Scars –untold stories of hardship and aggression but also of a brotherhood and support. New lions to the area with an unknown history. Lens 500mm Nikkor , ISO 800, Aperture f4.0, Shutter Speed 1/2500sec.
Ears – hearing is the link between the unknown and the seen. When vision is cast elsewhere gaps can be filled by the airwaves. Lens 500mm NIkkor, ISO 1000, Aperture f4.0, Shutter Speed 1/1000sec.
Hunger – a drawn in stomach indicates the need for a meal. Starvation or life.Motivation does not come in more potent forms. Lens 500mm, ISO 800, Aperture f5.0, Shutter Speed 1/1000sec.
Contact – physical touching rarely seen in a solitary species. Lens 300mm Nikkor, ISO200 , Aperture f2.8, Shutter Speed 1/1600sec.
Reflection – mirroring or showing an image; a thought taking place in consideration or meditation. Are they capable of the latter? Lens 500mm Nikkor, ISO800 , Aperture f4.0, Shutter Speed 1/400sec.
Camouflage – the act, means, or result of obscuring things to deceive. No longer necessary after years of gained trust. Lens 500mm Nikkor, ISO 1000, Aperture f4.0, Shutter Speed 1/160.
Ripple –a small wave or series of waves on the surface of water. Not necessarily restricted to water and waves but actions of life. Lens 500mm Nikkor, ISO 400, Aperture f4.0, Shutter Speed 1/2000sec.
Movement – an act of changing physical location. These changes are a daily occurrence but the shift of territory is on much slower scale. Lens 500mm Nikkor, ISO 500, Aperture f5.0, Shutter Speed 1/2000sec.
Teeth – shapes and sizes differ but the function remains the same. Lens 200-400mm Nikkor, ISO 1250, Aperture f4.0, Shutter Speed 1/320sec.
Whiskers – an addition to the sense of touch, a 6th sense if you will. A guide when all other senses are momentarily insignificant. Lens 300mm Nikkor, ISO 800, Aperture f8.0, Shutter Speed 1/800sec.
Focus – the state or quality of having clear visual definition. The clarity of which could mean the difference between a meal or an empty stomach. Lens 300mm Nikkor, ISO 800, Aperture f2.8, Shutter Speed 1/640sec.
The focus of this post was on the photos so I thought I would let them have their say before I had mine. A brief connection that we hold onto for as long as possible and once it’s gone find ourselves chasing it again. The selection of images above are some of those moments, many I have not been able to capture. I feel that photographing wildlife cannot be forced and the moments, particularly the great ones, are opportunities where for a short time everything comes together. Such moments can’t be setup; they can only be captured if the time is right.
The bulk of the images above are all shot with longer lenses. I love being able to use long lenses to create a sense of intimacy. I also enjoy shooting with a very low aperture and a shallow depth of field to really focus attention for my intended subject within my subject.
I hope you enjoyed my small collection. Which one did you enjoy the most?
Written and photographed by Simon Smit, Londolozi ranger
Rich Laburn is filmmaker, photographer and writer who is based at Londolozi Game Reserve in South Africa. Spending his time capturing scenes of the wild and communicating the beauty of the African bushveld, he runs the Londolozi Blog as a way to entertain and engage people wishing to visit these wild lands.
