Elephant – Baobab – Sunset – Airport – Lion – Rhinos – Barbet – Bushbuck – Oysterbox
One picture per day …
I hope your like my weekly summary. For many more pictures please subscribe to my Instagram channel (ChristianSperkaPhotography).
PS: Based on recent requests I have added some camera information.
#christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography
I am currently sorting through hundreds of my bird pictures which I took since 2002. Most of them I was able to ID positively.
But there are quite a few for which I either cannot find an ID at all or which I am not able to give a clear ID (multiple options).
If you would like to try to ID some of them for me then have a look at my bird ID page. I have uploaded the first 26 images, more to come soon 🙂
Click here to view the page https://sperka.info/id/
Thanks for the help from all the birders!
Arrival – Surroundings – Big – Majestic – Snakes – Creche – Ultraviolet– Crazy
One picture per day …
I hope your like my weekly summary. For many more pictures please subscribe to my Instagram channel (ChristianSperkaPhotography).
PS: Based on recent requests I have added some camera information.
#christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography
A perfect way to experience the South African wilderness ‘hands-on’ is to spend a few weeks on Thanda as a volunteer.
Thanda Safari’s volunteer organization is called ULWAZI. They have just released their program dates for 2019: https://ulwaziresearch.com/dates-rates/
For more general information go to https://ulwaziresearch.com/ or send an email to ulwazi@thanda.co.za.
PS: My oldest niece and two of her friends participated in the program last year and loved it!
PPS: And I provide free photography lessons to all volunteers 🙂
Zebra Sunset – Hyena Night – Red Sunset – Lion Evening – Hornbill Day – Rhino Sun – Lion Dusk
One picture per day …
I hope your like my weekly summary. For many more pictures please subscribe to my Instagram channel (ChristianSperkaPhotography).
#Christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography
One picture per day …
I hope your like my weekly summary. For many more pictures please subscribe to my Instagram channel (ChristianSperkaPhotography).
#Christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography
This week I visited Ndumo Game Reserve for the first time. With its 10,000 ha it is located directly at the Usuthu river on the South Africa / Mozambique border.
I just wanted to get a first impression during this day visit, but I will certainly be back for a few days of bird photography.
Here is a little summary of my Ndumo visit:
I think the best way to experience Ndumo is by booking guided walks and guided drives as one is not allowed to walk on the reserve (they have Buffalo and Hippo). The the really good bird-photography-spots cannot be reached by self-drive. Currently their game drive vehicle is out of service, but the guides are happy to go along in your car. You sould have an SUV (high clearance) to drive the roads in comfort and without damaging your car. A 4×4 is not required during the dry season.
My guide Josef and me walking 🙂 at Shokwe Pan.
I will book at least four such walks/drives during my next visit:
1 – Sand Forest Walk (morning or afternoon)
2 – Pongola River Walk (morning)
3 – Nyamithi Pan North-Shore-Drive (morning)
4 – Shokwe Pan Walk (morning or afternoon)
I did the last two midday, which is obviously not ideal for birding, but it was enjoyable and I got a few good pictures (see below).
The Ezulweni Hide on the south/east side of the Nyamithi Pan (there is only one hide on the reserve) was rather disappointing as it is set too far east on the pan. During normal winter conditions there is no water in front of the hide and most of the photo targets are too far away for good shots.
The Red Cliffs picnic area has a beautiful view of the river and is worth visiting.
Most of the reserve has very thick vegetation. Therefore mammal sightings (general game) are not very good and usually brief.
Conclusion: I will be back and I can recommend the place for any bird lovers. I recommend that ‘regular game drivers’ and mammal enthusiasts go somewhere else (Huluwe-Imfolozi, Tembe, iSimangaliso, Mkuze, Ithala, …).
And here are a few pictures …
Please let me know if you have any questions or additional comments.
www.sperka.com | www.kznwildlife.com/Ndumo.html
PS: Josef, my experienced Ndumo tails guide, showed me three new bird species for my list, which I had never seen before – White-eared Barbet, Squacco Heron and Kittlitz’s Plover!
