READER PHOTOS

IG: @w_reyneke Nikon D500 Nikon 600 mm lens

Grumpy buffalo, giraffe on a sunset stroll, a creative take on a quiver tree… Did your photo make the cut this month?

WERNER WRITES: I took this photo at the Ganab waterhole in the NamibNaukluft National Park, Namibia. I first spotted this giraffe early one morning and returned to the same spot in the late afternoon to take more photos. It worked out perfectly, with the sun setting behind the giraffe.

TOAST SAYS: Good photographers know that planning – and a little extra effort – often pays dividends. If you stay in a reserve for a few days, you have time to observe where animals roam and where the most striking landscapes are found. And you’ll know which landscapes receive good light in the late afternoon.

It’s like putting the pieces of a puzzle together, and then waiting for the right moment to complete the picture. You’ll still need some luck. Werner couldn’t be 100 % certain that the giraffe would walk along this particular ridge during the golden hour, but he improved his chances by going out to look for the photo.

The elegant proportions of the giraffe make for a strong silhouette. It almost looks like this one has been hand-drawn; every characteristic feature is clearly visible, from the tail to the ears to the horns. The hoofs are hidden behind the line of the horizon, but that’s a minor niggle.

The composition roughly follows the Rule of Thirds, and there’s enough space in front of the giraffe not to cramp its style, and to convey a sense of it walking into the scene. Lekker, Werner. You’re the winner of the go! camera bag this month!