Articles on Africa, wildlife and photography
Most wildlife photographers, be they professional or amateur, will have a telephoto or zoom lens in their camera bag; there are so many occasions when you need to be able to bring your subject closer but you can’t get yourself physically closer. Unfortunately good telephoto lenses longer than 300mm are seriously expensive – thousands of pounds/dollars – so it is[…]
Read moreWidespread killing of elephants threatens economic prosperity and rule of law, warns African Development Bank. The massacre of elephants has gone beyond being a problem for animal rights activists. It now concerns international institutions and governments at the highest level because it is perceived as a threat to political and economic stability in central Africa. Click here to read Laurence[…]
Read moreIn a recent article under the heading “Save rhinos by selling their horns” Discover magazine argued that although rhinoceroses are endangered, legalizing the trade in rhino horns may be the best way to protect them from poachers. The online magazine, Smithsonian.com, clearly does not agree and put forward their counter argument under the heading “No, Legalizing Rhino Horn Probably Won’t Save[…]
Read more“Poaching of elephants is not only a regional problem. It is necessary to identify ways by which we can assist the countries concern in the fight” . Encouraging words from Nicolas Hulot, French Ecologist and Special Envoy of the French President, François Hollande on a recent visit to Cameroon. Click here to read the article by Lukong Pius Nyuylime in[…]
Read moreUnderpaid, ill-equipped and outnumbered, park rangers fight a one-sided war against vicious gangs of poachers. Hundreds have been murdered in the defence of endangered wildlife, and their deaths leave their own families in jeopardy. Take time to read this article by David Smith in The Observer and check out The Thin Green Line Foundation.
Read moreMore than 7 per cent of the world’s elephants were killed for their tusks in the space of a year – the “worst in history”, according to one researcher. And with over 40 per cent of the ivory haul bound for China, the biggest market for tusks, Joyce Poole, co-director of conservation group Elephant Voices, is urging Beijing to step[…]
Read moreIn a previous post we mentioned that exposure is a combination of three variables: Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO. Here we take a quick look at ISO. What is ISO? In digital photography, setting the ISO determines how sensitive your camera’s image sensor is to the light that is reaching it through the lens opening. The lower the number[…]
Read more“Poaching is depleting our valuable natural resources, especially elephants and rhinos in our game reserves and national parks. Very unfortunately, this business involves rich people who have formed a very sophisticated network,” These chilling words come from Tanzania’s minister for Tourism and Natural Resources, Ambassador Khamis Kagasheki, speaking at a workshop organised by Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa) workshop in Iringa.[…]
Read moreBlinding acceleration and phenomenal athleticism are true keys to cheetah’s hunting success in the wild, according to the results of a ground-breaking, high-tech study into the biomechanics of wild cheetahs published this week in Nature magazine. Click here to read more
Read moreThere are two different sizes of DSLR: Crop-frame and full-frame. While the sensor size in crop-frame versions vary from brand to brand, they are typically 1.5x smaller than their full-frame counterparts. The sensor in a full-frame camera is the same size as a photo produced on 35mm film. But what’s the advantage to having a bigger sensor? This article from Photography Talk looks[…]
Read moreThe migration north is gathering momentum. This week the herds are spread out across central Serengeti and just moving into northern Serengeti. Wildebeest can be found all the way from southern Seronera up as far as Ikoma in the north. This means the migration is further advanced than usual for this time of year and likely to begin crossing the Mara river[…]
Read moreUndecided on whether to buy the Canon EOS 100D or Canon EOS 700D? Click here to read about the similarities and differences between Canon’s latest DSLRs, as revealed by What Digital Camera.
Read moreSome good news to end the week. Kenya’s President Kenyatta is backing up his words with action; pushing through much tougher penalties for poaching and adding an extra 1,000 KWS rangers. Click here to read the story from Nairobi’s Capital FM
Read moreIt has long been a gripe of ours that too many safari drivers are over zealous in trying to get their clients up close with the animals, especially cheetahs. It is really distressing – and damn annoying – to see a magnificent animal like a cheetah surrounded by a posse of game drive vehicles. More importantly it interferes with the[…]
Read moreYou’ve done it. You’ve made the jump and replaced your compact camera with a Digital Single Lens Reflex camera (DSLR) and in doing so you’ve embarked on a new adventure that will both inspire and frustrate you, but you’ll never stop learning. You’re excited and you’re itching to get out there and start snapping with your new gear; but maybe[…]
Read moreAt last! Kenya is starting to make good on promises to get tough on poaching, poachers and anyone helping them. At least 32 Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) senior officers have been suspended to make way for investigations into increased poaching activities in their areas, Kenya’s The Standard reported Saturday (June 8th). The suspended officers include those in charge of parks[…]
Read moreThese magnificent bits of kit are the lowest priced models in each company’s range of full frame DSLRs. If you’re serious about your photography and nothing less than a DSLR with a full frame sensor will do, then these contenders from Nikon & Canon will be somewhere on your list and this head to head comparison should help you come[…]
Read moreIf you’re looking for a DSLR right on the cusp between the top consumer models and the professional models – often referred to as ‘prosumer’ models – these 2 will almost certainly be on your list. If you’re already committed to either stable your choice will be pretty straightforward, but if you’re just about to make the decision about which[…]
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