Should we be concerned about the future of conservation?

The reason I ask this is that last night a few of us went to a talk hosted by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and I was very disappointed with the turnout.

No no, don’t get me wrong.  The talk, by Andrew Jenkins of the Western Cape Raptor Research Program, was very well attended so that was not the problem.

The problem, for me, was the demographic breakdown of the people at the talk.

Now just before I carry on.

The possibility is obviously there that the make up of the attendees on this particular evening just happened to be the way it was but I spoke to some of the EWT staff and they confirmed that the turnout was a very good indicator of the type of people they get at their other events as well.

Firstly, me and my group had an average age of around 35.  If I had to estimate the average age of the rest of the people attending the evening I would probably go with a number of around 65.  That’s average.

Secondly, out of the 160 people at the event all of them were white.

Now PLEASE do not see this as a racial issue because it is NOT intended that way.  I just found it very striking that there were only white people at the event and this in a country where white people make up a small minority of the total population group.

Now, to get back to my initial question.

Yeah, I think we might have a bit of a problem.

Yes, there are people out there – black, white, young, old, whoever – who are doing absolutely amazing work in the conservation field but the lack of support, or at least the perceived lack of support, for an organization like EWT does raise a bit of concern.

Do young people not find conservation ‘cool’ enough?

If it is not online or on a cellphone does it not feature as something to do or be a part of?

Is there a way to bridge the apparent gap between various ethnic groups to create a more unified approach to conserving our natural heritage?

I applaud, respect and completely support bodies like the EWT for the work they are doing but in my mind, if we do not have conservation buy-in from the younger generation and all the ethnic groups that make up the South African population we have a serious problem.

So I’ll ask it again.

Should we be concerned about the future of conservation?

Gerry van der Walt 

* * *

Some photographers just try too hard.

Let me explain.

In my mind there are two main types of images of images can you create when you go on safari.

The first is a ‘proof’ shot.  This is the happy snappy kind of images a great deal of people come back with and all it does is prove to friends and family that you actually saw a specific animal.

Proof.

The second type, and hopefully this is your goal, is an actual wildlife image.  A good, solid wildlife image that does more than just show people what you saw but shows them the way you saw it.

An image that tells a story.

Evokes emotion.

The natural progression is to move from the proof shots to more solid wildlife images but unfortunately a lot of people get lost somewhere in between the two and when they reach this point they start trying too hard.  They try new lenses.  Different settings.

When you reach this point, one of the best things you can do is to check, and simplify your backgrounds.

Paying attention to and eliminating a distracting backgrounds has got to be one of the most effective ways you can immediately improve your wildlife photography.

Here are a few examples.

For the happy snappy type of safari going photographer an image like this would be spectacular!

However, as a strong wildlife image it is not all that strong for two reasons.

Firstly, the focus locked on to the leopard’s tail leaving the face a little soft.  Secondly, the background is just a little messy.  The twigs on the right distracts your viewer’s eye a bit and the scrub below the animals’s chin is not out of focus enough.

Remember that these things might seem small and petty but, for the purposes of this post, it is worth considering all the small things that can take your photography to the next level.

How could this image have been made even better?

One option would have been to be patient and see if another chance presented itself, which it eventually did, and failing this you might have been happy to grab the above shot and just enjoy a sighting of one of Africa’s most elusive cats.

This situation is one that you might not find all that often so it is definitely worth look through your camera.

Again, there are two problems with the above image.  Firstly, the lion has been ‘chopped’ off close to the hip – something which could have been done with more purpose but can be discussed another time – and secondly the trees on the horizon looks like they are growing out of the elephant’s back.

The merging together of two objects in a frame has got to be one of the easiest things to fix in camera – if you see it when you look through the viewfinder of course.

In order to fix this problem I could have either waited for the ellies to move to the left (where they were heading) or I could have tried to change my angle just a little bit in order to split the tree and the elephant form each other.

If only I had seen it through the viewfinder.

This one is close.

Apart from the horizon being a tad skew, which is easy to fix, it again looks like it is balancing on the lion’s head.  Might not seem like a major but by either waiting a few seconds or changing my perspective I could have created a much stronger image.

This image shows a cheetah doing what they do for a great part of their day.

