I added three more black and white prints to the store this week, two African Buffalo portraits and one Noble Lion. There’s now nine in the Limited Edition collection, the first six are here. Sizes begin at 30cm and 40cm wide respectively and go up to 80cm or more. There’s more info and print specifications at Print Info.

Zebra Pair

In August I took seven other keen photographers down to the Mara, and those who shared our truck were taken by this zebra pair. It is not uncommon to see zebra pairs like this, it partly acts as a defense mechanism (and it’s been suggested that their opposing tails keep their faces free of flies). But what made this one special was the clear and clean background they were set in. The three of us picked up on this, and this is my take. This one is available as a print here, and you can see a colour version here too.

Mara River Flyby

One morning during the annual wildebeest migration we were down by the Mara river first thing – just after 6:00am – and found ourselves using ISO settings of 6400 and even 12800 sometimes to catch a crossing. A little later, when the light was a little brighter there was a part two of the crossing, and on this occasion I noticed a steady stream of vultures and maribu storks flying over the top of the assembling wildebeest which had gathered down at the riverside. I managed a couple, and this is one of them.

Richmond Park Stag

I was in Richmond Park with Richard Peters one morning with no special plan in mind except just to see what we could find. The best time is early in the morning, when the light is most likely at its best, and also when there is nobody else about. There was a herd of bachelor males, not doing anything particularly interesting, when I noticed this one right in front of me. I took the picture but it was only afterwards that I realised what I had. It was consequently published shortly after in the first edition of N-Photo, the consumer Nikon enthusiasts magazine.

Leopard Cub

Our April visit to the Mara was probably not as satisfying as our previous trips if it wasn’t for the last early morning encounter of two young leopards, a male and his younger sibling as here. The light was just wonderful, we were positioned well, and we found ourselves with twenty minutes with these two. The only thing I wished for, was that this little one would look right at me, right into the camera. But he didn’t, not once, not for a second.

Leopard Sunrise

During the same April trip we had a fleeting sighting of this one under the canopy. Again it was early, about an hour after sunrise. The light beam shone through a gap in the trees just briefly as she turned back on herself. I managed three, but for this one her tail was perfect and the light on her completed the picture.

Male Lion

Well I said five, but I couldn’t resist a sixth one because in the end I couldn’t leave this guy out. This male lion was had just finished feeding on a wildebeest with his pride and was off for a lie down somewhere. The look of intensity was ever present and I was delighted to have caught it.

As I said many of my pictures from 2010 played their part in 2011, so I hope with a little luck some of my pictures from 2011 might play their part for me in 2012 in some way or another too.

Click on the image to play the Migration video, by Will and Matt Burrard-Lucas.

• 26th July – 2nd August 2012
• 3rd August – 10th August 2012
• 11th August – 18th August 2012

Announcing Masai Mara Photographic tours for 2012 with 8, 16 and 24 day options.

With co-host Will Burrard-Lucas

Join with Will and myself to photograph the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth, the annual migration in the Masai Mara in Kenya. We have a private luxury camp, in one of the best locations in the Masai Mara, inside the reserve, and directly in front of a main wildebeest crossing point, set aside especially for us.

For a week, two, or three, we’ll be photographing river crossings where crocodiles lie in wait for the wildebeest to cross, elephant, leopard, lion and cheetah, black rhino, and if we’re lucky, a lion hunt or a cheetah chase.

For much more info on the tour, including of the vehicles we use, tuition, iMac workstation access at camp, itinerary and costs, then visit the tour info page here at Masai Mara Photo Tours.

Last week, myself and seven others visited the Masai Mara to photograph and experience the annual wildebeest migration and none of us were disappointed. Within minutes (literally) upon arriving at camp we found ourselves running to the river to see our first wildebeest crossing. In the next few days, we witnessed two more, even though we were aware of others still.

One morning we were down by the river first thing – just after 6:00am – and found ourself using ISO settings of 6400 and even 12800 sometimes to catch a crossing. A little later, when the light was a little brighter there was a part two of the crossing, and on this occasion I noticed a steady stream of vultures and maribu storks flying over the top of the assembling wildebeest which had gathered down at the riverside. I managed a couple, and this is one of them.

