Hwange's Pink Elephants...

Their thirst was obvious by the way their gait changed into a frantic run as the herd neared Nyamandhlovu pan in #Hwange national park. This is not unusual in the dry month of September as thousands of animals rely on the life giving water pumped into pans throughout the park.

Chris was lucky enough to participate in the Wildlife and Environment Zimbabwe annual game count in Hwange National Park this September. Every year since 1972 hundreds of volunteers converge on the park and are assigned to watch a specific water hole for 24 hours and count everything they see. Its hot, you are confined to your car, its tiring, but the rewards are worth the effort, both for the experiences gleaned by the counters as well as the wealth of information that is recorded for the Parks' authorities.

The Hwange game count is the longest continual game census in Southern Africa and because of this, trends in animal numbers can be extrapolated and studied. As with most large scale surveys its not 100% accurate but generally very consistent, however it gets quite tricky to definitely say how many elephants there are in the park. Some estimates put the population between 30-35 000 while the figures from the 2014 game count results suggest around 23 000.

The count wouldn't be possible without the massive efforts of WEZ Matabeleland who organises the count as well as Friends of Hwange Trust.

Shot at Nyamadhlovu Pan, Hwange National Park, Nikon D610 with Nikkor 70-200 F2.8 ISO 640 1/160 @ F4.5

Inspiration in the Darkness...

The shrill chant of children's voices echoes starkly in the fridge like classroom, the maps and colorful drawings plastered on the rooms’ walls are barely visible in the darkness. With barely enough light to see their material, 3 groups of children huddle around cheap, dim solar lanterns reciting mock test answers in preparation for their upcoming grade 7 exams.

Swathed in warm clothes and a beanie to ward off the bone chilling cold is the leader of this inspiring scene, Fuyana Tshatiwa, grade 7 teacher at Ngamo Primary School near Hwange’s National Park’s southern boundary. Entirely of her own accord and at her cost Fuyana is coaching 14 members of the grade 7 class every evening for several hours. The bitterly cold nights, worsened by the unheated concrete classroom and the lack of decent lighting are no deterrent to this inspiring teacher, who has already had a full day’s work at the school.

Tonight, as she inspires me and the few visitors who are with me in the classroom she is more upbeat than ever, buoyed on by the fact that the school has just received a donation of a 5Kva diesel generator, which brings the promise of decent lighting and thus easier learning.

The generator was donated by a selfless visitor inspired by the amazing work the teachers are doing at Ngamo Primary School, crucially, this visitor was a tourist on holiday in Hwange National park with Imvelo Safari Lodges and had visited the school as part of a community activity. With the support generated by tourism operations like Imvelo and Wilderness Safaris the Ngamo community have stepped up to the plate and are thriving, all thanks to tourism dollars.

For me personally this visit was an amazingly inspirational experience and a reminder that despite the current doom and gloom attitude in Zimbabwe everyday people continue to do amazing things in their communities. Fuyana braves the cold and the dark not because it benefits her but because she is selflessly committed to the enrichment and development of her grade 7 students, something we should all take note of.

As a photojournalist I am privileged to often find myself witnessing inspiring people doing amazing things, but will shamefully admit that I do not know whats going on in my own community back at home. Like Fuyana, I am sure there are selfless people doing inspirational things just round the corner from where I live, so I am going to find out and support them however I can, after all, isn't that how thriving communities are built?

Fish Eagles are Bullies...

Last year Chris spent a few days exploring the advantages of an "armchair safari" at African Bush Camps Kanga Pan Lodge for an article for British Airways' Highlife Magazine. Published in the March edition, you can read the full story below...

Chris watched this feathered bully harass the patient Grey Heron for 3 full days.

Fish eagles are bullies. They wait atop a tall tree near the waterhole I am observing, ominously watching as a grey heron painstakingly inched closer to its unsuspecting prey. When the Heron has found the right spot, it stands motionless for an age until one of the surprisingly numerous catfish in the small waterhole swims within reach of its poised head, neck taught in readiness for a fast strike into the water. 

Only about 1 in every 10 attempts I observed was successful and when the heron finally managed a catch, it had the arduous task of turning the wriggly catfish around so it could swallow it head first, to avoid the catfish’s lethal dorsal barbs jamming in its throat. It was during the heron’s prolonged attempt to turn the catfish headfirst that the ‘waterhole mafia’ swooped in silently, bearing sharp talons aimed at its victims head. 