What a week – Crèche – Teach – City – Rhino – Arrival – Meal – Mate
One picture per day …
Monday – Visit to a crèche – create a project …
Tuesday – Teaching students and a very unusual sighting (Pied Kingfisher @ Thanda) …
Wednesday – Korean Dinner in Durban @ The Crazy Korean – what a treat …
Thursday – A Rhino at sunset – so special …
Friday – Two new Cheetah boys arrived at Thanda …
Saturday – The two males’ first meal …
Sunday – Mating Giraffes – a rare sighting …
I hope your like my weekly summary. For many more pictures please subscribe to my Instagram channel (ChristianSperkaPhotography).
#Christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography
Eight of my pictures were used in a 10 page article for the Priority magazine for Singapore Airlines PPS Club, published by NewBase Content.
Travel Writer Rod Mackenzie wrote a great story called ‘Close Encounters’ about Thanda Safari. I especially like his description of me in the story: A charming combination of Dr.Dolittle and Q from James Bond :-).
www.sperka.info | www.sperka.biz | www.thanda.com
It is often said that one ‘must’ have a decent camera with a reasonable long tele-focus lens, when going on safari. However, while it is certainly an advantage to have such a camera, today a lot of people have very good smart phones (iPhones or Android-based) and prefer to travel light.
Here are five reasons why a smart phone safari can work …
1
Smart phones are very good when taking a wide angle picture (no pinching!). Focus on the beautiful scenery with wildlife in it and you will create some great memories. Zooming in on pictures (pinching) should be avoided as most smart phones only provide digital zoom (equivalent to picture cropping). It is best to take the picture ‘un-zoomed’ and crop it later. Some very advanced smartphone (eg iPhone 7+, 8+ and X) have a second tele-focus lens, which do provide optical zoom capability.
Picture: Elephants at Thanda Safari – iPhone 7+
Picture: White Rhino just after sunset at Thanda Safari – iPhone 7+
Picture: Giraffe at Thanda Safari – iPhone 7+
2
Smart phones are great in difficult light situations such as sunsets, sunrises and interesting cloud formations over beautiful scenery. These are often easier to capture, than with a regular camera. Combined with a good ‘enhancement app’ like an excellent ‘Camera+ for iPhones’, amazing pictures can be created.
Pictures: Mganhla dam at Thanda Safari – iPhone 7+
3
Clip-on tele-focus lenses are available at very little cost and having such a lens will make it possible to get a good shot of far away targets (eg Lions, Birds). Binoculars can also serve as a tele-focus lens (make sure there is a small distance between the camera lens and the binoculars ocular, focusing first on the subject with your binos, before using your smartphone camera).
Picture: iPhone 7+ with 12x telefocus clip-on lens
Picture: iPhone 7+ using binoculars as a telefocus lens
Picture as taken …
Picture once cropped …
This picture was taken with an iPhone 7+ and a 12x telefocus clip-on lens.
4
Smart phones are excellent at taking macro-shots. Anything from plants to small creatures can be captured very well. Make sure to check with your guide, if it is safe, to get close to any creatures.
Pictures: Splendid Locust – iPhone 7+ help ‘upside-down’ to get on eye-level 🙂
Pictures: Giant Snail- iPhone 7+ help ‘upside-down’ to get on eye-level 🙂
5
Private game reserves, such as Thanda Safari, are great for smart phone photography as one usually gets much closer to wildlife than in a national park. A professional and experienced guide knows exactly how close he can get safely to animals, to ensure a good picture. Get as close to eye-level with your picture subject and you will create some great shots.
Pictures: African Rock Phyton at Thanda Safari – iPhone 7+
Pictures: Elephants at Thanda Safari Lodge – iPhone 7+
Pictures: Lion at Thanda Safari – iPhone 7+
Pictures: Lion at Thanda Safari – iPhone 7+
If you have any questions about a Smart Phone Safari or Photo Safaris feel free to contact me directly (info@sperka.com).
For Thanda Safari guests – staying 2 nights or longer – I offer a 30 minute free ‘smart phone photography lesson’ (subject to availability). Session should to be booked well in advance. http://www.thanda.com/en-gb/experience/photography-at-thanda
All pictures in this post were created with an iPhone 6+ or iPhone 7+ with most being cropped.
#thandasafari #christiansperkaphotography #SmartPhoneSafari #iPhoneSafari
I personally work with Canon DSLRs, Apple iPhones and a DJI Phantom drone. #canonglobal #apple #djiglobal
Christian Sperka Photography | Custom Luxury Tours 