The problem?  The little dead branches sticking out from behind the flat cat.

A lot of the time wildlife photographers will look at the scene, photograph it, not like the image and then move on.

Often, a better image is literally a few meters away.

By simply moving five meters to the right I was able to (almost) move the dead sticks out of play and also include a much more interesting background for my cheetah image.  Notice how the stronger background plus your eyes so much that you almost do not notice the sticks behind the cheetah.

Often a better background is just a jump to the left and then a step to the right… sorry…

Yeah, its might feel like the above is nit-picking but the idea of paying attention to your background is a small thing that can make a huge difference to your images.  Some areas present more difficult shooting conditions but by thinking about your backgrounds, and looking for different perspectives and positions, you stand a much greater chance of creating strong wildlife images.

So to wrap things up, and to link back to the first line of this post – when you are trying to create better wildlife images stop trying so hard.

Pay attention to your backgrounds.

Shoot what you see.

And always enjoy the experience.

Until next time.

Gerry van der Walt

* * *

Unpredictable as it may be, nature has a certain rhythm and by taking some time to observe, to learn, you can start predicting when certain moments can happen.

The moment when you should click the shutter.

A lion, before yawning, will give you a host of signals before finally dropping it’s jaw and giving you the cue to start snapping away to get that iconic image.

Same goes for a leopard.

A bird, before taking off will also go though it’s standard little ritual before and taking to the air and presenting you with some amazing photo opportunities.

In any wildlife photography situation, there are certain things you can do to prepare yourself and increase your chances of getting the shot.  This includes doing some research on the area before your trip, speaking to and working with local guides and then, of course, knowing your equipment.

These are the things we all know and (hopefully) do but more that this you should know which images you want to get.

Even if you have never been to the area or you have never pointed your camera at the specific subject, having an idea of the kind of images you want to create will go a long way in your quest to capture that one special shot.

On our recent photographic expedition to the Masai Mara one of my goals was to photograph massive herds of wildebeest crossing the Mara River as a part of the annual migration.

The visual chaos, emotion and intensity of a river crossing is crazy.  Absolutely amazing!

Now I am of the opinion that anyone can get a good image of a river crossing but, and this is the point of this post, you can get even better images if you know what you are looking for.

Our first crossing was quite tough as more than 100 wildebeest drowned.  This is not particularly something I wanted to photograph, even though I did end up firing off quite a few frames, but I did learn from this crossing and I saw how the whole things happens.

By watching a crossing I learnt enough so that during the other four crossings that we saw I knew what to look for and how I could get the shots I had in mind.

I have barley started scratching the surface of all the images I took in Kenya but here are a few of the images I had in mind with a few thoughts on what I was looking for.

To often we get caught up on the tight crops and super telephoto zoom lenses.  With any wildlife scene you need to try and show the scene.

In between the chaos that makes up a river crossing I grabbed my D700 and 14-24mm lens to grab a wide angle image of what was happening in front of us.

From dusty panic on the right to a successful exit on the left, this image sets the scene.

With this image I tried to show the line upon line of wildebeest that, once the first animal hits the water, plow into the river.

This specific crossing was the only one where we got fantastic, photographically speaking, dust that made for some amazingly dramatic scenes.

When you watch a crossing for a while you will see the the young wildebeest are a lot more gung-ho when they enter the water.

If you can pick one of them out of the herd as they come down to the water you can capture them as they hurl themselves into the Mara river.

This was one of the shots I wanted before  we even got there.  A portrait image of a group of wildebeest coming down the hill and crashing into the river.

Incidentally, I was quite surpassed to see how few of the photographers on our trip shot in portrait mode but after after seeing the difference the orientation can make they shot created some amazing images!  Try it.

Of the images I have worked through so far, this one captures the emotion of a river crossing and one I was hoping to capture.

The tense approach of the animals in the back contrasts with the thundering panic of the ones in the front.

Of the five river crossings we saw, this particular one was the only one where zebra joined in the chaos.

I knew I wanted to get an image of a single zebra in the middle of a herd of wildebeest so when this opportunity presented itself I was all over it!

To complete the story I had to photograph the wildebeest as the made their way out of the river.

The only thing that came to mind when watching this was a colony of ants scurrying away from a predator.  The amount of wildebeest was unreal.

