African Dream

HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
edited February 28, 2012 in Journeys
As a young tadpole I read Hemingway's Green Hills of Africa and Robert Ruark's Horn of the Hunter and acquired a lifelong fascination with Africa. As I grew up and started working and raising a family the dream of actually visiting Africa myself faded into the background replaced by more immediate concerns.

Last year I decided that it was time to see if the childhood dream could become a reality. I told Linda that we should do it now before we entered the Rascal and adult diaper stage and amazingly she agreed. I started a thread in the Wildlife Forum asking for any info anyone could share on Africa. That night I got an e-mail from Andy saying that he and Marc had just decided to do a workshop in Africa in 2011. Serendipity

After 13 months or so of preparation the time finally came so I loaded up Linda
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Flew to NYC, then London and finally Nairobi dealing with every indignity and foul-up the various airlines threw at us.

In Nairobi we boarded Air Muench for our flight to Lewa Downs
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After about an hour or so I got my first glance of Lewa Downs from the air.
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from the airstrip we were driven to Wilderness Trails
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at Wilderness Trails we experienced some of the safari hardships that Hemingway and Ruark wrote about.

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it was hell.

Andy discovers the horses I paid to leave a deposit by his doorway
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After unpacking we headed out for a first drive into the bush. Andy told us to wear neutral colors so as not to scare off the wildlife. Unfortunately the local Maasai didn't get Andy's message
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back to the bush
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sometimes dreams become real.
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to be continued ......
Harry
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
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Comments

  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited October 21, 2011
    Harryb wrote: »
    to be continued ......

    I sure hope so. Fantastic so far, Harry. And congrats on fulfilling your dream!
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  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited October 21, 2011
    clap.gif so so good, can't wait to see all of your pics, Harry!
    PS: don't forget, Linda has all the food pics and oh so much more :)
  • jwwjww Registered Users Posts: 449 Major grins
    edited October 21, 2011
    Amazing stuff! Can't wait to see more! thumb.gif

    (subscribed!)
  • FlyNavyFlyNavy Registered Users Posts: 1,350 Major grins
    edited October 21, 2011
  • ZanottiZanotti Registered Users Posts: 1,411 Major grins
    edited October 21, 2011
    Just wow, to all of you who went. Perfect!

    Z
    It is the purpose of life that each of us strives to become actually what he is potentially. We should be obsessed with stretching towards that goal through the world we inhabit.
  • jwearjwear Registered Users Posts: 8,005 Major grins
    edited October 21, 2011
    Documented very well [dam good work]clap.gif has Linda ask you to remodel you bedroom yet ne_nau.gifthat tent was not bad if only you had a view :D Looks like you dream came true
    Jeff W

    “PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE ‘JAZZ’ FOR THE EYES…”

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  • JeffroJeffro Registered Users Posts: 1,941 Major grins
    edited October 21, 2011
    Looking pretty good thus far.
    Always lurking, sometimes participating. :D
  • rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
    edited October 21, 2011
    Wonderful start. Looking forward to more...
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,680 moderator
    edited October 21, 2011
    Holy cow, can't wait for the rest!! :wow :wow :wow
  • SnowgirlSnowgirl Registered Users Posts: 2,155 Major grins
    edited October 22, 2011
    Beautiful. What an amazing experience you all had. That elephant shot is stunning!
    Creating visual and verbal images that resonate with you.
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  • ADMIT PhotographyADMIT Photography Registered Users Posts: 431 Major grins
    edited October 23, 2011
    Love the one of the elephant! Can't wait to see more!
    Website: http://www.admitphotography.com
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  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited October 23, 2011
    After getting unpacked at Wilderness Trails in Lewa Downs we started what would become the routine for the rest of the trip. Normally we set out before sunrise on a game drive, took a lunch break midday followed by a critique session or learning session with Marc and Andy then in the late afternoon we would do another drive till after sunset.

    Driving down the road
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    setting up for sunrise
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    Marc did a session on painting with light
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    A session on flash was tried but it got to be too dark on the cliff but the bar had been set up so.....
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    We managed to get in a few wildlife captures
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    a big thrill was finding a cheetah and her two cubs
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    dispute resolution water buffalo style
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    the ability to get close to the wildlife afforded us some wonderful photo ops
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    more later
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • angevin1angevin1 Registered Users Posts: 3,403 Major grins
    edited October 23, 2011
    Love the Storyline, keep it coming! I wanted to hear about the trip from the clients perspective most of all. Interesting so far. I know you had good reach lenses, but you folks were right on top of them!
    tom wise
  • pmaxwellpmaxwell Registered Users Posts: 129 Major grins
    edited October 23, 2011
    Amazing images!!
  • Awais YaqubAwais Yaqub Registered Users Posts: 10,572 Major grins
    edited October 23, 2011
    great, more please.
    Thine is the beauty of light; mine is the song of fire. Thy beauty exalts the heart; my song inspires the soul. Allama Iqbal

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  • Y_KnotY_Knot Registered Users Posts: 55 Big grins
    edited October 23, 2011
    I'm sitting on the edge of my seat reading this ! More please.
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited October 23, 2011
    During our stay at Lewa Down we started to do some aerial photography. Air Muench had a Cessna C206 and they would take the door off it and two photographers would be able to shoot away as the pilot flew us over the area.