Inevitably the poor heron dropped its hard-won bounty while making a valiantly noisy but fruitless attempt to ward off the fish-thief as the fish eagle flapped nonchalantly off to its high branch to feast on its spoils. The seemingly crestfallen grey heron watched forlornly for a while, then seemed to shrug it off and continue its patient stalking routine and the whole drama would repeat itself.

I was watching this wilderness drama live from the deck of Kanga Camp in Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park. Built astride Kanga Pan, the camp’s deck is only meters from the only source of water in the area, which in the dry season means it is a veritable hotspot of animal activity. Unique to Mana Pools, Kanga Camp is situated 15 kilometers inland from the Zambezi River on it own private concession, affording you exclusivity and intimacy with your surroundings. 

Expertly positioned to afford the best view of the action from the lower deck sits a deep, sturdy, invitingly pillowed whicker lounge suite. Bedecked with enough fluffy cushion to be envelopingly comfortable and spacious enough to accommodate me, several others and my vast array of camera equipment. The couch will serve as my observation post for the next few days, my throne of decadence if you would.

From my throne I was privy to all the comings and goings at the waterhole, and they were numerous and frequent. As I arrived in the camp, my luggage hadn't even touched the ground when I had my binoculars firmly planted on my face, observing 8 different species of raptors either drinking at the pan or hunting among the thick foliage of the towering African Ebony (Diospyros mespiliformis) and Nyala Berry (Xanthocercis zambesiaca) trees that provide thick shade to the camp’s public areas throughout the day. Once I was done ogling the birds of prey I turned my attention to the bustling waterhole, full swing into the mid-morning rush hundreds of green spotted, african mourning and cape turtle doves were noisily flapping down to the waters edge, often spooking the notoriously shy family of kudu. 

Taking no heed of the raucous birdlife was a pair of grumpy looking ‘daga boys’ - old buffalo bulls who have taken retirement from the larger herds in their advanced age and find solace in each others cantankerous company. A troop of 50 plus baboons complete the bustling scene with their inherent human like poses and expressions, adding a chaotic sense of humour to the otherwise peacefully industrious scene.

I settled down into my feathered throne to watch the myriad of fascinating encounters unfolding in front of me, just in time to observe a thirsty herd of elephants run the last 100 meters of dry, dusty plain to the waters edge, so grateful for the quenching coolth of the water that they visibly couldn't decide whether to drink deep or drench themselves from head to wrinkly toe.

I reveled for most of the morning in the diversity of bird and animal life congregating around the pan, until a polite call for brunch stirred me into action and I used musclesfor the first time in several hours to haul myself over to the delicious looking meal. Eating was no easy task though, as soon as I looked down to decide what tasty morsel to devour next there was some commotion from the waterhole, a juvenile African goshawk catching a green spotted dove or a large bull elephant noisily drinking from the borehole output just meters from where I sat. 

Brunch, delicious as it was, totally exhausted me and I was thankful to avoid the scorching midday hours in the sanctuary of my luxuriously appointed room. Even from the cool comfort of my bed I could keep half an eye on the action at the pan, all the rooms at Kanga Camp have their own unique view of the waterhole.

Back on my throne in the late afternoon, the manic activity of the morning seemed to have cooled along with the temperature and I was able to watch more intimate moments a bit more closely. A mother Zebra nuzzling its nervous young foal towards the water and a pair of saddle billed storks repeatedly probing the shallows. The subtle sounds of the bush enveloped me and all seemed well and at peace with the earth as it slowly turned a glowing orange then red as the sun slid rapidly towards the horizon. As I lazily contemplated the many salubrious advantages of my “Armchair Safari” I was jolted into action and a hasty grab for my camera by the sudden arrival of a pack of 11 Wild Dog and their 7 pups, eager for a drink they unknowingly provided the coup-d’etate to my day of quiet observance. 

