zululand game hides where, over 6 days I visited eight unique game hides. This overnight hide is rigged with every assistance anyone might require, including adjustable halogen lighting, delay timers, tripods, wimberly heads, etc, etc etc. You could virtually walk in off the street with a half decent dslr and an 85mm standard lens, nothing else and still get great pics on the right day. Not knowing the full lay of the land I dragged my own tripod and Wimberly head along. I shot just off natural light. There was about 95 % high cloud cover, great for shooting wildlife in the bush and I waited for the windows of opportunity as the sun peeped through the thinning cloud holes, giving nice dynamic key and making for softer, slightly open shadows. Noticed the natural symmetry and design elements as the antelope moving in and around to drink, and zoomed to frame the elements of symmetry that caught my eye. The short focal lengths are what provide the unique sense of intimacy in this series.

Equipment

Nikon D3, (my standard bodies), Nikon 80~200mm f2.8 ED. Wimberly mounted.

Inspiration

In this game, when Opportunity and Preparedness meet.... great things happen. I'm just at old scavenger, always just looking for a moment of sweet light to feed off. Heck! If the light is right, even pond-scum looks good.

Editing

Very little post process. Downloaded into View NX and minimal processing with Capture NX2. My basic work flow includes 1. 1 pixel width minus contrast to pull back any blown hilights and shadows 2. Tweek Chroma upwards by between 1~ 20% 3. save as a) raw, b) hi res jpeg and c) a jpeg resized to 72 dpi, which I run a pass of Unsharp mask over (between 1~3 pixel width at 100%)

In my camera bag

My road=tripping rig includes the following 1. 2x Nikon D3 bodies 2.Nikkor 500mm f5.6 mirrror lens (circa 1983) 3. Nikon 55mm macro f3.5 analog (1971) , Nikkor 24mm f2.8 analog 1979) with Nikkor III bellows and M2 extension tube BR2 reversal ring, 4. Nikkor 80~200mm f2.8 ED 5. Nikkor 200~400mm f4 VRII 6. An ancient Metz Mecablitz flash held together with ductape and loving kindness. (use mostly for macro and remote trigger night work 7. Hahnel remote trigger/shutter release. 8. Laptop, backup hard drives,

Feedback

Every hide offers unique opportunities, but the big thing is patience and anticipation. You may wait hours, or even days for a particular suite of animals and interactions, but if you got bored and left before they occur, you may as well have stayed home. When the action does happen, it is usually fleeting and needs to be anticipated. Game is always super skittish at water and when coming down to drink. They have to drink and predators know this, and so ambushes are often set at the water or around the trails leding in to it. Patience is always rewarded in the bush, if you are alive to the flow of it.

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WolfAvni

WolfAvni

impala double

Behind The Lens

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