Collected Moments of Survival

Its no secret that I am an avid admirer of Big Cats. But I have a special place in my heart for the cheetah. Their vulnerable status and their ability to survive against the odds makes them my favourite animal. As such I spend much time "hunting" them down in all the corners of the earth so that I can bring new and exciting artworks to light for your enjoyment. Here's a little information you may not know about the Cheetah. The African cheetah, scientifically known as Acinonyx jubatus, is one of the most revered and iconic predators on the African continent. Known for its incredible speed and striking appearance, the African cheetah possesses a combination of physical attributes that make it a truly unique and magnificent creature. However, despite its revered status, the African cheetah is currently facing the threat of extinction, and numerous conservation efforts are being made to protect this extraordinary species. Endangered Status and CITES Red Lists The African che...

The African Elephant up close - almost posing for his photograph. It is Elephant Day today. For quite some time now I have been banging on about the Elephant Crisis that is sweeping through Africa. Those damned Chinese ivory carvers and their clients combined with bad governance by African leaders are keeping the momentum going, fuelling poaching and illegal trade. The losers in this story are the elephants that are dying at a rate of 15 per day. It can’t go on. So, besides Robert Mugabe and Jacob Zuma giggling and dismissing the frantic appeals by conservationists there is a large population whose concerns are more around filling their bellies and keeping starvation from their doors along with those who are filling their overfilled bellies and lining their pockets. And then there are those who, if they cared to listen, could perhaps be doing something more about this sad state of affairs. Why should you care, I hear you say? Well, let me tell you a little story that took...

The magnificence of a Male Lion with his mane in full flow In the wake of the what has to be termed a Paradigm Shift for lions in the wild and on Lion Day I am reminded of the many experiences I have had with lions on the plains of Africa. Getting close to lions ranks right up there with being some of the most exciting experiences that any one person can hope to see today. It is the one factor that I think has galvanised the world into action post Cecil the Lion. However, it is one thing seeing a single lion strutting his stuff out there in the African bush and an entirely different experience when one is privy to the might of the pride. In areas where lions are pressurised by other pack animals such as hyenas, the pride becomes paramount to survival and as such even male lions that can be solitary will form their own prides which we call coalitions. Happening on a coalition of male lions in the bush is a heart stopping event. The sheer power that a male lion demons...

October in the Kalahari is hot. Not just mildly hot, it is scorching. As such tents and other accommodation without air conditioning are stifling by midday. The only option is to find a spot in some sort of shade, make sure the little bit of air movement can catch you and then sit still. My plan is to wet my kikoi (a wonderful piece of cloth bought in Zimbabwe some years ago), take a bottle of water that I have frozen in my equally wonderful Engel fridge, place the bottle on my lap, throw the wet kikoi over my head and wait for the heat of the midday sun to pass.  Yellow Mongoose and Cape Cobra The Mongoose stays just out of reach of the Cobra Sometimes, through some divine intervention, I manage to nod off and the time passes quickly. Today I am rudely awakened not only by the strident screeching of some starlings but by some urgent words. “If you want some shots you better get up fast”. The kikoi gets thrown to one side and without thinking I grab my camera. And then ...

Being ready should be the watch word for every wildlife photographer out there. Seasoned photographers (such as myself) know that at any moment anything can happen and as such a photographer will sit with camera at the ready, on standby mode while periodically changing the camera settings as the light changes. However, Murphy is always occupying the seat next to yours and you are lulled into complacency. Whenever conditions are such that you know that any self-respecting big cat will be tucked away into the deepest thicket they can find to get away from the searing heat of a Kalahari November day, that lethargic complacency will be at its most prevalent. And then it happens! Three subadult cheetah appear suddenly from nowhere, the light is atrociously bright, the heat waves are making a mockery of the lens stabilisation system and of course no super telephoto lens will have (or need to have) a polariser or ND filter so as to reduce the reflections being thrown at it by the gli...

The car shudders and rattles as we pass over each rut in the road and the trailer behind us bumps out of control despite the fact that we are traveling at the prescribed 40km per hour. The road undulates interminably as we make our way from the picnic spot at Dikbaardskolk to the next one almost 50km's away at Kamqua. As we crest yet another dune we reach Vaalpan a descriptively accurate summation of a sandy clearing with a couple of very "vaal" looking water tanks to one side. Scattered about on the pan is a rather large group of Oryx who turn their heads as we gingerly approach trying to minimize the confounded racket that our rattling vehicle is making. The clearly delineated black and white facial markings of the Oryx bear a striking resemblance to Japanese kabuki dancers making the subject a cinch for a statement photograph. As I search through the small herd for a suitable subject in the correct position there is a loud clack-clack directly in front of me ...

The still air in the vast expanses settles around one so that you feel that if you move you will be interrupting the moment. Stand still long enough and you will become part of the landscape that will exist forever in time. Suddenly, the stillness is interrupted by a low, throaty growl that echoes through the air. Another growl and a hiss follow and then, just as instantaneously, it is gone and the silence, once more, descends around you. This silence is an element of the African landscape that is so magical, it is the Siren of Africa that calls and those who hear it will constantly travel back to it time after time to immerse their souls in it's bewitching senses. In the Karoo of Southern Africa the silence of Africa can be acutely felt. It is uninterrupted by the noises of progress and it is here that you can find a very special project that allows you to reflect deeply about the insanity of mankind and the bizarre events that unfold around us on a daily basis. ...