This is my favorite of all the Lion images I took in January. When I was editing my January pictures I came across this portrait of one of the Thanda North Pride Lionesses.
What a view!
These two young Elephant bulls were sparring in the valley just below the Thanda Tented Camp. This interesting scene could not only be observed by the Thanda guests from a game viewing vehicle but also from The Sala, a covered observation deck, on the edge of the camp.
The Sala is a great place to spend some relaxing time between game drives. With a bit of luck – and the use of binoculars – it is possible to spot wildlife in the valley and the waterhole below, as well as birds in the surrounding trees.
For more information about the Thanda Tented Camp go to http://www.thanda.com/rooms/tented-camp/thanda-tented-camp.htm
Pictures by Christian Sperka – Specialist Photography Guide and Resident Wildlife Photographer – Thanda Private Game Reserve
Location, Location …
As we were watching a male and a female Lion at a Waterhole they both got up and started walking between two game drive vehicles. In front of the astonished Thanda guests they started mating. A common procedure in a not so common place. I was about 2 meters (10 feet) from the Lions when I took the picture – In the right place at the right time 🙂
What an evening!
Birds, Birds, Birds!
http://www.thanda.com/photos.htm#176105
Thanda hosts hundreds of bird species. Many of them are seen regularly on game drive, other are rare guests, and some of them are only here during the summer.
Bheki Ngubane – one of Thanda’s expert trackers – is also a very experienced birding guide. His ability to identify birds by their call impresses many guests greatly. And he is able to call many of them by imitating their call. With his help I was able to assemble the THANDA BIRDS photo gallery on the new Thanda website. It contains images of over ninety different species – with more to come …
Have a look at http://www.thanda.com/photos.htm#176105
Follow me!
Warthogs look funny when they run. And small Warthog are even more hilarious.
“Follow me signs up, and off they go!”
Enjoy the image – Have a good weekend!
Walk to water …
Imagine you are a two month old Thanda Baby Elephant …
“A hot day today. Mum is walking very fast. Grandma wants to find water. So we walk and walk and walk. I wish I had longer legs.
That grass is too high – Being the smallest is no fun 😦
I can’t see a thing – mum wait!!!
OK – That’s better!
Oh, I got an itch! Mummy, don’t move, I am gonna use your legs as a rubbing post.
Yes, yees, yeees – much better!
I am thirsty – let’s go!
Mummy come on – I see the water, I see the water!
Give me a bit of space, pleeeease!
That’s better!
Nice family – what do you think? :-)”
This is a “record” of a walk to water, enjoyed by many Thanda guests on sunny morning.
It is evidence!
This is not the greatest shot of Rhinos I ever took, but it is evidence of a baby Black Rhino on Thanda.
Black Rhinos are very shy and they are usually not hanging around to get their picture taken. A mother with a young calf is even more nervous than solitary animals.
So I am glad that I got this – marginal quality – image of mother and child.
The Thanda guests on my vehicle had a very good game drive that evening. First four White Rhino, then a Black-backed Jackal, then two male Cheetahs and at the end four Black Rhinos (this picture shows two of them)!
For the photographers among you: The picture was taken on a Canon 1D Mark IV with a Canon f4/500mm L lens at ISO 12800 in extremely low light conditions. No camera support was possible because there were only a few seconds when they were out of the high grass. I took this freehand while standing up on my vehicle. The image was enhanced with Paintshop Pro.
CF100 :-)
I would rate this image of Thanda’s youngest Elephant with “Cuteness Factor 100”.
To the delight of all Thanda guests he and his family came for a drink stop at the small pond in front of the Thanda Safari Lodge.
What a morning!
Cleanup and Memories!
South Africa 100
Before I left the USA in 2012 I created a slide show with 100 of my favorite images. It was for the last “Art Crawl” at my Gallery in Nashville. I found the material during “cleanup operations” on my graphics system. And I liked it so much that I turned it into a YouTube video slide show.
I hope you enjoy the four and a half minutes of South African Wildlife!
The music is an interpretation of the South African National Anthem. Arranged for me by Don Johnson and performed by the Happy Turkey Farm Band.
Let me know if you would be interested in a version with comments on the images. If there is enough interest I will create a series of videos with audio comments (on wildlife and photography aspects of the images).
Well done, Philip!
Philip G. – a Dutch boy living with his family in Poland – one of our recent guests at Thanda – took my photography lesson during his stay at the Lodge.
He, his two brothers and his parents enjoyed the stay very much and Philip sent me two of his pictures. I am very proud to feature in one of them (even if it is with a bit of a funny face looking at a scorpion – but do not worry this one is quite harmless :-)).
Philip especially liked the macro image of the little caterpillar. The collage also shows Philip with his camera – busy shooting in the bush!
Well done and thanks for letting me publish two of your works!
Christian Sperka – Specialist Photography Guide and Resident Wildlife Photographer – Thanda Private Game Reserve
More about Christian’s photography lessons at Thanda:
Any guest at Thanda Private Game Reserve may request a complementary 90 minute photography session (based on availability/between game drives). In these sessions Christian will teach how to set up your camera for wildlife photography, what do adjust during shooting on game drive (motto:keep it simple) and he will show you what makes a good wildlife image. It does not matter if you stay at the Safari Lodge, the Tented Camp or the Villa iZulu. When you are booking your stay at Thanda you can also request Christian as your field guide (based on availability) during your stay to spend additional photography time with him and his tracker Bheki in the bush.
Christian Sperka Photography | Custom Luxury Tours 