A liquid lunch...

[Duncan Groenewald]

Black-backed jackal taking a cape turtle dove at Polentswa (KTP).

You can just make out the doves outline. One of my all-time favourites.

• SONY ILCE-9M3
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• ƒ/6.3
• 600mm
• 1/4000s
• ISO 2000
• Flash not fired
• Wed, 24 July 2024 8:00 AM

 

[Duncan Groenewald]

And just in case you are wondering how it ended

• SONY ILCE-9M3
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• ƒ/6.3
• 600mm
• 1/4000s
• ISO 2000
• Flash not fired
• Wed, 24 July 2024 8:00 AM

 

[Basil Dardagan]

Bang - again Duncan. Definately the best series of Jackal hunting doves ive ever seen come out of the KTP. If you are putting the bulk of that down to the camera thats flippen interesting

 

[Duncan Groenewald]

Yes, the features it has are what makes it possible to reliably capture this kind of action - doesn't matter who is holding it - as long as they can frame the action the camera will do the rest.

As you know it's not that easy to frame the action but it's nice to know that when you do you have a 4/5 chance of getting plenty of great shots.

• SONY ILCE-9M3
• FE 600mm F4 GM OSS
• ƒ/4
• 600mm
• 1/6400s
• ISO 1250
• Flash not fired
• Tue, 23 July 2024 8:39 AM

 

[Duncan Groenewald]

In one sequence you get such an amazing array of different images to chose from - usually it is all happening so fast you never get to see them.

• SONY ILCE-9M3
• FE 600mm F4 GM OSS
• ƒ/4
• 600mm
• 1/6400s
• ISO 1250
• Flash not fired
• Tue, 23 July 2024 8:39 AM

 

[Andreas Liedmann]

First image is killer ....!!!
By posting versions that are not that good in the following , you might take away the glory of that single outstanding image , IMHO.

TFS Andreas

 

[Jonathan Ashton]

Duncan - top notch images! I appreciate Andreas' point but I have to say I like them all - including the last one!!

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Duncan, is this series taken from video clips as per the previous posting?

 

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Duncan,

Having spent a great deal of time over the years camping at Polentswa must say I appreciate you sharing those images, a lot. Not just for the action you have captured but also for the great memories they bring.

Do like the first frame from the action POV but your third image I think better, simply because there are no distractions and there's a tad of 'suspense' associated with it. Needs a bit more attention though, those tail feathers of the dove could do with a bit of work. As well as the background, could be a tad smoother? There is also a slight blue cast you could easily fix. Otherwise framing looks good, techs also, nice SS.

Have a similar frame I posted some time ago, taken at Qubitjie Quap. Sat in the car for hours in hot sun waiting for the jackal to grab a dove...Kgalagadi is a magic place with lots of photographic opportunities... by the way I have a booking for May next year so if you happen to go there same time do drop me a line.

Thank you so much for sharing,

Gabriela

 

[Duncan Groenewald]

Duncan, is this series taken from video clips as per the previous posting?

No no video - these are all still images taken with the A9iii at 120fps. Check my YouTube channel for the image sequence combined into video using Final Cut Pro. I can send you a link to the RAW files if you want.

 

[Duncan Groenewald]

Hello Duncan,

Having spent a great deal of time over the years camping at Polentswa must say I appreciate you sharing those images, a lot. Not just for the action you have captured but also for the great memories they bring.

Do like the first frame from the action POV but your third image I think better, simply because there are no distractions and there's a tad of 'suspense' associated with it. Needs a bit more attention though, those tail feathers of the dove could do with a bit of work. As well as the background, could be a tad smoother? There is also a slight blue cast you could easily fix. Otherwise framing looks good, techs also, nice SS.

Have a similar frame I posted some time ago, taken at Qubitjie Quap. Waited for hours in hot sun waiting for the jackal to grab a dove...Kgalagadi is a magic place with lots of photographic opportunities... by the way I have a booking for May next year so if you happen to go there same time do drop me a line.

Thank you so much for sharing,

Gabriela

Thanks it's a great spot.

I am not one for doing much touch up to photos and these ones weren't in the best light - I am happy just to catch the action and relive the memories. The light angles are difficult at Polentswa.

Unfortunately I don't think I will make it back next year.

• SONY ILCE-1
• FE PZ 16-35mm F4 G
• ƒ/10
• 16mm
• 15/1s
• ISO 100
• Flash not fired
• Wed, 24 July 2024 6:47 PM

 

[Kurt_Horne]

What a great series. Personal preference for the 3rd image as there's so much kinetic energy there and everything is so clear. Have to admit in your first image I didn't notice the dove until I read your explanation of where it was, mind you I hadn't pulled the image up full screen yet either.

 

[Gabriela Plesea]

Sincerely hope you'll make it next year...so much to see and experience and photograph in this magic place. I have a booking for May 2025 and cannot wait. There's nothing like the Kgalagadi...

About touch ups: I do believe that fixing colour casts and adjusting exposure etc. are a must in today's photography. Extracting as much detail as possible benefits the image tremendously. Nothing wrong with lifting shadows or reducing the contrast the software we use adds to our images ( eg. Lightroom). We often shoot in difficult conditions, so learning how to deal in PP with high ISO and noise is paramount. Really think you can take those images to the next level, Duncan. Great action captured, love them all, just feel they need a tad more work

Warmest regards,
Gabriela