HarveyG

Every time I shoot my brain is in overdrive. A bad thing probably because it should be in auto, not manual. Exactly the opposite of how I shoot. I never use the little green (AA-Amateur) Auto button on my DSLR. It’s either on [A]perture or [S]hutter Priority (yes, I suppose that’s semi-auto) and sometimes on [M]anual especially if I use that Vivitar 500mm f/6.3 Series 1 mirror of mine. I still often manual focus, a legacy of 25+ years using Manual Focus Minolta 35mm SLR’s.

The sun had set when I spied this little Natal Francolin (now called a Spurwing…) hop onto a rock about 10m away, I grabbed the D90 and clicked it onto my 190XPROB using the QRP, zoomed to 500mm, and checked the s/s. It was dark already. 1/30s! Perfect for that blurred motion shot, wait, wait, there’s the typical feather ruffle, shoot! I only got one shot of him ruffling, and this was it. NGM here I come ETA: This shot flies in the face of so many who abhor motion blur in wildlife shots. Not everything has to be pin sharp with catch-lights in the eyes. Nature doesn’t pitch up to a studio with hair made, a make-up artist on call and a lighting technician with all the gear!

Shot with a (1997) Sigma 170-500mm f/5-6.3 APO AF-D Aspherical for Nikon.

"Brrrr!" - Natal Spurfowl - Pternistus natalensis (c) HarveyG Photography 2010

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(ETA 22 04 2011: For years I read my Father’s monthly Nat Geo magazine that arrived in the mail and it had a profound (subliminal?) effect on my photography (especially wildlife). I found this sub-page regarding Motion Blur Photography on their web site today.

Just got back from a week in the KNP. via Louis Trichardt, Punda Maria, Pafuri, Crooks Corner (where South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe meet at the joining of the Limpopo and Luvuvhu rivers) , Shingwidzi, Mopani, Phalaborwa. It was awesome. Never saw so many Nyala in my life. Cats and Rhino’s were elusive but saw most everything else. Also some new bird species I’ve never seen before: Woolly necked stork, Purple Roller. My first ever Eland, Tsessebe and Black Backed Jackal in the KNP. Here’s a shot of Pioneer Dam, Mopani Camp at sunset. I will add more as soon as I can.

Shot with a Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 EX DG for Nikon.

Pioneer Dam - Mopani Camp, Kruger National Park (c) HarveyG Photography 2010

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Just got back from a shoot in the KNP. I stayed at the Sand River Bush Camp run by the Lowveld Honorary Rangers. I will do a trip report sometime about this magnificent secluded camp. Here is one of the images I took at the end of that trip at the Lake Panic Bird Hide on the way out of the park with my completely manual Vivitar 500mm f/6.3 Series 1 Mirror Lens. (Read my lens review here). If you want to join me on a photo tour to this camp, please contact me here.

African Darter (Anhinga rufa) - "High and Dry" © HarveyG Photography 2010

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Latest entry over at DailyAwards. Doubt it will do well but I like it and I like these cheeky blighters. Shot with a Sigma 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 APO Macro for Nikon.

Cape Glossy Starling - Lamprotornis nitens © by HarveyG Photography

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Subtle Africa - © HarveyG Photography

I took this photo in the Kruger National Park (KNP) on the way out after a week of shooting.

It had intentional dead space between the moon and silhouette barren winter trees that I hoped let the viewer wander from top to bottom experiencing the magical dusty African sky gradations at that time of year. Those colours are accurate and un-enhanced. It is by no means a definitive or formulae sunset shot, with glowing sun, reflections on water, birds in the sky across the sun etc. This is the kind of thing you see almost every winter in Africa, if the sky is cloudless. Shot with a Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 35-70mm f/3.3-4.5

I’m selling various print sizes of this image, or framed canvas for your home, office, pub, boardroom, shop, restaurant, or it can be licensed for print/advertising. Click about/contact if you wish to order a print. Thanks!

A slightly enlarged version of my latest entry into the Daily Awards Macro Challenge. Click on the image to follow voting.

I’m selling various print sizes of this image, or framed canvas for your home, office, pub, boardroom, shop, restaurant, or it can be licensed for print/advertising. Please click on about/contact here or above and I’ll gladly send you pricing/terms. Thanks!

A Rock Dropwing - Trithemis kirbyi ardens, photographed on granite at the Pretoriuskop natural rock Swimming 'Bath', Kruger National Park, South Africa. Camera: Nikon D90 | Lens: Sigma 180mm f/3.5 EX APO Macro IF HSM for Nikon | Shot Settings: @180mm, ISO 200, 1/640s, f/8