What I was really chuffed about was that after the initial shock and emotion of witnessing a river crossing, most of the photographers on our trip were able to look at the scene, find and then pick of their shots.

Now THAT is what a photographic expedition should be about and something Andrew and I always strive for on our trips.

Witness.

Experience.

Learn.

Photograph.

Share.

Love it!

Like I mentioned, I have not even started looking through most of my images from the trip and look forward to getting stuck into what is also going to be a book project.  I already have a few key images which I will be holding back until then!  Watch this space.

Anyway, I guess the bottom line is that whatever scene you are faced with make sure to they and tell the story.  Speak to your guides, watch the scene, learn from it and then look for the images you want to create!

I already have a few images in mind that I want to capture during our three 2012 photographic expeditions to the Masai Mara.  It is a truly special place and if you are keen to join – bookings are open!

Until next time.

Gerry van der Walt

* * *

Since returning from our photographic expedition to the Masai Mara last week I have been waiting for a moment to sit down and start going through my images.

After a busy week back in Johannesburg that moment has arrived and as I thought – it’s going to take quite a while to work through all of the images.

We were lucky enough to see 5 river crossings which, as you can image, can lead to memory cards being filled rather quickly but there is so much more to the Masai Mara.

The amount of predators and other general game we saw was unbelievable and the scenery in this place is truly breath taking.  Combine all of this with a group of photographers and you have a bunch of very happy people!

Anyway, Andrew and I will be doing a full trip report in a week or so in which we will share images, stories and other info from our Kenyan adventure.

For now, you can check out Andrew’s blog post on our last morning drive which was without a doubt the most spectacular few hours I have ever had in the bush.

I am now going to start sorting through the chaos which is my RAW images and will have a few more images and blog posts ready for next week!

Until next time.

Gerry van der Walt

PS:  My RAW files are in fact quite well labeled and sorted out but sorting out the chaos made for a much better title to this post!

* * *

Is this is a good image?

Nikon D3s, Nikon 200-400mm VRII @ 400mm, 1/640, f/6.3, ISO 320

I would like to think so.

To me this image shows the viewer just a small bit of the chaos that takes place during a river crossing in the Masai Mara.  There are implied diagonal lines, nice contrast and a wildebeest in the bottom left corner that is a focal point in the action packed frame.

On our recent photo expedition to Kenya we were lucky enough to see a lot of river crossings which gave all our photographers a lot of opportunities to try and photograph this truly unique natural phenomenon.

Later this week I will be doing a blog post on what went through my mind as I photographed these dramatic scenes, hopefully giving you some advise when you next head out out into the field, and after the first couple of crossings I was picking the shots I wanted.

Considering the emotional scenes and chaotic nature of the scene I was pleasantly surprised and very chuffed that I could focus, photographically speaking, and get the shots I wanted.

But…

When faced with such a unique natural spectacle, do you have to be a good photographer to capture the scene?

Not necessarily.

You see, a few of the photographers in our group did not have high end equipment and their Kenyan adventure was as much about learning how to become a better photographer as about experiencing one of the last great wildlife occurences on the planet.

And you know what?

Every single one of them walked away with absolutely stunning images!

I would like to think that it is because of the information, guidance and advise Andrew and I were able to provide.  It’s also about the people taking the time to learn, share and grow their own photography with a like-minded group of people but there’s more to it than that.

Our group of photographers were, at the end of the trip looking for images.  Looking for specific scenes.  They moved past being lucky to actually shooting with a goal in mind.

I think that anybody with a camera can get lucky when faced with a great wildlife sighting.

Yeah, anybody.

I have said it before – a good wildlife sighting does not necessarily make for a good wildlife photographic opportunity.

You need to look at the scene, make a decision and then create an image based on a specific goal.

The catch is to repeat it again. And again. And again.

The catch is to start looking for the shots that you want.

Start seeing them.

Waiting for them.

Nikon D700, Nikon 600mm VR, 1/1600, f/4, ISO 200

After watching my first two crossings I knew that the younger wildebeest are much more likely to take a running jump into the river so all I had to do was to keep my eyes open, lock onto a youngster and, knowing that I had my camera settings correct, fire away.

This image was not a result of luck.

