Zebras in golden light

[Steve Kaluski]

• Steve Kaluski
• www.untamedimages.co.uk
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 13.4 (Macintosh)

Subject: Zebra and foal in golden light
Location: Africa
Camera: Canon EOS R3
Lens: EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM HH (Circular polariser)
Exposure: 1/2000 at f/8 ISO1250
Original format: Landscape, FF width

Steve

 

[Gabriela Plesea]

Good evening dear Steve,
Indeed it is golden, just look at those awesome yellows, oranges and reds:cheers:

Loving this frame for its rich colours. The gentle light brings about a certain mood as well as a degree of clarity and tone ... for me personally a bit of emotion too. Makes me think of those sundowners we have from time to time in a special spot here on the reserve, sitting quietly in the game viewer and surrounded by zebras and wildebeests. We sip our drinks in silence while taking it all in, the blue sky and the hills in the distance and the beautiful landscape unfolding in front of our eyes. I am so happy for you to have experienced this!

Frame is well composed, well exposed and well processed, as expected. Subjects sharp with good detail, shadows not too harsh, beautiful colours. Nice choice of DoF.

I truly enjoyed viewing, thank you so much for sharing. Looking forward to more ( I know there's much more !)

Warmest regards,

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Gabriela, many thanks for taking the time in between getting home and all of that stuff you need to do, much appreciated!!!!

Indeed it is golden, just look at those awesome yellows, oranges and reds

As I said, the light was just so magical here and trying to reflect it, well... I can only do my best. Think some of the bolt-ons worked extremely well and obviously I took a chance with the big old units, as things can always be replaced. :bg3:

Shooting from what we had created some great encounters, low level and one of the rigs saved those aching arms, worth hauling, but again it's all about the light.

These Zebras kept themselves to the rocks, others on the arid plains were skittish and weren't too accommodating, likewise some of the other animals, always keeping a good distance, but as you said, just parking up and watching things and not pushing things, did prove profitable. Too many folk push it early on as we said and then miss the opportunity later.

Subjects sharp with good detail, shadows not too harsh, beautiful colours. Nice choice of DoF.

Just loved shooting with this old friend and the charts just prove how good the old kit is, so lets check the charts before you buy next.

Makes me think of those sundowners we have from time to time in a special spot here on the reserve, sitting quietly in the game viewer and surrounded by zebras and wildebeests.

I'm glad you are also getting the chances to have Sundowners too with Carl, you need/deserve it, next time we can set up a link and share in real time the views & sounds. :cheers:

Thanks again

 

[Gabriela Plesea]

Always a pleasure Steve,

We both share this great appreciation of the wilderness and love for photography and I have always enjoyed following your work and drawing from your experiences.

And you are absolutely right, parking up and waiting almost always pays... Carl taught me patience. He also taught me to stop every now and then and listen to the sounds, they provide information about the life around us, some of it hidden or too far to see. The buzz of bees, the call of birds, a lion's roar, a jackal's call - the symphony of Mother Nature.

I might not always see and photograph wildlife during a game drive but always return home joyful, grateful and inspired by what I saw, having experienced a sense of awe and a certain feeling of smallness. Wish I could find better words to describe what it feels like, watching the golden soft light fade on an early afternoon in June or July, here in the reserve. When I return from work in the afternoons I always drive slowly, taking it all in, the sun goes down around 5 pm and the sky becomes purple, grasses turn pink and the earth has this magenta tinge...It's spectacular...and I would love to share this with you.

Back to your images, I am excited and so looking forward to see more. I bid you good night for now, and if I may, let me end my reply with a few lines from a Wordsworth poem:

...{Nature} can so inform
The mind that is within us, so impress
With quietness and beauty, and so feed
With lofty thoughts, that neither evil tongues,
Rash judgements, nor the needs of selfish men,
Nor greetings where no kindness is, nor all
The dreary intercourse of daily life,
Shall e'er prevail against us, or disturb
Our cheerful faith that all which we behold
Is full of blessings.

Lines written a few miles
above Tintern Abbey

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Good morning Gabriela, you always manage to convey what we all wish for, but this is perhaps the most humbling! :wave:

 

[Gabriela Plesea]

Good morning Gabriela, you always manage to convey what we all wish for, but this is perhaps the most humbling! :wave:

Thank you so much Steve :5