Little Bee-eater

The Little Bee-eater (Merops pusillus) is a member of the family, Meropidae. It is the smallest African bee-eater, reaching a length of 15-17 cm. They are rich and brightly-colored slender birds found in Sub-Saharan Africa. They predominantly insect eaters, usually caught in the air during sorties usually from an open perch. These birds are solitary nesters, making a tunnel in sandy banks, or sometimes in the entrance to burrows. They lay 4 to 6 spherical white eggs, and both the male and the female take care of the eggs. They are apparenlty quite tame birds. The subject in this photography was tiny in the frame, an opportunity for the record shot, thus not a great photograph, but good for sharing.

(Canon EOS 5D Mark III / EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM; 1/320 sec; f/16; ISO 500; 400mm)

Picture ©2023 Andrew Field – Simply Wild Photography

A-Z of Photography

Exposure Compensation is the deliberate under or over exposing of an image beyond the light metering system of the camera, usually done to achieve the correct exposure in difficult lighting situations. Many photographers will slightly underexpose their shots where the risk of clipping exists. That is where the intensity of light in an area of the image falls outside minimum or maximum intensities.

“A photographer’s eye is perpetually evaluating. A photographer can bring coincidence of line simply by moving his head a fraction of a millimetre. He can modify perspectives by a slight bending of the knees. By placing the camera closer to or farther from the subject, he draws a detail. But he composes a picture in very nearly the same amount of time it takes to click the shutter, at the speed of a reflex action.

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Stuck in darkest Africa, lost in the wild and loving it! Don’t let me out of here…

Pups!

The Side-striped Jackal (Canis adustus; Shona: gava; Ndebele: ikhankha) elusive and not often seen, less so its pups. This image, while not the most spledid photo (ISO 25600!), it is indeed a very lucky shot and captures a remarkable moment. Taken after sunset we were lucky enough to see these two jackal pups having come out of their den, probably to sun bathe as they do. Jackals typically give birth to between 3 and 6 pups which are usually whelped between August and January in southern Africa including the Mana Pools area. Their dens are located in the ground, or, as in this case, the root based of a tree. The mother carefully modifies the den to ensure an escape route for her young. She will stay out of the den, within safe watching distance, while the male usually forages for food. As the pups grow the parents share the feeding routine, bringing food back to the nest in mouth or stomach for regurgitation.

(Canon EOS 5D Mark III / EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM; 1/800 sec; f/8; ISO 25600; 560mm)

Picture ©2023 Andrew Field – Simply Wild Photography

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Photography Quotes
We are changing the theme a little and for the next year I would like to quote some of the more famous photographers. We start with the inspirational Henri Cartier-Bresson, the French father of photo-journalism, who many suggest was the greatest photographer of all time. He became famous for his candid photography and was the master of street photography.

To photograph is to hold one’s breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It’s at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy.

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Stuck in darkest Africa, lost in the wild and loving it! Don’t let me out of here…

Buffalo Morning

Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) enjoying a few Kigalia flowers while basking in the early morning sun. This small group was part of a much larger herd moving to water in the early morning. Like their domestic ‘cousins’, buffalo use a series of distinctive vocal calls to initiate herd activity, while in transit, threatened or drinking and grazing.

Population Trend : Stable; Threat: Least Concern – Source IUCN
(Canon EOS 5D Mark III/ EF100-400 IS USM; 1/2000 sec; f/4.5; ISO 4000; 225mm)

Picture ©2016 Andrew Field – Simply Wild Photography

Digital Photography Terms
Panning is the horizontal movement of the camera, following a moving object that is kept in a constant position in the viewfinder, while taking an image, intended to give a strong sense of speed or movement.

“Only a fraction of the camera’s possibilities interests me – the marvellous mixture of emotion and geometry, together in a single instant.”

– Henri Cartier-Bresson

Taking a Break

Male Lion (Panthera leo – Shona: shumba; Ndebele: isilwane) takes a break in the shade after gorging on a buffalo killed earlier in the day. There appeared to be two dominant males in the pride. Estes (Richard – The Behaviour Guide to African Mammals) suggests the degree of male competition in the species has lead to social behaviour in prides not too dissimilar to baboons. Male size and showier mane development have, in some cases, impaired hunting ability in males.
Population Trend : Decreasing; Threat: Vulnerable – Source IUCN
(Canon EOS 5D Mk III/ EF100-400mm IS II USM +1.4x III; 1/250 sec; f/6.7; ISO 500; 264mm)

Picture ©2016 Andrew Field – Simply Wild Photography

The World of Lenses
Tilt Shift Lenses are mostly used in architectural photography and allow the photographer to adjust the composition of an image without tilting the camera. Some refer to these lenses as ‘perspective control’ lenses. Camera tilt induces skewed vertical lines in buildings and tall structures. By tilting the lens (thus making the focal plane pliable) converging verticals and indeed perspective may be reduced or adjusted. Tilt shift lenses are by their nature wide angle. There has been a surge of interest in perspective manipulation photography.

“A photographer’s eye is perpetually evaluating. A photographer can bring coincidence of line simply by moving his head a fraction of a millimeter. He can modify perspectives by a slight bending of the knees. By placing the camera closer to or farther from the subject, he draws a detail. But he composes a picture in very nearly the same amount of time it takes to click the shutter, at the speed of a reflex action.”

– Henri Cartier-Bresson

Sandpiper

The photographer cannot make up his mind if this is a Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) or Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) (perhaps its neither and he hopes you will put him right). These little carnivores and migrant birds are common to Mana Pools. They feed on small invertebrates picked from the sand and mud on the edge of shorelines and pans.
(Canon EOS 5D Mk III/ EF100-400mm IS II USM; 1/750 sec; f/5.6; ISO 3200; 400mm)

Picture ©2016 Andrew Field – Simply Wild Photography