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GERALDO ALLAIS
Canon EOS 77D
Canon EF 100 – 400 mm lens
GERALDO WRITES: We went to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in September 2019. Near the Craig Lockhart waterhole, we saw this lioness staring down the giraffe. In a flash, she started chasing it!
The chase fizzled out almost as quickly. The lioness gave up. After a while, a male lion approached.
He met up with the lioness and the two of them lay around while the giraffe moved on.
TOAST SAYS: I know what it feels like to cruise around the Kgalagadi for a whole day hoping to see one of its legendary lions. But life’s not perfect, and most days you have to settle for regal-looking gemsbok or a jaunty springbok.
But… this is incredible! It’s a scene we all dream of witnessing, never mind photographing. Right time, right place, sure, but Geraldo still had to get the shot. (He got a couple.) His shutter speed of 1/400 second was a little touch-and-go, but he managed to freeze the action sufficiently. The composition is good – you’re not thinking rule of thirds at this stage of the f(l)ight, you just want your subjects centre of frame for ease of focusing. There’s also the delicate, early morning desert light, which helps to create a sense of depth in the background – in conjunction with the equally delicate shadows, of course. And if you’re a Take Your Pic regular, you’ll know that we love a puff of dust underfoot. Geraldo scores extra points for that.
But what really makes this photo the winner this month, is the fact that I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve seen a giraffe with its ears pinned back! It must have been trying to wikkel!
FRANCO SWART
IG: @francoswart_ Huawei Mate 20 Pro
TOAST SAYS: Franco, from Bloemfontein, took this photo while on a tour of Botswana. He was at Elephant Sands Lodge north of Nata, where the waterhole is full throughout the year. That means elephants will come from far and wide (even from neighbouring Zimbabwe) to drink. You have a really good chance of getting a great photo.
Franco took this photo with his cellphone! A modern cellphone is miraculous: It’s a computer, camera and phone rolled into one, not to mention all the other apps that make your trips easier and more interesting. You don’t even have to pack your guidebooks any more, just download a bird or tree app, and you’ll have David Attenborough’s knowledge in your pocket.
The combination of natural light (the sunset colours) and the white glow of the spotlight next to the waterhole makes the elephant look like a model posing in a studio. The focus is nice and sharp, even though it’s a cellphone photo taken in poor light. When taking photos in similar conditions, keep your phone as still as possible. Lean your elbow on a railing for extra stability. And click!
DEWALD VAN DER WALT
Canon EOS M50
Sigma 18 – 200 mm lens
DEWALD WRITES: I saw this jackal buzzard next to a dirt road close to the golf course at Kei Mouth. It landed on a pole and was scanning the veld for prey. It must have been hungry because it sat there for a while. It only flew away when a group of cyclists appeared.
TOAST SAYS: I always have time for a jackal buzzard. It’s the kudu of the raptor world – you might see one behind every third bush, but it’s still a spectacularly beautiful animal.
It’s as common as a six in an IPL match, and just as nice to watch. Still, you don’t always get the opportunity to take a close-up photo of one. They have the habit of flying off as soon as you lift your camera, only to perch again five telephone poles further, just far enough that you have to get back into your car and drive closer.
This buzzard was sitting on a fence pole, which allowed Dewald to take a photo at eye-level. Nice.
CARL FOURIE
Canon EOS 5D Mark III Sigma 300 mm lens
CARL WRITES: My wife Christine and I live in Cape Town, but we need a bush injection at least twice a year. I took these photos at Phinda Forest Lodge in northern KZN.
A narina trogon is on every birder’s tick list, but very few people would have had good sightings of both male (A) and female (B) birds on the same day.
What is so beautiful to me is the contrasting red and green colouring. The male has green neck feathers, and the female has brown neck feathers. Plus, the wings – with their finely printed black-and-white feathers – and those two yellow spots on the head. No wonder everyone wants to see them! It was my lucky day.
TOAST SAYS: Lucky day indeed, Carl. My best sighting of a narina trogon – and I can’t even tell you if it was a male or female – was way up in the canopy of a tree, where I was more alerted to its presence by its call than its Mzansi Super Leaguestyle outfit.
Serious birders will go bongo for even the smallest, drabbest LBJ, but when you start out, colourful rarities like narina trogon and – holy grail of them all – African pitta are high on your list of must-sees.
These two photos are as close as you get to “definitive” images of the birds, as a birding pal of mine likes to call it. What is a definitive photo? It’s one that shows the whole bird, its diagnostic markings, its posture – all the things that can help a birder identify a bird beyond any reasonable doubt. It’s the kind of photo you’ll see printed in a guidebook. That’s what I mean by definitive.
These are great shots. There’s eye contact, plus the soft light makes for lovely colour saturation. Remember, an easy way to improve your photography in dim light is to push your ISO to 800 or more. This will allow you to shoot at a faster shutter speed, which will lower your chances of getting motion blur. Carl, you’ve got bragging rights until 2022!
ANNERIE GRIESEL
Samsung Galaxy 10
TOAST SAYS: Annerie took this landscape photo in Helderberg Nature Reserve near Somerset West. She’s only 12 years old, but she clearly has a good eye when it comes to photography.
What does it mean when we say someone has a “good eye”? It means that they have a natural ability to know what will make a good photo. The person in the car with the good eye is usually the one who asks the driver to stop so she can take a photo of something next to the road. If you have a good eye, you’ll see photos in places where others don’t.
The composition is strong: The lines lead your eye to different areas in the frame. For example, if you follow the line of the water surface to the right, you’ll reach that clump of dead reeds. Or follow the line of the big mountain and you’ll see more mountains in the distance, lit up by the sun.
Speaking of light: Look how much duller the left side of the frame is than the right, simply because there’s more sunlight on that part of the landscape.
Well done, Annerie – we look forward to seeing what you do next!