A short video about the experience of watching the wildebeest cross the Mara River as part of the annual wildebeest migration on the Serengeti in Africa.
Category Archives: Africa
Motherly Love
I found this as I was going through my old photos from my trip to Africa. An African elephant mother was nursing her baby as her herd was grazing in Samburu National Reserve.
Amboseli National Park
Visiting Amboseli National Park. Most memorable was all the elephants and the efforts being made to protect them.
Visiting Kenya
A short video introducing my trip to Kenya.
Dust Over Samburu
I am usually not a fan of shooting directly into the sun, especially when there is not any cloud cover that helps shade the harshness of the light. However, sometimes you have to take a chance. It may not always work, but sometimes with persistence you get lucky. Shooting int the dry scrub of Samburu National Reserve in Kenya called for taking that chance.
I wanted to attempt to capture the feeling of the atmosphere and environment that can be found in Samburu. As the wind picked up in the evening dust and sand began to swirl across the landscape. The sun setting behind a hill and the haze created by the sand helped cut the harshness of the light from the sun. It also added a little bit of a natural blurry effect to the picture. Although there was not a cloud in the sky the small windstorm created the perfect conditions to try shooting toward the sun. For my style of shooting the best filters are natural elements.
Looking Beyond the Usual: “Step Lightly”
When traveling it is easy to get caught up by the large things that are easy to see, but try to look for the less noticeable parts to life. The large elements are easy to spot and thus easy to photograph. There is always something beyond what we can easily spot. Whenever I need a wake up call to remind me of that this picture is what I go to.
While I was in Samburu National Reserve in Kenya it was easy to spot the elephants roaming the landscape, but the birds that roamed with them were not always easy to spot. Thus, they never seemed that interesting to photograph. However, I always try to practice what I preach and look beyond the usual. That is when this small cattle egret stood out to me walking around with it’s much larger partner.
We had stopped to watch a herd of elephants tear apart a small tree I noticed an elephant walking by itself on the other side of the jeep. I pointed my camera toward the elephant as it came closer. As it came out of the tall grass I noticed the egret walking in and out from under the elephant’s feet picking up bugs, the egrets live with the elephants and will pick bugs up to eat in the elephant’s wake. Neither seemed concerned with all of the commotion around them. They just went about their business. I got down on the floor of the jeep for a better view and took several shots of the two, but didn’t think anything would come out of my work. However, when I got back to the US and started looking through and sharing my work people were amazed by this picture.
It took me a while to see it, but it is easy to get caught up in how two animals of such different sizes can be so important to one another. The others with me asked where I saw this and when I told them they said they noticed the elephant, but didn’t pay any attention to it. I did and as luck would have it one of my most memorable photographs from Kenya came from watching two animals that were doing what they do naturally. Watch for the small, less noticed things and sometimes they can make the best pictures.
For more information about Pamela visit http://www.wildradiancephotography.com
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Email: wildradiancephoto@gmail.com
“Eyes Into the Soul”: Getting the Shot
I have been lucky to photograph some amazing wildlife over the past several years. This picture comes from what would have to be my most memorable encounter. I actually thought when I was taking this shot that I might be on the lioness’ menu for dinner that evening. When I look at this photograph I cannot get past the thought that she was staring me down from only a few feet away.
This lioness had been spotted near the road and there was a small group of jeeps near her when we pulled up. Our guide maneuvered his vehicle to a good spot in front of her to allow us to get the best possible position for photographs. The lioness laid in the shade for quite a while. I waited for her to move with my camera poised for the shot. What happened next was not completely expected, me being naive.
The lioness got up and walked toward our jeep. I remember Jelly, our guide, tapping me on the knee and telling me to slowly back down and sit if she looked like she was going to get on the jeep. She kept her attention solely on us then hissed at us the way cats do. My heart began to beat faster and my mouth got dry. I had to control the fear that was starting to take over. Keeping my composure I began to back up, keeping in mind to do it slowly so I wouldn’t excite her. Luckily, and uneventfully, some impala got her attention and she headed off to hunt.
This was an amazing experience, but it was also a great lesson. Enjoy.
Pamela Peters
Email Pamela: wildradiancephoto@gmail.com
For more information about Pamela go to http://www.wildradiancephotography.com.
Find her on Facebook at Wild Radiance Photography, llc or on twitter.com/ppeters
