Category: Park

04Mar

Pied Kingfisher in flight

Posted in Bird Sanctuaries/Hides, Flora and Fauna, Locations, Park, Portfolio, Print for Sale, Road Trip, THL, Wildlife | 2 Comments

In order to satisfy my penchant for environment images and not just in your face portraits I decided to have a crack at this PKF taking off from his perch. The bird was +/- 30 paces away. There were two other togs seated next to me one with a new Nikon D800 and both with Nikkor 500mm f/4′s and they refused to take this shot as it was “too far away”… A 36MP Full Frame Camera and a R 60,000.00+ “Professional Lens”. Good Grief :) … and here I am with a DX Nikon D7000 16MP DSLR and (admittedly) a very sharp Sigma 100-300mm f/4 (effectively a 150mm-450mm) making it work for me, with some cropping. It’s not as pixel peeping crisp as it might be if I were sitting on the branch :) but it will print nicely and hang on my wall.
At least my image (below) will be unique online :)

Pied Kingfisher in full flight with carp. © Harvey Grohmann 2013 All Rights Reserved

Pied Kingfisher in full flight with carp © Harvey Grohmann 2013 All Rights Reserved

Shot details: Nikon D7000 and Sigma 100-300mm F/4 EX IF HSM @280mm.
ISO-800 | f/8 | 1/5000s | EV -1.7 | Post Processing in part with Topaz Labs.
Bean Bag.

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 etc: BandH
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:
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01Mar

African Olive Pigeon in flight

Posted in Bird Sanctuaries/Hides, Flora and Fauna, Locations, Park, Portfolio, Print for Sale, Road Trip, Wildlife | 2 Comments

Ratlogo Dam, Pilanesberg Nature Reserve, North West, RSA.
He landed on the far bank, drank some water, contemplated life for a few minutes then took off straight over my head. Gotcha! 1st ever BiF of this species in flight for me! Whilst not endangered, they are not as widely seen as the other pigeons and doves but very pretty and spectacular in flight.

African Olive Pidgeon in flight © Harvey Grohmann 2013 All Rights reserved

African Olive Pigeon in flight © Harvey Grohmann 2013 All Rights reserved

Shot details: Nikon D7000 | Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM @300mm
ISO-800 | f/5 | 1/1000s | EV +0.0 | Post Processing in part with Topaz Labs.
Hand Held

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 etc: BandH
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:
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26Jan

BiF – Behemoth in Flight

Posted in General, Humour, Locations, Park, Portfolio, Road Trip, Rural, THL, Wildlife, Workshop | 1 Comment

Further on from a conversation about photographing dangerous game that a friend started with her scary White Lion staredown photo I thought I’d post a pic of a White Rhino in flight. Just make sure you are not also taxiing on the runway ahead of him…
The white rhinoceros is quick and agile and can run 50 km/h (31 mph). Weight in this animal typically ranges from 1,360 to 3,630 kg (3,000 to 8,000 lb). The male, averaging 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) is heavier than the female, at an average of 1,700 kg (3,700 lb).

Yes that’s a 2.3 Tonne Tank airborne…I kinda wished he was looking my way when I got this shot, but in hindsight maybe not! :)

I photographed him in a Nature Reserve in South Africa and was seated in my tin can 4×4 that weighs a little less than him. One minute the two were grazing grass very peacefully and the next second they took off in a major hurry. You have to see it to believe the pace and hear the sound reverberate off their feet. Needless to say I generally stay quite far from them as a precaution.

Contact me for tuition, workshops, photo tours and event photography.

BiF – Behemoth in Flight © Harvey Grohmann All Rights Reserved

Shot details: Nikon D90 and Sigma 100-300mm F/4 EX IF HSM @300mm.
ISO-800 | f/9 | 1/1250s | EV -0.7 | Post Processing in part with Topaz Labs.

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 etc: BandH
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:
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22Jan

African Jacana (Actophilornis africana)

Posted in Bird Sanctuaries/Hides, Flora and Fauna, Locations, Park, Photography 101, Portfolio, Print for Sale, Road Trip, THL, Wildlife, Workshop | 2 Comments

A beautiful African Jacana (Actophilornis africana) who entertained me the entire day however light was dull and I only got a small window of about 10 minutes of sunshine where I patiently got this shot. Sore bums and full bladders in a hide but it can be worth it!

Contact me for tuition, workshops, photo tours and event photography.

KNP, Phabeni, Lake Panic

African Jacana on African Water Lilly with seed pod in beak © Harvey Grohmann 2013 All Rights Reserved

Shot details: Nikon D90 and Sigma 70-200mm F/2.8 EX IF HSM.
ISO-800 | f/5 | 1/1250s | EV -0.0 | Post Processing in part with Topaz Labs.

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 etc: BandH
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:
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16Nov

Inspector Gadget

Posted in eShop, Flora and Fauna, Park, Photography 101, Portfolio, Print for Sale, Road Trip, THL, Wildlife, Workshop | Leave a comment

Just checking out the equipment during breeding season :)

Birds - Austin Roberts Memorial Bird Sanctuary

“Inspector Gadget” © Harvey Grohmann, 2012

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…)