Suckling Calf

Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros; Shona: nhoro; Ndebele: Ibhalabhala) mother and suckling child. The female kudu gives birth to a single calf after a gestation period of about nine months. The calf is usually born in a secluded spot, where it remains hidden and motionless for the first few weeks of its life. Apparently the calf has no scent, as a protection against predators. The mother visits the calf only to nurse it, and is very protective of her offspring. The calf joins the herd when it is about one month old, and stays with its mother until it is weaned at six months. The kudu calf grows rapidly and can reach adult size in two years. Zimbabweans will recall the name of a town called Balla Balla in then Rhodesia… this town derives its name from the Ndelbele word for kudu.
This is a very lucky capture… unlike what I lecture, I left my camera settings untouched from the night before… when presented with this great photo opportunity, so it is an image with a huge ISO captured with a tiny aperture. The area concerned was quite shady at 5:30am, but thank goodness to modern cameras and post camera processing. Closer examination will identify unacceptable noise.

(Canon EOS 5D Mark III / EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM; 1/200 sec; f/18; ISO 25600; 255mm)

Picture ©2023 Andrew Field – Simply Wild Photography

Digital Wildlife Photographic Tips
If you want to take sharp photos in low-light conditions, you may need to adjusted to higher ISO settings on your camera. ISO is a measure of how sensitive your camera sensor is to light. The higher the ISO, the more light it can capture, but also the more noise or grain it will produce, so care is needed. Use the lowest ISO possible for your desired shutter speed and aperture. This will reduce the noise and preserve the details and colors in your image. Do not be stuck with 100 ISO, experiment. The author usually works with ISO set at 320-640 when lighting permits moving ISO up or down depending on shutter speed in the situation. Check your camera’s maximum acceptable ISO level. This is the highest ISO setting that still produces acceptable image quality for your purpose. You may well be forced to use noise reduction software or tools in post-processing.

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

Kudu Bachelor Herd

A bachelor herd of Kudu antelope resting up in the shade during the middle of the day.
(Canon EOS 5D MarkIII / EF 100-400mm f/5.6 L IS II USM; 1/500 sec; f/8; ISO 320; 321mm)

Picture ©2018 Andrew Field – Simply Wild Photography

 

This image, and others of your selection, can be acquired from the author printed on fine art canvas of photographic paper for wall mounting.

Kudu on Termite Mound

A Kudu antelope cow (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) standing atop an termite mound is quite a common observation in Mana Pools. There is little reference as to why this antelope is attracted to these raised elevations and one can only guess this is either anti-predatory or the mount is a source of minerals and salts.
Population Trend : Stable; Threat: Least Concern – Source IUCN
(Canon EOS 5D Mark III/ EF100-400 IS USM; 1/350 sec; f/5.6; ISO 1000; 400mm)

Picture ©2016 Andrew Field – Simply Wild Photography

Digital Photography Terms
White Balance is sets the colour temperature of the scene being taken so that it takes on a normal appearance to the human eye. White balance can be adjusted to warm and cool images, and is often done post-shooting with editing software. Colour temperature is expressed in Kelvins

“Black and white can show how something is. Colour adds how it is, imbued with temperatures and humidities of experience.”

– Peter Schjeldahl

This image, and others of your selection, can be acquired from the author printed on fine art canvas of photographic paper for wall mounting.
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Stuck in darkest Africa, lost in the wild and loving it! Don’t let me out of here…

 

Kudu Crypsis

Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), one of the most graceful large antelopes in the Mana Pools area, pauses in the shade of a mahogany tree. This animal often relies on crypsis (a synonym for animal camouflage and anti-predator behaviour, such as stillness) allowing close approach by the threat. Once in flight, those magnificent horns are tucked along the back of the antelope through head held high.
Population Trend : Stable; Threat: Least Concern – Source IUCN
(Canon EOS 50D/ EF-S18-200mm; 1/1500 sec; f/6.7; ISO 1250; 400mm)

Picture ©2011 Andrew Field – Simply Wild Photography

Digital Photography Terms
Lighting ratio is a measure of the difference between key light and fill light. Key light is the main source of light which casts shadows versus fill light which is the light that fills in the shadow areas. The higher the lighting ratio, the greater the contrast. Although this may be manipulate with f-stop adjustment, a more effective or practical adjustment can be achieved in post photo processing.

“When I was just starting out, I met Cartier-Bresson. He told me it was necessary to trust my instincts, be inside my work, and set aside my ego. In the end, my photography turned out very different to his, but I believe we were coming from the same place.”

– Sebastiao Salgado

Grazing Kigelia Flowers

A favourite delicacy of most southern African antelope, a lot of primates and elephants too, are the beautiful flowers of the sausage tree (Kigelia africana) which occurs throughout tropical Africa. Here a Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) grazes on the flowers which have fallen from the tree. Often there is a symbiotic relationship between primates shaking branches and dislodging flowers in the tree and the animals which graze these flowers off the ground.
Population Trend : Stable; Threat: Least Concern – Source IUCN
(Canon EOS 5D Mk III/ EF100-400mm IS II USM +1.4x III; 1/500 sec; f/4.5; ISO 640; 400mm)

Picture ©2016 Andrew Field – Simply Wild Photography

The World of Lenses
Zoom Lenses, sometimes known as parfocal lenses where they retain focus through the focal range, are probably the most popularly used lenses, being especially prevalent among wildlife photographers. These lenses allow the user to adjust the focal length on the subject, while the image remains in focus (a zoom lens which loses focus during change to the focal length is varifocal). Zoom lenses suffer a loss of image resolution at maximum aperture, mainly at the extremes of their focal ranges.

“Here’s how you can tell if your ‘zoom’ is actually a varifocal. Zoom to maximum focal length and focus on an object manually about 10 feet away. Now zoom back to the shortest focal length. If the viewfinder is still sharp, you have a true zoom. If it’s hopelessly out of focus, it’s a varifocal.”

– Herbert Keppler