So, the goal is to see images in your mind, look for them and then capture them.

Where a lot, and I mean a LOT, of photographers fall flat is to not go out into the field with an idea of the kind of images they want to create.  They just shoot whatever they see, even if it not a great photographic sighting, and then sift through the photographic carnage to find am image they can post online.

Not the way to do it.

Yeah, I know that in this post from a week or so ago I said that you should not go out with preconceived ides when you are heading out with your camera but this is different.

You need to, when faced with a sighting, have an idea of what you want to do with the scene or subject in front of you.

Is it worth photographing?  If so, what is your photographic goal?

Do you just want to have proof that you did in fact see that leopard?  Then use your iPhone.

If you are looking at creating a specific image, based on what you see in front of you, make sure you know what you are hoping to create.  Don’t just shoot for the sake of shooting.

Shoot with a goal in mind.

It could be anything.

A moment of action frozen in time.

An abstract view of nature.

A stunning animal portrait.

Nikon D700, Nikon 200-400mm VRII @ 400mm, 1/800, f/5, ISO 640

If you are photographing wildlife in a haphazard type of way and you simply shoot what nature presents you, whether it is a photographic moment or not, you need to reassess your photographic goals.

I believe that a lot of photographers are scared to do this because it will challenge them to change the way they approach their photography and, like in life, people do not like change.

The truth is that anybody can get lucky and yeah, it is great when that happens but the question you have to ask yourself out in the field is “What kind of photographs do I want to create?”

If you cannot answer that question you need to ask yourself “Why am I doing this?”

In the last week I asked myself both of these questions, in reverse order, and believe me – the moment you can confidently answer those questions your photography will start improving because you photographic vision will be clear.

When you then next look at one of your images you don’t have to wonder, deep down inside, whether you were lucky to get the shot or whether you nailed the image that you wanted – you’ll know.

Until next time.

Gerry van der Walt 

* * *

In five days I am off to the Masai Mara, leading a group of photographers to go and photograph the Great Migration.

Short version?

I’m pretty psyched!!

While preparing for this trip I have been in contact with a lot of the photographers coming along answering questions ranging from choice of equipment to what the weather is going to be.

With any trip you take the weather will play a part but on a photographic expedition it becomes just a little bit more important

Obviously there is nothing we can do about the weather but knowing your gear and being prepared for, well, pretty much anything will play a great part in not only the type of image you will bring home but also expectations being met.

So, the question is this…

When you head out with your camera to do some wildlife photography – what are your expectations?

I gave this some thought and it is actually quite a difficult question to answer.

Do you head out with the idea of getting an image of a specific subject?

A specific scene?

The reality is that in wildlife photography nothing is guaranteed.  Nothing.

So, does this mean you can never head out with the idea of creating strong images?  Hell no!

Know your equipment.

Shoot what you see.

Shoot for yourself.

By doing this you will create images that are uniquely you.

But whatever you do not shoot for other people or what they are going to say about your images.  Do this and you will create images that look just like everybody else’ images.

This image is a perfect example.

When we head out in this particular morning it was so misty that we almost did not even bother going out.  I mean, what kind of images can you possible create in this kind of weather?

Well, apart from a fantastic experience of being able to try different things, both technically and creatively, I ended up with some of my personal favorite image this being one of them.

Just before I started writing this blog post I popped in to a wildlife photography forum where people can post their images.  I have not checked it out for quite some time and you know what I found?

Nothing!

Well, nothing new.  Nothing different.  It’s all the same.

I think the problem is that too many people shoot according to other people’s expectations and the comments they are going to get but gonna leave that topic there for now.

When you head out into the field what are your expectations?

A few days out from hitting the Masai Mara I know what mine are – I plan to photograph my experience.

Too vague?

Maybe not.

By doing this I will not be disappointed, I will have a fantastic time doing it and, who knows, I might just get a few great images in between!

Until next time.

Gerry van der Walt

* * *

On Saturday morning a group of us, all photographers, met up to photograph the sunrise over Johannesburg.

There is no doubt that watching the sun coming up over the city, replacing the city lights, is a beautiful sight.

Easy to photograph?  Not necessarily.

Exposures are tricky, focusing can be a challenge and, for me, the visual content was quite difficult to shoot.

