Zebra Under Stormy Sky
When you get a dramatic sky in Kenya, it doesn’t take long to find a zebra to walk under it. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/640th of a second.
Sharp-Nosed Toad
Sharp-nosed toads are tiny little amphibians. They live in the leaf litter scattered across the Amazon. I tried to get down into their world for this environmental portrait. Photographed last year in the northern Amazon basin of Peru. Nikon D850 with Laowa Venus 15mm wide-angle macro lens, ISO 800, f/4 at 1/125th of a second, Godox V860iii flash with Westcott soft box.
Giraffe and Masai Village
A Masai giraffe rises above the tree line while life is in full swing in the Masai village in the background. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/640th of a second.
Ostrich (Back of the Head)
A few interesting facts about the eye of the ostrich: their eyes are bigger than their brains, their eyes are the largest of any land animal, their eyes are on the sides of the heads, they have great vision despite the fact their eyes can’t move around in their eye sockets. And as this photo illustrates, their eyes are visible even if they are looking in the complete opposite direction. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 140, f/5.6 at 1/640th of a second.
Wild Turkeys
Saw these two ladies strolling along the side of the road recently. Seemed an appropriate post for today (well, technically tomorrow). Have a great holiday everyone and see you back here next week. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 6400, f/5.6 at 1/500th of a second.
Common Garter Snake
I photographed this garter snake in my backyard a few summers ago. The snake had just swallowed a toad and was moving very slowly, allowing me a close approach with my macro lens. Snakes use their forked tongues to collect chemical information from two different locations at once. This helps with navigation — in sort of a 3D kind of way — when looking for food, a mate and whatever else snakes are into these days. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 105mm macro lens, ISO 800, f/7.1 at 1/640th of a second.
Lion Surveying His Realm
This was our first lion encounter in the Masai Mara on our recent trip. We got close up and I took many frame-filling photos, but I liked this approach shot where I was able to use the environment to frame the lion as he sat atop a small hill. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm lens, ISO 5600, f/5.6 at 1/500th of a second.
Great Grey Owl
It’s that time of year again when great grey owls start getting active in northern Minnesota. I’ve visited the last few years and am thinking about another trip out soon. This was taken in December of 2021 after the tamarack trees had turned a bright orange. Great greys become most active at dawn and dusk, hunting in clearings in the northern forests. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/1600 of a second.
Parson’s Chameleon
I met this Parson’s chameleon at what was billed as a “reptile farm” while traveling through central Madagascar. It allowed me to get some macro shots of these colorful creatures I’d been seeing on night walks in the forest. Back then I was using a close-up filter screwed to the end of my 80-200mm lens. It worked well in a pinch when not carrying a dedicated macro lens. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm with Canon 500D close up filter attached) ISO 100, f/6.3 at 1/8th of a second.
Standing Gerenuk
One of the specialties of Samburu National Reserve in the north of Kenya is the gerenuk. They are always fun to see, especially when they rear back on those hind legs to get at higher vegetation. They are sometimes called giraffe-necked antelopes, and you can see why. I thought this female looked like she was playing the flute. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 360, f/5.6 at 1/1250th of a second.