MaggieBee wrote:
Hi Susan, what a great trip it must have been. These are all fantastic - perfect exposures, great comps, wonderful expressions and poses. Hope you frame these - what a great wall display they would make.
Thanks Maggie!! I was lucky that the silverback thought he was a movie star on the red carpet... Lots more gorillas to come, though perhaps none as majestic as this fella...
Susan
slau wrote:
Susan, nice series. Glad to see how clean the ISO images from the 1DMk3 are. If you don't mind, would you share a bit more about your trip which will always make the pictures more meaningful. Also, I have been gathering information about an African shooting trip in the future.
Were you shooting handheld with your 400DO?
Thanks Stephen! Yes, the mkIII is awesome at high ISOs - that alone makes the camera worth the purchase price. Here's a super-brief overview of the trip: 3 nights in Rwanda gorilla trekking (visited the Sanbyinyo and Tatus groups), 4 nights in Katavi Natl Park in SW Tanzania - Chada Katavi camp (wow - the biggest concentration of game and the most action that I've seen in Africa, and our VERY experienced guide Tony Reumerman puts it at or near the top of his list of "places to visit in Africa), 3 nights Mahale Mountains - Greystoke Lodge (chimp trekking; the lodge is on Lake Tanganyika and it's gorgeous), 3 nights at a mobile camp in the northern Serengeti - Nomad Serengeti camp (wildebeest migration). This is an awesome itinerary.
Yes, gorilla shots were all hand-held - the 400 DO is perfect for that.
Shasoc wrote:
Awesome images, Susan. You really captured the personality of Guhonda with beautiful detail and clarity. And you've done a truly spectacular job of delivering them to us. Thanks for sharing,
Socrate
Susan, I would love to hear more about your trip. We went to Tanzania 2 years ago, which was part of the impetus for me to become serious about photography. I desperately want to back, especially for the Mountain Gorillas. How about some equipment details - was the 400 too much magnification? Did you shoot shorter focal lenghts? How much light was there, did you have to push the ISO to get decent images? How about backpacks? It is a strenuous climb up there I hear. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
jstephens62 wrote:
Susan, I would love to hear more about your trip. We went to Tanzania 2 years ago, which was part of the impetus for me to become serious about photography. I desperately want to back, especially for the Mountain Gorillas. How about some equipment details - was the 400 too much magnification? Did you shoot shorter focal lenghts? How much light was there, did you have to push the ISO to get decent images? How about backpacks? It is a strenuous climb up there I hear. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks! You should go back to see gorillas, for sure - I've been to both Uganda/Bwindi and Rwanda/Volcanoes, and recommend the former for accomodations though it's harder to get there. Either is super for gorillas. The 400DO + 70-200 (on two separate bodies) were a perfect combo. We were lucky to see the Sabyinyo group out in the open in bright cloudy conditions - PERFECT for photography - but you can't count on these conditions. Even under optimal conditions, since I was shooting handheld, I mostly used the 1DmkIII at ISO ~2500 and it performed beautifully (although you should be the judge of that...). You have to leave your backpack about 100m from the gorillas, so you need to know exactly what to bring onto the scene. I had both bodies slung around my neck and alternately pretty wildly between the two, depending on the situation. Re the hike in - I've experienced mild (~1 hr hike over flat ground) to strenuous (5 hours up and down in mud) conditions - impossible to predict so know that you can carry your equipment for a long, long time and hope for the best!
Susan
Amazing, What an experience to have I have invitiations from Locals to go to Ugnada and Kenya and Zambia. My back has been giving me fits though and am hesitant to go, but you images make me want to just say go. Great work I really enjoyed your images. Bruce
B Benson wrote:
Amazing, What an experience to have I have invitiations from Locals to go to Ugnada and Kenya and Zambia. My back has been giving me fits though and am hesitant to go, but you images make me want to just say go. Great work I really enjoyed your images. Bruce
Just say YES!!!!!! It's the flying that will be the trouble... but once you're among these animals, all thoughts of discomfort will have been erased.
I say that somewhat facetiously since I know that flying while having back trouble is really problemmatic - but I hope you decide to go!!
Susan
Susan....what can I say
I would say "you leave me speechless"....
but we don't know what it would take to do that yet
I think of the entire INCREDIBLE series....
I will have to choose "kinda Grumpy"
cuz that's how I'll feel when this thread
finally gets archived....
I have been looking at it every day since you first posted it....
Will Guhonda get the COVER of your Book??
i'm in awe of these. just stunning. everything about them is exceptional. i was looking ove some of my past photos of kenya and i am truely humbled. can i carry your gear on the next shoot. what lens did you find most useful in tanzania, i am headed back in august.
Just wonderful. I am sure you have some very very special memories from your trip and your time with such great animals. It is such a shame that such great creatures and their habitat is so much at risk and undervalued. Wonderful pictures...keep them coming. Would appreciate if you could post some more info about the details of your trip i.e location and company etc you used.
BodieAngels wrote:
Susan....what can I say I would say "you leave me speechless".... but we don't know what it would take to do that yet I think of the entire INCREDIBLE series.... I will have to choose "kinda Grumpy" cuz that's how I'll feel when this thread finally gets archived.... I have been looking at it every day since you first posted it.... Will Guhonda get the COVER of your Book??
in gratitude,
Nelcha
Many thanks Nelcha for the very kind words!!! Yeah, that Guhonda thinks he's a movie star!!! He is very, very photogenic...
xox
S
mfrank123 wrote:
i'm in awe of these. just stunning. everything about them is exceptional. i was looking ove some of my past photos of kenya and i am truely humbled. can i carry your gear on the next shoot. what lens did you find most useful in tanzania, i am headed back in august.
Thanks Mike!! Yeah, I'm always looking for someone to lug the 500 around...
The single most valuable lens in Africa, for me, is always a 500/f4. If I couldn't take that, I'd take a 400 prime (which I did, just for this trip, because I knew I'd be hiking in for gorillas in Rwanda and chimps at Mahale). I also took a 70-200 zoom and a 17-40 for landscapes (and a lensbaby, for fun!).
dmcharg wrote:
Just wonderful. I am sure you have some very very special memories from your trip and your time with such great animals. It is such a shame that such great creatures and their habitat is so much at risk and undervalued. Wonderful pictures...keep them coming. Would appreciate if you could post some more info about the details of your trip i.e location and company etc you used.
Thanks
David.
Thanks David! We use Bushtracks for all logistics for our trips to Africa. This trip included the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda (Volcanoes Safaris is the local operator) and three outstanding camps run by Nomad Safaris in Tanzania: Chada Katavi, Greystoke Mahale, and Serengeti Camp. All the best!
Susan
Susan, if you could share some info about getting to Volcanoes and the hike, how difficult is the climb? I am going next year and I have some anxiety about a couple things and I am trying to get as much info as possible. I have been to Africa before but this will be a first to Rwanda.
Hi Susan! These are excellent pictures. Your work is always something to aspire for. I haven't been to Africa but your postings certainly moves the needle closer to the top of the list on my once in a lifetime places to visit.
