Guest Post: ‘Black and White. Why?’ by Grant Marcus
Taking pictures or converting images into monochrome is as popular now as it has ever been. With colour film and the modern digital technology that are available today monochrome for me still brings out the magical reality of a specific scene. It brings out the mood and atmosphere of certain scenes. The way I convert [...]
Compare. Compete. Critique.
Comparing, competition and critique. Are they important?
I think so but there is a line where any of the above can cross over to a ridiculous obsession. Yes, you need to compare your images with other photographers. Yes, you need to have enough confidence in your own work to enter competitions, whatever the outcome. Yes, you [...]
Daily Photo: Baby Jackal
Baby Jackal
Madikwe Game Reserve
(Nikon D300, Nikon 80-200 @200mm, 1/200, f/2.8, ISO 320)
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A week ago we found this little youngster in the middle of a large open clearing. Initially quite relaxed and sleeping in the grass, the young jackal suddenly got up and proceeded to stare very nervously in one direction. Even after a few minutes, [...]
Daily Photo: Buffalo in Light
Buffalo in Light
Madikwe Game Reserve
(Nikon D300, Nikon 18-105VR @ 100mm, 1/100, f/5.0, ISO 200)
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To many people they might look and act like cattle, but Buffalo is one of the most quintessentially African animals. For me they are also one of the more difficult of the larger mammals to photograph. Don’t know why. Just is. [...]
Book: A Shadow Falls
If there has ever been a perfect merger of wildlife photography and fine art this is it.
There is a reason that Nick Brandt’s first book, On This Earth: Photographs from East Africa is one of the most popular photography books of the decade. The moment you open A Shadow Falls you will understand why. Words [...]
Daily Photo: Lioness
Lioness
Madikwe Game Reserve
(Nikon D300, Sigma 50-500 @ 300, 1/400, f/6.3, ISO 200)
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Photographed this lioness a few weeks ago as she was lazing around a waterhole. Processed in Lightroom, the split tone gave it the feel I wanted. Clean and simple.
More soon.
Gerry
Daily Photo: Rhino Close Up
Rhino Close Up
Madikwe Game Reserve
(Nikon D300, Sigma 50-500 @ 300mm, 1/400, f/8.0, ISO 640)
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Shot this image a few months ago but recently found it and included in a magazine article I wrote on black and white wildlife photography. Rhino and elephant are made to be photographed in black and white as the texture on the [...]
Seeing in Black & White
Colour in photography is something that can make or break an image.
It is when you start looking past all the colour that you can open up a whole new world. A world of textures, lines and shapes. A world where you have to focus, and rely on the contrast and tonality of your images to [...]
Black & White – The Zone System
(Nikon D300, Sigma 50-500 @ 195mm, 1/640, f/8.0, ISO 250)
We all know when we like am image.
It has to do with the composition, subject, our mood on the day and a myriad of other variables. One of those, and probably one of the more important ones, include exposure and levels of light and dark in the image. I am currently working [...]
