Love them all, but that Lioness in BW is over the top!
My Favorite Serengeti Pics From 2024 :)
- Thread starter Steve
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Thanks!
Mostly in the Semetu and Woodlands (Southern) areas. The other areas that time of year are slow, at least that's my understanding.
Wow, you have outdone yourself this time Steve! Amazing photos. I lived in Kenya and Tanzania in 1982 and would love to return.
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Jeff Lane MD
New member
Incredible series. I'm in awe.
Thanks so muchGreat set Steve All your shots are Superb!
Thank you!!
Wow, fantastic - inspiring!! With my youngest off to college now I might be ready to finally become a wildlife photographer and join one of these trips!
Very nice. Thanks for sharing!
Brian_S
Active member
dayum....fantastic series of images, can't even begin to think of picking a favorite
marc
Well-known member
Read Steve's response to my exact question. just above.,
marc
Well-known member
Thanks Steve,Leopards were scarce, but it's wildlife - you never know what you'll see. Over the years, I've found that there are always exceptions, even when a certain species is relatively reliable.
those areas have always been tough to see Leopards and the associated long grass makes that even tougher, so that would explain the reason.
Glad you remembered it great image ... I have never seen a Caracal outside of a zoo.
Great images ! The Caracals and the mono Leopard favorites.
It was crazy - when they said they saw one over the radio, I figured that, at best, we'd see a glimpse of it running away. The fact we were able to actually photograph one is amazing! (There were actually two at this sighting, but the one pictured was very cooperative.) We actually saw a third one after the group left, but it wanted nothing to do with a portrait session. Still just incredible.
shardul
New member
Wow. Amazing shots! Thank you so much for sharing. They serve as a great inspiration for amateur photographers like me.
Thanks so much!
ElenaH
Well-known member
@Steve ,
absolutely amazing images! Love them all and studied! at least we are here to learn from you (beside other stuff)
Very nice images of caracal, it is a very rare animal to see! I also love zebra in the rain and lion with rainbow. The Rainbow-Lion is also not easy to get becasue everything shall fit perfectly: a rainbow - on place, a lion - on place and you with your vehicle to get that excellent composition in a right moment. Just incredible!
But may I have a few questions?
1) #2 and #13 caracal, #4 hyena and image of a cheetah - did you add the vignette in post-processing or rather brightened the background behind the subject and extract the subject? I make it sometimes to draw the attention becasue we tend to look at the bright parts of the image and vignette doesn't work in all cases so, I make the background lighter behind the subject and extract the subject. How did you do it? if it is not a a secret?
2) did you work fully manual or with Auto-ISO? I would expect that leopard would be underexposed but bias =0 That means you make it so in post-processing? You add a black layer and brushed the leopard out?
3) I see that for "Zebra in the Rain" you had +0.3 what I would expect in the rain. and you had 1/160 to get rain stroks what is absolutely amazing on 600mm. Did you use tripod? handheld? Stunning work!
4) I see also that you used 1/200 on 220mm by photographing ostriches, that was probably hand-held? Was ist foggy? With f8 the background looks very nice. Did you use -0.7 to get slightly underexposed to get colours in the sky?
I know, there is a lot of questions, I am sorry. But I'd like to learn from a professional
The last one:
5) is it possible in some form (in this post or some kind of trip report or review) to see images of your participants? There is no better advertisement like participants who learnt something and were able to get good shots and to develope their skills. I wold be happy to see their images as well. And the best way - in one post.
What the other memebers think about it?
absolutely amazing images! Love them all and studied! at least we are here to learn from you (beside other stuff)
Very nice images of caracal, it is a very rare animal to see! I also love zebra in the rain and lion with rainbow. The Rainbow-Lion is also not easy to get becasue everything shall fit perfectly: a rainbow - on place, a lion - on place and you with your vehicle to get that excellent composition in a right moment. Just incredible!
But may I have a few questions?
1) #2 and #13 caracal, #4 hyena and image of a cheetah - did you add the vignette in post-processing or rather brightened the background behind the subject and extract the subject? I make it sometimes to draw the attention becasue we tend to look at the bright parts of the image and vignette doesn't work in all cases so, I make the background lighter behind the subject and extract the subject. How did you do it? if it is not a a secret?
2) did you work fully manual or with Auto-ISO? I would expect that leopard would be underexposed but bias =0 That means you make it so in post-processing? You add a black layer and brushed the leopard out?
3) I see that for "Zebra in the Rain" you had +0.3 what I would expect in the rain. and you had 1/160 to get rain stroks what is absolutely amazing on 600mm. Did you use tripod? handheld? Stunning work!
4) I see also that you used 1/200 on 220mm by photographing ostriches, that was probably hand-held? Was ist foggy? With f8 the background looks very nice. Did you use -0.7 to get slightly underexposed to get colours in the sky?
I know, there is a lot of questions, I am sorry. But I'd like to learn from a professional
The last one:
5) is it possible in some form (in this post or some kind of trip report or review) to see images of your participants? There is no better advertisement like participants who learnt something and were able to get good shots and to develope their skills. I wold be happy to see their images as well. And the best way - in one post.
What the other memebers think about it?
Thanks so much!
A little of both most of the time. Just using the radial gradient tool in Lightroom.
Yes, M + Auto ISO. I shot that one normally in the field and darkened it in Lightroom. It was a little busy and B&W worked well once I darkened the busier areas. A lot of people think they need to shoot deliberately under or over in the field if they want to do stuff like that, but honestly, if you just expose normally it's not a big deal to do it in post.
Just at the edge of the window of the safari vehicle with VR on. I shoot longer bursts in those scenarios and while I get some soft one, I get plenty of sharp ones too
I was trying to keep the ISO as low as possible because I need to preserve the highlights in the sky but I also knew I was going to pull up the darker areas (with the ostriches) in post. So, I was basically exposing for the highlights to keep them from blowing out (Yes, it was very foggy that morning - at least at first, it burned off fast).
I don't really have any control over it. Some are members of the forum, some aren't, some might want to show photos, others don't. Group displays like that sound good, but they never work out like we hope. It's usually just one or two people form a trip that might post some stuff.
Top notch 
ElenaH
Well-known member
I wanted to, but I didn't have one.
Amazing images Steve!
I was on that trip…and my shots are on my blog at https://guntherandkara,com. Look at the April posts. I had such a good time that I badgered/signed up immediately for a Botswana trip next year with Steve and Rose. While I make no claims about quality…I have shots every similar to what he posted with the exception of the leopard and wildebeest at sunrise since he got those after the workshop was over. I would workshop with him anytime…