    The C206
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    Now this all seems fairly simple and it should have been. However one of our party decided to go up for the optional ride in Wilderness Trail's biplane.

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    That person, of course, was Andy. Before I got on the Cessna Andy told me to be sure to get some good shots of him in the biplane. Now I want to get captures of the landscape, the wildlfe, etc. I really don't want to get a bunch of pictures of some bloody biplane. The problem was Andy. If Andy doesn't get what he wants he sulks. Andy sulking is just not pretty.
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    So we took off and I found out that Andy wasn't taking any chances. It seemed that every time I looked out the door there was that bloody biplane
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    I looked down
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    I found some wildlife
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    I did manage to sneak in a few non-biplane captures (not easy).
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    but usually i saw ....... (where is Baron von Richtoven when you really need him?)

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    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited October 24, 2011
    Harryb wrote: »
    So we took off and I found out that Andy wasn't taking any chances. It seemed that every time I looked out the door there was that bloody biplane

    lol3.gif

    Here are you and Marc shooting me, not easy from the biplane, shooting blind, camera over my head :D

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  • denisegoldbergdenisegoldberg Administrators Posts: 14,220 moderator
    edited October 24, 2011
    Harry -
    You have some gorgeous shots here - I'm looking forward to viewing more!
    Love the shot of the zebras running. It gives both a sense of scale and of speed.

    --- Denise
  • schmooschmoo Registered Users Posts: 8,468 Major grins
    edited October 24, 2011
    Way to go, Harry! This was the post I was really waiting for.
  • Marc MuenchMarc Muench Registered Users Posts: 1,420 Major grins
    edited October 24, 2011
    Great work Harry! Of course I think we both had an unfair advantage with the Nikons :)

    Seriously great images!
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,680 moderator
    edited October 24, 2011
    Seriously great images, is right. Some of the best I can recollect ever seeing from a safari. bowdown.gif
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited October 24, 2011
    Andy wrote: »
    lol3.gif

    Here are you and Marc shooting me, not easy from the biplane, shooting blind, camera over my head :D

    From what I remember that was the way you always shot with or without the biplane.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited October 24, 2011
    Harryb wrote: »
    From what I remember that was the way you always shot with or without the biplane.

    I do notice that you're sitting back and letting the real pro do the work there in that shot lol3.gif
  • mushymushy Registered Users Posts: 643 Major grins
    edited October 24, 2011
    And I thought you just shot birds Harry , these photo's are amazing and inspiring!
    Something similar could be my 40th birthday pressie to me!
    May I take your picture?
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2011
    Our first three days at Wilderness Trails in Lewa Downs were a great beginning for our safari.

    Our "hut" was marvelous

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    when we returned at the end of the day a fire was going
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    My only complaint was with the prior occupants
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    There was family of hyraxes hanging out on our porch. They seemed to resent our presence. They always scampered away when I came on the porch but one always stayed close and glared at me.
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    I looked them up and was relieved to find out that they weren't related to squirrels. :whew

    Fortunately there were ample other wildlife photo ops

    Vervet Monkey
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    impala
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    red-billed hornbill
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    a grey-crowned crane
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    secretary bird
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    cheetah
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    I can't say enough about how the Maasai staff at Wilderness Trails and the Ker & Downey folks took care of us.

    Simon, one of our drivers/guide/spotter
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    Simon took care of everything, even extricating our land rover from this little mishap
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    At the end of the three days we were wished a fond farewell
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    as we boarded Air Muench
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    and left Lewa Downs
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    next stop the Maasai Mara
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • AllenAllen Registered Users Posts: 10,008 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2011
    Birds whoop whoop clap.gif
    Now you're getting to the pertinent critters. Really nice.
    Al - Just a volunteer here having fun
    My Website index | My Blog
  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2011
    Allen wrote: »
    Birds whoop whoop clap.gif
    Now you're getting to the pertinent critters. Really nice.

    Allen, it was a birder's paradise. I'm not joking, we saw and photographed up close at least 30+ different species of birds. So awesome.
  • angevin1angevin1 Registered Users Posts: 3,403 Major grins
    edited October 26, 2011
    Nice! That last underwing Shot, incredible!
    tom wise
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,680 moderator
    edited October 26, 2011
    I'm just blown away from the variety of wildlife here. Really great shots, Harry. Keep 'em coming. I know you guys are going to be busy for a very long time.
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