Technically, all genres of photography is pretty munch the same.  You need to check all the details, recheck the details and  make sure that you keep on top of all these settings.

Artistically it is a very different story.

My passion for photography has always been nature and wildlife and having to shoot something that is out of, let’s call it a comfort zone, is quite a challenge.  Shooting a city from a far is a challenge.

That being said, sharing a morning with other photographers and having to think outside of my artistic comfort zone was a great thing and something I plan to do more of.

By looking for lines and shapes it is easy to see images everywhere.

I had a great time photographing the scene as the sun came up over Johannesburg but inevitably my photographic eye kept on going back to the natural elements around us.

You see?  Even in the middle of a city there are amazing, natural images to create.

However, I plan to do a lot more photography outside of my comfort zone as I strongly believe that by doing this you challenge yourself to see things differently.

If you live in or around the Johannesburg area make sure to keep an eye on the blog for info on more of our morning meet ups.  It’s great fun and a very different way of improving your photographic eyel

Until next time.

Gerry van der Walt

* * *

Light can make all the difference!

Yeah yeah I know.  The above statement is stating the obvious but even if you know it, like most of us do, every once in a while nature just proves the point again.

On Monday I was with a private photography client in Madikwe.  As we sat watching a group of ellies approach a small watering hole the clouds, which has been threatening the whole day, closed up and the wind picked up.

Properly.

The combination late afternoon light, red dust and scattered overcast conditions made for the most amazing light I have seen in a long time.

The scene was bathed in the most eerie, orange cast of light which made for very unique images.

Nikon D7000, Nikon 70-200mm VR II, f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 250

The photography was amazing and we had a fantastic time photographing the group of ellies enjoying a quick drink before running for cover from the dust storm.

Nikon D3s, Nikon 200-400mm VR II,  f/4, 1/250, ISO 800

A few minutes later, literally, all the elephants was moving on and the orange light was gone.

Nikon D3s, Nikon 200-400mm VR II, f/4, 1/160, ISO 1600

Being out in the bush with a camera is awesome.

Photographing elephants, just as great.

But… it’s just about the light!

Until next time.

Gerry van der Walt 

* * *

I have said it before – one of the best ways to improve your own photography is to go and shoot with other, like minded photographers.

So, this morning I had the pleasure of heading out with a private client to assist him in taking his photography to the next level.  We spent the entire morning with a pride of 5 lions on a private concession to the east of the Madikwe Game Reserve and we had a fantastic time!

We found the 5 cats just before sunrise and even though a thick bank of clouds came in the way of some golden light, the diffused light gave us a lot to work with.

Challenging a client to up there photographic game is not only rewarding for them but for me as well.

It is just so easy to fall into a rut but having to try and stay two steps ahead of someone keeps you on your feet.  Photography is amazing in that there are so many variables you can play with in order to change your approach and having to think of different approaches to the same subject inevitably leads to knew ideas and new images.

Whether you decide to focus on new and different technical settings or just on the artistic side of things, I strongly believe that anybody willing to take the time to learn and spend time on their photography will improve and grow as a photographer.

Yeah, it’s as simple as that.

So, after a great morning of photographing lions playing, walking and hunting we returned to the lodge with a bunch of great images and many lessons learnt.

There are still quite a bit of clouds around but this afternoon we will head out again to work the sunset in whatever shape or form we get it.  You see, one of the discussions we had was how there are always, always, more options when you are out in the field with your camera.

Clouds, rain or the sun setting is no reason to pack up your gear.  I you know your equipment and you are keen to photograph nature you will find something to photograph.  The options really are endless!

Time to go and play around in Lightroom during our post processing chat and then off on our afternoon photographic excursion!

Will be posting more images during the week but if you are on Twitter you can follow along as we go!

Until next time.

Gerry van der Walt

* * *

I have been traveling the road between Johannesburg and Madikwe for more than six years now.

All in all it is quite a scenic trip and on numerous occasions I have thought to myself ‘Man, that would make a nice photograph’ but I never actually stopped.

Why?

Well, I suppose there was always places to go and people to go and see.  No time to stop and grab the camera.

Yesterday morning I drove the same road and as the sun was coming up.

Sometimes you just have to stop.

Until next time.

Gerry  van der Walt

* * *