What I love about Kenya and the wildlife is the wide open plains and beautiful landscapes with amazing clouds. I had a fare amount of rain which made the clouds more intense with the sun rays breaking through on the horizon. You often see a solitary acacia tree which is the national tree of Kenya, which adds to the beauty and interest in landscape photography.
Giraffe in the mist and rising sun /
Just as the sun was rising through the mist due to heavy rainstorms the night before, this giraffe was walking in this landscape bathed in extraordinary colours of the rising sun. A unforgettable moment.
Serval cat and mouse /
In the soft light of the golden hour, we watched this Serval cat hunting for a prey for her babies, waiting for her in the bushes. After about an hour she jumped in the air and bounced on a small mouse. Poor little mouse but that is survival in the bush.
Massai warrior with stretched earlobes. /
Stretching and piercing of earlobes is common among the Massai tribe in Kenya as with other tribes. Both men and women wear metal hoops on the stretched earlobes. The stretching is done to a point where the lobe can be looped over the top of the ear.
Beautiful tusks /
Beautiful gentle giant walking towards me through the plains of the Massai Mara.
Running rhinos /
The mother rhino and her baby were running towards me with their ears and tails flying up in the air and their feet stamping on the ground, it was sweet and comical at the same time.
Cheetah at the golden hour. /
The morning light was behind the cheetah outlining her face and body so beautifully. They normally wake up to hunt and she was obviously looking ahead of her to try and spot an eventual prey.
Cheetah on the lookout after a kill. /
After a kill, lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas are always on the lookout for other predators who could snatch their prey from them. The cheetah suddenly sat up with the blood on her nose from the gazelle that she had taken down.
Lion with broken tail /
In the early morning light this lion came walking towards me. His tail was unfortunately broken in a fight with another pride and was hanging loosely on the ground. Could this be a handicap for the lion in the wild, it did not seem to be, but I am not really sure.
Vultures squabbling over rest of prey. /
There was not much left of the prey but the vultures were squabbling over the tiny remains.
Flying in with its wings wide open trying to intimidate the other vultures. Quite a scene.
Recto-Verso /
After a huge amount of rain in the Massai Mara, in Kenya in September 2021 , the plains were beautifully green and the animals were happy and peaceful grazing on the luxurious grass. It was wonderful watching the zebras interconnecting between them as witnessed by this photo I took
Leopard and gazelle /
It is always sad to see a beautiful gazelle or another other animal taken down.
This is survival in the bush. This leopard had dragged her prey high up in a tree away from other predators.
Back from Kenya /
Sadly left the bush after an amazing trip to the Massai Mara. Cold in the morning and evenings, sometimes rain in the afternoons but warm weather during the late morning and early afternoon. Witnessed thousands of wildebeest on the luxurious grassy plaines. The wildlife was abundant , lots of baby cheetahs, lions, serval cats. hyenas and zebras which was beautiful to see and photograph. Within a few days I will post the photographs I took on this great adventure.
Photo: Isak Pretorius
Ready to go /
After nearly two years of quite a few safaris cancelled due to the pandemic, I am at last off to Kenya to photograph the animals and the wildebeest Migration. Camera bag ready to be packed with all the essential gear for this trip. Check list done, cameras, lenses, disks, batteries and chargers, external hard drives and my computer.
SCARFACE a legend /
In 2016 , I was lucky to photograph Scarface one of the most sought-after lions In the Maasai Mara National Park. Scarface and his three brothers, Hunter, Sikio and Morani were known as the Four Musketeers. He was given the name Scarface after being injured when he and his brothers fought over the Marsh Pride territory, leaving him with a wound above his left eye. In the early morning we came across Scarface walking through the long grass to join his brother who was resting near our jeep. It was amazing to see the bond between them . In June this year I sadly heard that this legend, the king of the kings in the Maasai Mara had died at the age of 14 of a natural and peaceful death.
Kenya 2016
Two crocodiles and the antelope /
Whilst the crocodile was sleeping in the hot sun, another crocodile silently emerged from the river and lay close to the sleeping crocodile. Suddenly the sleeping crocodile woke up and threw the antelope in the air, the antelope fell into the crocodile’s jaws, and he snapped it in two parts. While the crocodile was feasting on the bottom legs, the other crocodile grabbed the bigger part of the antelope and rushed to the water before the other crocodile realized that his prey was stolen. It was a comical situation to witness. As always sad for the little antelope but that is survival in the bush.
Kenya 2016
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The crocodile and the antelope /
Waiting in the Jeep patiently for the migration of the wildebeest to start crossing the Mara River, we were surprised to see this crocodile emerging from the water with a young antelope in his jaws. He kept the antelope between his jaws and promptly went to sleep on the bank of the river. The story to follow is about what we witnessed afterwards. (read story: Two crocodiles and the antelope)
Kenya 2016
Passion for Owls /
I have a passion for owls. Driving back from a long day of photography we spotted this owl in a tree. He sat looking at us with one eye closed, as if he was winking at us.
Zambia 2019
A Cheeky Cub /
In the early morning light a pack of lions had taken down a waterbuck. In the bush they kill to survive, which is necessary but of course very sad for their prey.
This cheeky little lion cub was resting his leg against the head of the waterbuck wet by the fluids which covered him while feasting on the waterbuck. The sand had fallen in the eye of the waterbuck and looked like gold dust.
Wildebeest migration /
Literally hundreds of wildebeest slide down the slopes, packed together to rush to the water’s edge and cross the Mara River. The noise of their bellowing and their hooves crashing through the water is incredible.
Tanzania 2018