White Rhino (Ceratotherium simum)
Madikwe Game Reserve
(Nikon D300, Nikon 80-200 @ 100mm, 1/800, f.2,8, ISO 200)
___________________________
Photographing a wild animal is one thing but looking deeper and portraying the essence of an animals is what I would like to believe most wildlife photographers are trying to do when they head out into the wild. Yesterday morning we spent time with two rhinos. Lots of time. These large animals are amazing and I have always enjoyed photographing them. There is something about their large, imposing bodies that is in stark contrast with their (mostly) docile nature. The two rhino were very accommodating as we moved around them looking for different angles, light and compositions. There were quite a few keepers from the rhino shoot but for some reason this one stood out. Not sure if it is the contrast of the female rhino’s hard skin with the soft texture of the grass or the contrast of dark and light tones in the image but I find this quite a moody image. I shot the image full frame but just chopped off a little bit on the left to tighten up the composition a bit. In post processing I converted the image to monochrome while adding a feint blue tint, added a very slight glow to the image and, something I have not done much of before, added a very faint canvas texture to the image. For me the final image captures a softer side to this gentle giant while at the same time still showing some of the contrasts that make then such amazing photographic subjects.
Tomorrow, being guest post Thursday, Grant Marcus will be joining me on Photo-Africa as he looks at the whats’s, why’s and how’s of black and white wildlife images. Grant is a good friend and a great wildlife photographer so make sure to join him tomorrow for ‘Black and White. Why?‘ I will be back on Friday with either a whole stack of Wild Dog images or a post on what draws your eye in wildlife & nature photography and how to use this to create better images. Will see how things turn out!
Bye 4 now! 
Gerry
on 
on 
on 
on 
on 
great shot Gerry love the monochrome canvas effect works briliantly