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Vulture madness - Masai Mara, Kenya
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Vulture madness - Masai Mara, Kenya



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upload_dateAug, 2017

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607

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Awards

Contest Finalist in Food Chain Struggles Photo Contest
Peer Award
miketrainor WWWest taurfoto nandicmb viktor_1972 Badgrandad Tilley +5
Superb Composition
randalpair cohooper mitko47
Magnificent Capture
p_eileenbaltz edhendricks
Absolute Masterpiece
Devanpayne nickgeorgevdwesthuizen
Top Choice
JayneBug ahmadtaneemkamal
Virtuoso
Confalonieri
All Star
cheriejordan
Outstanding Creativity
Egoryan

Top Ranks

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Behind The Lens

Location

My husband and I were investigating the Masai Mara and another tour operators operation for a collaboration. We loved the Mara.

Time

This was taken in the late morning.

Lighting

The light was bright and overcast with rain coming.

Equipment

I use a Nikon D7200 and a 200 - 500 or a 150- 600. I was hand holding for this shoot as we can't get out of the car and it was absolutely fascinating to follow the vultures arrive one at a time as they landed at this kill.

Inspiration

From a distance we saw the vultures and a Batalor arriving at this kill. When we arrived I noticed the precision in which each vulture landed. They are not a bird I had previously been excited about photographing. But all has changed now. They are incredible to watch as they land and take off. It is also fascinated to watch what seems like organized chaos as they communicate for who is where and how they with amazingly clean the body with precision. Having not been able to witness this before it was truly amazing to watch and something I found really not disgusting as one might have thought it would be.

Editing

I try to limit my post processing as I don't love to overkill the image with high color distortions. On safari colors are pretty neutral and I think they deserve to stay that way. That said light can often be pretty flat or overly bright. I am learning.

In my camera bag

I carry a back pack while on safari with two bodies each with its own lens for the day. Since living in Rwanda, I try very hard to not change lenses especially while on Safari due to the dust. I start with fully charged batteries plus some. I also take extra empty cards with me. I learned a very hard lesson on this shoot. Check your settings! I "always' shoot in RAW. Sadly my camera got changed and I didn't use my brain to ensure I was still on RAW. I ended up on jpeg for the entire safari and the following trip to Paris. Dumb, Dumb, Dumb. I know better. Lesson learned - I hope.

Feedback

These are special moments and it is best to just stop and watch and shoot. What is hard for me is to know when to watch with my eyes and not my camera. I love holding the moment for every but I do think I loose some of the reality of what is happening. Stay and wait out the event. Check your settings and your histogram so you know your well set. If you are in a car with a drive make sure the motor is turned off so you have a better chance for a good still hand hold. I have not been able to shoot birds in flight on a tripod from within the car. Beanbags or something to use on the roof or window sill help with camera stillness if you don't have a tripod. Enjoy the moment.

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