Kanga Camp offers one of the best “Armchair Safari” experiences you are likely to find and should be on anyone’s list of things to do when visiting Mana Pools. The lush environment of Kanga Camp and laid back but fruitful wildlife watching provides the perfect way to ease into bush life, especially if you are hot off a long international flight and several bumpy domestic ones. Mana Pools offers some of the most diverse landscapes and unique game watching opportunities in Zimbabwe, so it would be wise not to halt your journey at Kanga Camp. African Bush Camps, who own and run Kanga also operate a mobile tented safari operation, Zambezi Life Styles, that will afford you the opportunity to see the Mana Pools floodplain in all its glory and in luxurious style. For more information contact African Bush Camps on info@africanbushcamps.com and see their website www.africanbushcamps.com

Shoot Wide to See More...

Most, if not all, wildlife photographers have gorilla sized forearms from wielding some of the longest lenses money can buy. They are also not shy to wield the beastly lenses in the direction of any animal, bird or insect that has the misfortune to wander into view. Its no surprise that I fit into that bracket and unashamedly utilize the large magnification you get from long lenses.

Other then the associated cardio workout that you get from wielding such lenses, you are also able to get really close to your subject matter without having to sit on top of them. This is an advantage that we should not scoff at as most wildlife photographers are keen conservationists and have the comfort of and respect for their subjects in the fore of their consciousness. The only drawback from wielding such magnification is that it can become quite addictive and when the action heats up there is little regard for thinking or doing anything else.

Again, I am one of those that gets distracted by the 'pink mist; when the action starts and have only recently been able to consciously drag myself away from the long glass and approach animal, action and behavior using shorter lenses that afford a wider view of my subjects. Again, most pro wildlife photographers will have a shorter zoom or prime, such as the excellent 70-210 range, for exactly that reason, the wider you shoot the more you see and seeing the whole picture is as important as seeing the tick that hangs off your subjects eyelash.

So next time you are bashing away with your long glass, stop, think and pick up a shorter telephoto and try and capture the animal, or animals, in their environment.

Why: Despite the temptation to use his longest lens Chris used a shorter focal length to enable him to capture the whole herd of Buffalo as well as the huge cloud of dust that picked up the subtle pink hues of dawn. Using a longer lens would have drastically reduced the angle of vision and thus how much of the scene Chris could have captured.
How: Nikon D610 and Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 @ 200mm ISO 800 1/500th second @f6.3
Where: Hwange National Park

Would you like to learn more about photographic techniques and how to take great pictures? Join Chris on a Photographic Safari Workshop in some on Southern Africa's most stunning wild areas.

Don't Create Wallpaper...

Everyone loves a sunset, especially one of those breathtaking, ‘OMG those are colors I have never seen’, kind of sunsets. I'm sure all of us, professional, amateur or learner photographers have captured a million such sunsets, and I'm sure we have all photographed them in the same manic, run-around, wild eyed, the "lights about to disappear" manner. After your nine-millionth sunset you will hopefully have control of the wild-eyed demon that emerges at sundown and will start to think critically about what you are doing.

Take this picture for example, its not even a sunset, rather a sunrise and something that most people not blessed with the crazy urge to rise before the sun often miss out on. Given a bit of cloudy weather to pick up the rays of the rising sun and the colors that they produce you can capture some stunning images, once you have tamed the wild - eyed panic beast.

And so to get to the point, an old University professor used to regard sunrises and sunsets with marginal interest and with almost gleeful disdain referred to them as "wallpaper". Beautiful colors yes but nothing of much interest. It took me quite a few years of frantic running around at sunset and sunrise to realise what he was on about.

You need something of interest, even if its subtle, to bring the organza of colors into perspective, to give them root in the place and scene you are photographing. In short you still need a subject matter even if you are photographing colors never seen by another human eye before.

So when you are next in the heat of the moment, take some time to slow down, pull yourself towards yourself and look for a subject matter to give some sense, place or scale to those amazing colors.

Where: Little Samavhundla pan, Hwange National Park.
How: Sunrise, HDR composite of 3 different exposures, calmness and attention to subject matter!
Tech specs: Nikon D610 with Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 @ 80mm ISO 800 F8 1st exposure 1/80th sec, 2nd exposure 1/20th sec, third exposure 1/250th sec.

Would you like to learn more about photographic techniques and how to take great pictures? Join Chris on a Photographic Safari Workshop in some on Southern Africa's most stunning wild areas.

Streaky Star Trails...

