Category: Other sites

23Oct

“Sacred Ibis” published on National Geographic Expeditions

Posted in Bird Sanctuaries/Hides, eShop, Flora and Fauna, Locations, National Geographic, News, Other sites, Portfolio, Print for Sale, Road Trip, Wildlife | 2 Comments

I had been casually posting my wildlife images (mostly bird) online since 2009 when around August 2012 I received correspondance from Dr Steve Boyes from the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology (affectionately known as the Fitztitute and located at the University of Cape Town, South Africa), asking me if I would be interested in submitting my images to his Facebook Group call the Wild Bird Trust. Needless to say I was excited to be invited and to support his efforts of bird awareness with my images.

Today one of those images was chosen and published on National Geographic’s Explorer Edition as Top 25 Wild Bird Photographs of the Week (#1/25)

“Thoth” / Image © Harvey Grohmann 2012

A wading bird of the ibis family, Threskiornithidae, the Sacred Ibis breeds in sub-Saharan Africa, south-eastern Iraq, and formerly in Egypt, where it was venerated and often mummified as a symbol of the god “Thoth”. The African Sacred Ibis occurs in marshy wetlands and mud flats, both inland and on the coast. It will also visit cultivation and rubbish dumps. (Text Wikipedia)

The bird was photographed with back-lighting making the exposure very tricky. I managed to get a lot of detail. The background is water from a wetland and was shot in the wild.

Posted by Dr. Steve Boyes of National Geographic Expeditions in the Explorers Journal on October 22, 2012 here.
Visit his Wild Bird Trust incorporating The Cape Parrot Project aimed at researching and saving this and other endangered species from extinction.

And a screen shot for posterity:

National Geographic Explorers 2012-10-23 Screen Shot

Contact me for tuition, workshop tours as well as event photography!

Gear I use: Bodies: Nikon D-SLR’s / Lenses: Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Vivitar
Filters: Hoya UV & Polarizing / Flash: Nikon Speed-lights / Bag: Lowe Pro
Tripods & Heads: Manfrotto / Grips, Triggers, Timers, Batteries: Phottix
Editing Plug-in: Topaz Labs Noise Reduction, HDR, B&W Conversion & more!

ALL IMAGES ON THIS SITE ARE © Harvey Grohmann. Read more for Terms and Conditions: (more…)

15Apr

On Earth as it is in Heaven

Posted in eShop, Flickr, Flora and Fauna, Hardware, Land/Seascape, Other sites, Print for Sale, Sunrise / Sunset, Ultra Wide Angle | Leave a comment

Buffel’s-Baai (Buffalo-Bay), Goukamma Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa

Pushed the limits on the HDR (ToneMap?) here as an experiment. (It is not my favourite processing style but simply an exercise for me.) The Haloing (created during Post Processing) is more evident on the Medium-High quality (Flickr) JPG than on the full size original (PC). I will have to work on that to reduce or remove the effect when posting to web.
Shot with my Nikon D80 (CCD) which is far richer than the later D90/D300 supposedly more advanced (CMOS) sensors! with my new Tokina AT-X 124 AF PRO DX 12-24mm f/4. and NO filter…
This is the original (2006?) Tokina 12-24mm, with glass made by Hoya (the filter people).
The newer PRO DX II version apparently has less flare and ghosting due to some improved coatings, but I don’t think my PRO DX is as bad as it’s made out to be in some reviews, judging by the above and other results I shot this week.

I took more care with the above processing and whilst perhaps not as impactful as the first, it certainly is more realistic and believable.

Gear I use: Bodies: Nikon D-SLR’s / Lenses: Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Vivitar /
Filters: Hoya UV & Polarizing / Flash: Nikon Speed-lights / Bag: Lowe Pro /
Tripods & Heads: Manfrotto / Grips and Batteries: Phottix
Editing Plug-in: Topaz Labs for Noise Reduction, HDR.

11Jan

Gymnogene – Montecasino Bird Garden

Posted in eShop, Flickr, Other sites, Portfolio, Print for Sale, Wildlife | Leave a comment

I do the odd tour and assist budding bird photographers shoot at MBG. Join the group on Flickr if you have any images you want to share. This shot was taken with a 1997 Sigma 170-500mm APO f/5-6.3 on a very overcast day with the light changing constantly. A great lens for those with a small budget. Can be bought 2nd hand (locally) for most mounts under $700-00 if you know where to look :)

The newer Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO can be bought for around $1000-00 new (excluding shipping and taxes from USA to RSA). The local retail brick and mortar price is about $1870-00! (ZAR 12,600-00)

Gymnogene - (Polyboroides typus)

Gymnogene – (Polyboroides typus) (c) HarveyG Photography

Gear I use: Bodies: Nikon D-SLR’s / Lenses: Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Vivitar /
Filters: Hoya UV & Polarizing / Flash: Nikon Speed-lights / Bag: Lowe Pro /
Tripods & Heads: Manfrotto / Grips and Batteries: Phottix
Editing Plug-in: Topaz Labs for Noise Reduction, HDR.

04Aug

Purple Roller – Coracias naevius

Posted in eShop, Flickr, Other sites, Print for Sale, Road Trip, Wildlife | Leave a comment

Those people who zoom drive past a bird in a tree in a park (like the KNP) don’t know what they are missing. Sure Rollers are relatively common, like the Lilac-breasted Roller, that is. This Roller is different. It’s the first time I’ve seen a Purple Roller. I parked the car at an angle so that I could get comfortable with the cameras, idled for 30 seconds, switched off the engine after he got accustomed to us/the car. He took off after a few minutes and caught himself lunch. He then returned to the same spot and gave us a wonderful display. Next time you see a bird in the KNP, hang around a bit…

Shot with a Sigma 170-500mm f/5-6.3 APO Aspherical for Nikon

Purple Roller - Coracias naevius

Purple Roller – Coracias naevius (c) HarveyG Photography 2010

Click about/contact if you wish to order a print. Thanks!

02Aug

Wooly-necked Stork – Ciconia episcopus

Posted in eShop, Flickr, Other sites, Portfolio, Print for Sale, Road Trip, Wildlife | 2 Comments

I am a Wildlife Photographer. I prefer it. It’s a passion.

Perhaps I don’t get out as much as NG photog’s but hey, I do what I can when I can. This stork was spotted by my wife at 100° behind the car and high up in a tree in the KNP after we had driven past it unnoticed. She is an excellent spotter. Just as I managed to turn around and get the car parked in a suitable spot, he took off. I watched him and he circled, and came back to land a short while later on the same branch offering me a better view. There must have been 1/2 dozen other cars that just drove past, seeing a “bird” and not interested, their loss :)

Wooly-necks aren’t very common. It’s my first sighting of one in almost 30 years of visiting the KNP.

Shot with a Sigma 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 APO Macro for Nikon

Wooly-necked Stork - Ciconia episcopus

Wooly-necked Stork – Ciconia episcopus (c) HarveyG Photography 2010

Click about/contact if you wish to order a print. Thanks!