This was a week long tour organised by myself at last a minutes’ notice (well, two months’ notice anyway) and we were all delighted with the experience we had, very much exceeding everyone’s expectations. It is a precursor for more to follow, and I will certainly have more lined up for next year. Keep an eye out here if you’re interested in one, or subscribe to my newsletter here if you want to be the first to know.

For more updates, news and pictures, you’re welcome to join up with my Facebook wildlife photography page here.

One point five million wildebeest cross the Mara River every year on the way to or from Kenya and Tanzania. On this occasion, some 10,000-15,000 traversed at this point in the river, taking almost an hour and a half to pass. What a photograph cannot capture is the sound, and I also think any photo would find it difficult to catch the mayhem involved as well.

This one small part of the crossing last September featured one wildebeest who found himself facing the wrong way while trying to make it to the other side. The surge of his fellow wildebeest made it near impossible to turn. I watched for a while but eventually lost sight, so I did not know what became of him.

It is one of three images that reached the final round of the Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year for me this year. Which was a good bonus because I entered this quite literally at the last minute, because I felt I had nothing to lose by doing so.

Taken using a Nikon D700 with 70-200 zoom lens at 200mm, f/5.6, 1/350th, and ISO 400.

Today I’ve posted another free desktop wallpaper of an elephant family available for download at my Facebook page. It’s a high quality full resolution image, suitable for all monitor sizes. But to download the images you’ll have to join my page by liking it first which gives you free access to the download links.

This one is of an Elephant family traversing a waterhole in Kwando Botswana. The sun was setting, providing the wonderful light that Africa is well known for at that time of day.

This download is available for a limited time only, so be quick and get it from my Facebook Wildlife Photography page while you can. It’s under the Freebies tab to the left of my page there.

Links:
My Wildlife Photography Page on Facebook
Click here to download a free desktop wallpaper of this elephant family.

Pride of Place, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, 2007.

I put my photos up at 500px.com/davidlloyd these days which has shown in recent months to threaten to become the premiere photo-sharing website on the internet, usurping even firmly established sites such as flickr and Photobucket in more ways than one.

My Five Top Wildlife Photographers on 500px

Following on from Trey Ratcliffe’s recent Favourite Five 500px Photographers post at Stuck in Customs, I’ve decided too to cobble together a top five such list myself, under the Wildlife genre.

I’m sure there are many I’ve not had the priviledge to discover yet, but these are the top five I have found so far. For wildlife photography, I am defining that as photography of animals in the wild – untamed and free, so while there are very good captive animal photographers (i.e Marina Cano and Wolf Ademeit), I’ve decided to keep my selection to just that – exclusively that of photographers of free roaming wildlife.

So, in no established order, my current favourite wildlife photographers on 500px are:

As with any list of this type it’s always difficult to know who to leave out, and on another day the list may well be represented by other photographers. For many others who’s work I admire, you can always visit my 500px friends list.

Finally, for what it’s worth, the badge to my own collection of pictures that I have on 500px:

So am I missing anyone? If I am, then please let me know.

A seven day Masai Mara annual migration photo tour for only $3,300 (or £2,000).

I am offering an exclusive photo tour to the Masai Mara in Kenya during the last week of August for seven days for a price that I think would be very hard to beat. The price is good because I am organising this as a strictly one-off non-profitable tour.

We’ll be staying in a private luxury mobile camp, set aside especially for our group in what I believe to be one of the best locations within the Masai Mara itself. You’ll also have access to exclusive vehicles of no more than two photographers per 4×4 vehicle, just perfect for wildlife photography.

And we will be photographing the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth, the annual migration in the Masai Mara in Kenya. We can photograph the great river crossings where crocodiles lie in wait for the wildebeest to cross, and we will also see elephant, leopard, lion and cheetah and even, if we’re lucky, black rhino.

For more about the tour, the dates and cost, read the details at the Masai Mara Photo Tour page where you can also find more about camp and vehicles and the full tour itinerary.