As you can see from this photo you can create a lot of drama once the sun has gone down, and with the right equipment and a little bit of know-how its not as difficult as you may be imagining. What you are seeing is effectively a 3 hour exposure that has captured the movement of the stars as the Earth spins around it southern axis. However, for some reason or other, modern digital cameras just don't like very long exposures (hours not minutes) so we use another nifty menu option in the camera called the intervalometer timer. This basically allows us to tell the camera to take a picture every x number of minutes or hours for a certain period of time. This means that instead of doing a very long exposure we can lots of shorter ones and then stack them together in photoshop to create the same streaky or 'trail' effect.

In order for the stacking to be effective each picture needs to be exactly the same and as you are shooting a 30 second exposure it would make sense that a stable tripod is required for a successful star trail. As dramatic as the stars are on their own you will also need some form of foreground to tie the whole picture together and create a pleasing composition. The fantastic and prolific Albida trees on the Mana Pools floodplain provided the perfect foreground for this particular shot. So to the technicalities of shooting. Once you have found your foreground you need to point your camera just left of South, this will ensure you get the circle as appose to just streaks across the sky, and set your cameras ISO to 6400. Ideally you need to shoot with your widest lens as well as your fastest aperture (F2.8 is ideal) and set your focus on manual and then on infinity on the lens focus ring. Make sure you horizon is straight as you don't want to have to crop hundreds of pictures!

Once you are satisfied you have set up everything then find your cameras' intervalometer or interval timer shooting in the case of Nikon and see it to take 1 picture every 30 seconds for 2-3 hours. Be sure to shoot in RAW you you can tinker with the light balance afterwards and ensure that there is minimal ambient light (torches, camp lights etc) falling on your foreground. And also watch out, creating star trails can get addictive!

A Personal Hwange Serenade...

Being a lover of the bush its easy to appreciate the small things when on a game drive, especially when they put on what seems like a performance just for you! On a recent trip to Hwange National Park in the wet season we drove around the corner to see this little Red Billed Spurfowl taking in the afternoon sun on a dead tree right next to the road. Immediately cutting the engine we rolled slowly to a stop right opposite the bird. With my heart in my mouth and fully anticipating the little guy to flap off we waited for a few minutes in complete silence. Red seemed to be taking it all in his stride and after surveying us for a few minutes went back to his usual routine, which happened to be his late afternoon bath.

After much vigorous preening and grooming he ended the pamper session with, literally, a little song and dance! Shuffling up and down the dead branch he crooned, sqwuaked and sang all to our utter astonishment and wide eyed enjoyment. After just the rich amount of time and feeling as if he had obviously entertained us enough he threw back his head for on last trill and flapped off into the setting sun. It has been one of the most enjoyable bush experienced I have had in a long time, being serenaded as the hot African sun goes down!

Chris frequently travels to Southern and east Africa's best wildlife destinations leading Photographic Safari Workshops, why not join him in Hwange in October 2014

The Sound of Africa's Rivers...

A trip to any of Africa’s large waterways wouldn't be the same without the iconic sounds of honking, snorting, laughing, wheezing, spraying, splashing, roaring and general cavorting that Hippo’s tend to punctuate the atmosphere with. An African sunset wouldn't be the same without the accompanying vocal acrobatics but in addition to the audio satisfaction it may provide its onlookers the seemingly random bursts of sounds are vitally important in the Hippo community.

Due to their amorphous build, nocturnal activity and tendency to spend most of the day submerged in water communication plays a vital role in any Hippo community. The amazing variations of sound are made from the exhaled breath of a surfacing Hippo, can resonate for many kilometers and can communicate anger, threat, alarm and general communication between family members “honey I’m over here-here-here-here-here” as most if us would like to imagine!

Where: On a Photo Safari at Rhino Safari Camp on Lake Kariba in the Matusadona National Park.

How: Nikon D3 and Nikkor 500mm f4 VR ED. ISO 640 Aperture f7.1 @ 1/500th of a second. Shooting into the sun can be tricky so its best to try and avoid blowout in the highlights. To do this you must make sure you do not overexpose the scene and so meter for the highlights i.e the brighter part of the image. This however ushers in a new problem in that you do not want to loose detail in the darker areas of the picture! Such is the tricky life of a photographer!

Why not learn more about metering and join us on a photographic safari to one of our stunning wildlife destinations!