Subscribe by email
Subscribe by RSS feed
Kenya Images Posted
February 14th, 2010
I’ve been sitting on these for a while, wondering what to do with them and finally got off my butt and decided to put them into a slideshow. It could be a while before they make it into my portfolio as I’m still figuring out a complete re-build, so here’s a glimpse at what I shot. It’s a rough edit and to my horror I saw that I’ve left a couple dust spots in there which I’ll remove as I do a final edit, so consider this a glimpse at my sketches rather than the final work.
This trip was a lot of fun for so many reasons, not the least of which was the company and the learning curve which I find invigorating, if not at times frustrating (the learning curve, not the company!) Thanks to those that travelled with me on this trip. If you’re reading this and have some of your images you’d like to share, drop a note and a link into the comments.
Click HERE to open that slideshow in a new window.
Amazing images David. Thank you so much for sharing. It makes me want to go back myself. Such a beautiful country.
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by pixelatedimage: Images from January’s Kenya Safari now posted. http://bit.ly/aG6LFH...
I would love the big cat hanging out in the tree to be your next monthly calendar! I love the shots of the elephants. Welcome back.
Awesome images! Loved seeing them.
Thank you for sharing.
Unreal shots, mate! Were you on one of those organized tours or was this something you put together?
Cheers
These are spectacular. Keep pushing yourself, ’cause we all win!
Fantastic shots, David. Thank you for your continuing to share your vision. Looking forward to talking to you soon.
Yes, thanks for sharing these with us. This is a trip I would love to take……someday it will happen
Hi David, love your work! Just wondering are the shots with the sun in them merged exposures? Or do you have a secret trick?
I love the tone on the first third of the set. The safari pics have this 30′s/40′s Hemmingway Green Hills of Africa feel to them that I simply love. Of course the rest of the photos are amazing (especially some of the lantern light ones) as well
Thanks for posting the slideshow! Fun to watch, loved the sepia-ish toning on the first photos, and extremely jealous of your hot-air balloon ride!
You have captured what it is to “safari” well, inspiring and beautiful.
Thank you.
kaylene
Fantastic selection of images David, thanks for sharing.
I was really surprised by some of the shots. Not because they weren’t good, but because I didn’t think I would have thought to take them. I loved the close up detail shots of the textures on the animals. The shots where two animals combined into one made me smile.
David,these are wonderful images. Love your play with symmetry lines, and, in some cases, compression (like the giraffe’s head and neck blending into the tree). Careful – someone might ask you to do a book about this stuff someday.
David – there’s some great images in here. I definitely liked your play with the vintage look – but I bet some of those are pretty stunning in color, yes?
David….looks like you had a fantastic trip. Too bad we couldn’t get together while you were here. Some beautiful shots. I’m looking forward to going to Samburu at the start of March with my wife. Can’t wait to get out into the wilderness again. Many blessings and safe journeys.
Thanks so much for the feedback. It really was a lovely trip!
@Mike Pistone – You win the prize for the comment that most made me smile. I grew up as a teenager reading Hemingway and I think it’s his influence on me that’s made me love travel – and Africa – as I do. That you got that feeling from the images without my saying so makes me smile.
@Jordanite – There’s no trick here, really, just let the sun blow out and throw a little fill light in with either a flash or later with Lightroom as you process it. In my case I use Lightroom and push the fill and exposure a little. If you want the edge-cut sun or starburst then you’ll also need to keep the sun peaking out from something and not fully exposed to the sensor, then drop your aperture down to something small. In my case I usually just crank it to f/22
@Sterling, this was a safari I did as a guest photography guide in collaboration with Ryan Snider of Socially Responsible Safaris. It won’t be the last one.
Thanks to all of you for the comments. Nice to be back online and part of things with you again.
Hey David, bought Visionmongers a couple weeks ago, great book, thanks. Thought I’d start checking out your blog. Your Safari series is amazing! Well done.
These are amazing. Love the treatment on the photos and the silhouettes are fantastic. A great portrayal of the expansiveness of Kenya.
Great collection and treatment of images. I’m packing my bags! Cheers.
Thanks for sharing these photos. It’s good to have your images in front of me once again.
Fantastic shots Dave! Keep up the good work sir
Wonderful David! Thanks for sharing! Neat to see the “sketches” and I would love it if you would post the same format once they are “finished” as it would be wonderfully instructive to me. I was surprised at the number of sun flare shots, and at the vignetting. I see the later in a lot of your work, but it seemed a bit stronger than usual, not bad, just stronger. All in all I want to go next time! (i just need to save up for the 200-400 f4.)
I’ve never had a burning desire to do a photo safari – but after viewing your remarkable slideshow…well, sign me up! Wow! Such inspiring images! I loved the shot of the 2 giraffes from the back – a new perspective that made me smile.
Hi David!
Your shots are great! I especially love your black and white ones. It sure was a great trip and it was a pleasure and an honor to share it with you and all the company. As you know it was our first time in Africa but it will not be long before Annie and I go back.
If you want to have a look at a selection of my photos, I posted them in a slide show at:
http://web.mac.com/yvesperr/Kenya2010/
It is obvious we were together but with a different vision.
Hey David, welcome back. Awesome images. Like a previous poster, this makes me reconsider my previous indifference to an African safari. How big of a telephoto do you need for most of these animal shots?
Welcome home! Loved the slide show–thanks for sharing!
Beautiful pictures! Reminded me of my time when I lived there in the late 90s.
Wonderful images!! Really beautiful!!
The winter has been long but your images inspire me to go out and find the life in the snow! Thanks for sharing!
David,
Great pics! Who’s the good looking guide in the lantern photos??
At last you’ve returned
! And what an amazing portfolio! Beautiful images in a beautiful Continent. I’m delighted.
These are just beyond stunning. I hope I get to participate in this next year! What a great opportunity!
I want to go back to Kenya! Have done a couple of safaris (never a photo safari) but would not have thought of trying b&w. You’ve given me so many ideas.
Enjoyed your post on your African Safari. Just got back from a trip with Tewfic El-Sawy to India. I enjoyed your thoughts on how to shoot an animal much like shooting a person…you must wait for the emotional moment. Just downloaded Slideshow pro so I’ll be able to make a slideshow of my infrared images from the Tribal lands in India.
Thanks,
Terri
Great shots, thanks for sharing it!
Awesome Picture of the leopard in the tree!
Reminds of the photos by Nick Brandt. Please, tell me how you got that background?!!
amazing slideshow david – the photos are awesome and i love the cohesive way you processed the different segments…
Greetings from Luxembourg!
Wow, these are some killer shots! I really enjoyed them! I’m currently reading “Within the frame”- love it. The way photography is explained in this book is how I’d like to shoot…but back to the topic: I was curious of the lack of color in these shots…why so much emphasis on the sepia/dusty tones?
Daniel. Thanks for the kind words. Sorry not to have a fancy explanation about the toning I gave to the images. It just felt right. Often when I see a place I end up with two series’. One is colour and one is toned. I feel that if something in an image is not contributing to it that it is therefore taking away and in the case of images where the focus is on the lines and textures, the gesture of the image, then a tone monochrome image is often the best way to establish mood while allowing the viewer to focus on the things I was most drawn to.
WOW D.D.! You are great at animals too! Inspiring images. Thanks for posting.
These are all so amazing David! Thanks so much!
Thanks for sharing these with us.I love the picture in front of the post.
too much fun… I need more of that! thanks for sharing. I particularly like the image of the gentleman with his journal, pipe, and whiskey at the table. thats the life!