tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85359218087020921222024-03-13T03:28:14.428+02:00Photography by William DicksPhotography is like therapy to me. It freezes time and space as an aid to memory!William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-23373304772362064652017-12-19T18:29:00.001+02:002017-12-19T18:29:01.235+02:00Finally, I got to see the Cheetahs!<p>I arrived at Rietvlei Nature Reserve just after 06:00 on 16 December 2017, and it started like most of these visits do…, seeing zebra.</p> <p align="center"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="600"><a title="The Three Stooges, uhm, zebras!" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/38279980355/in/datetaken-public/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="The Three Stooges, uhm, zebras!" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4633/38279980355_d2e6f74552_h.jpg" width="603" height="344"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="600"><font size="1">Three zebras moseying along!</font></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>I have been visiting <a href="http://www.tshwane.gov.za/sites/Tourism/NatureConservation/Pages/Rietvlei-Nature-Reserve.aspx" target="_blank">Rietvlei Nature Reserve</a> for many years, and several years ago, Cheetahs were reintroduced to the reserve. Since then I have been hoping that I would be able to spot them. I only once got to see them, and it was very fleeting. I am on the Rietvlei Photographers <a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/" target="_blank">WhatsApp</a> group, and I started receiving many messages that the cats had been spotted. I made my way over and eventually got to see them. Since that time I had been hoping that I would get to find the cats by myself. That opportunity finally presented itself.</p> <p align="center"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="600"><a title="Cheetah mom and cubs" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/38430330474/in/datetaken-public/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Cheetah mom and cubs" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4587/38430330474_96d84b9208_h.jpg" width="603" height="348"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="600"> <p align="center"><font size="1">Cheetah mom and cubs (about 80m away)</font><br><font size="1">Latitude: 25° 52.983'S, Longitude: 28° 17.646'E</font></p></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>I was on my way to the Otter Bridge (Latitude: 25° 52.888'S, Longitude: 28° 17.722'E) when I looked to my left, and on this mound I could see what I thought was a log. But, as I moved the log kept on changing shape, which is quite logical, since I kept changing the angle at which I saw this log. But then, the log seemed to look suspiciously like it had what to my poor eyesight, looked like cheetah ears. I stopped my car and took my Sony camera with a 150-500mm Sigma lens on it to see what I was looking at, and there it was; not just one cheetah, but FOUR! I moved my car around so that the driver’s window faced them, and settled in for the long haul. I stayed in that position for two and a half hours, until they all moved to the other side of the mound and I could no longer see them. I didn’t want to stay there in case they left on the other side while I waited this side for nothing. So, I decided to move on and then return this way a little later.</p> <p>On my meanderings I came across dandelions—not a code word for fancy lions—and black wildebeest.</p> <p align="center"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="600"><a title="Dandelion" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/38429920184/in/datetaken-public/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Dandelion" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4734/38429920184_1acd607cf1_h.jpg" width="603" height="339"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="600"><font size="1">Dandelion</font></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p align="center"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="600"><a title="Black Wildebeest" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/39107575022/in/datetaken-public/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Black Wildebeest" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4733/39107575022_4d3778880f_h.jpg" width="603" height="339"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="600"><font size="1">Black Wildebeest</font></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>On my return to the Otter Bridge, approaching from the opposite end, the cheetahs were about to cross the bridge. I stopped in one of the parking spots with a good angle to see the cheetahs, and they certainly did not disappoint. They passed within feet of my car. What an amazing experience!</p> <p align="center"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="600"><a title="Cheetah mom and cubs" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/39107476412/in/datetaken-public/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Cheetah mom and cubs" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4643/39107476412_b1253f0f2b_h.jpg" width="603" height="339"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="600"><font size="1">Mom and cubs about to cross the Otter Bridge!</font></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p align="center"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="600"><a title="Cheetah cub" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/24278844037/in/datetaken-public/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Cheetah cub" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4592/24278844037_3deb19fa22_h.jpg" width="603" height="339"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="600"><font size="1">One of the cubs!</font></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p align="center"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="600"><a title="Cheetah mom and cubs" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/39107205732/in/datetaken-public/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Cheetah mom and cubs" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4681/39107205732_5da3b6c490_h.jpg" width="603" height="402"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="600"><font size="1">Mom and two of her cubs!</font></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>After getting this rare opportunity to be so close to them and to photograph them I decided that it was time to go home. My day had just become an amazing day!</p> <p>To see more of my photographs, please visit my <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/" target="_blank">Flickr account</a>!</p>William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-55811836247841902392017-01-15T18:31:00.001+02:002017-01-15T18:31:01.045+02:00Not doing that much photography right now<p>About 9 or 10 weeks ago I woke up one day with severe pain in my right wrist. I thought that it was a temporary thing and didn’t bother with it <a href="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1200x675/p01m44ms.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="doctorwho" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="doctorwho" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hXFCSH9vKyE/WHujfoORavI/AAAAAAAAAYg/3o2VC01V0HA/doctorwho%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" align="right" height="179"></a>much. The pain became worse as time went by, and finally my wife made an appointment for me at our GP for 14 December 2016.</p> <p>I visited the doctor—no, not the one/s on the right—and after he finished checking me out he said that I had acute tendinitis due to my work as a software developer which I’ve been since 1991. He gave me 2 injections into my wrist and told me that the pain should be gone in about 2 weeks. However, the pain never went away.</p> <p>The pain became so severe that I found it difficult to turn a key in the door, or turn a door handle. The simplest every day activities caused pain in the wrist, and the most difficult for me to handle was the fact that it became unbearable to do my photography. I could take one or two photographs and then it would become necessary for me to nurse my wrist. The end result was that during the December holidays I only went out twice to take photographs compared to 6 times in December 2015.</p> <p>So, on 6 January 2017 I saw the doctor again, and having learnt about the continuing pain, he referred me to a specialist doctor for sonars to be done on my wrist and hand. Before we entered the doctor’s offices I told my wife that I didn’t think that anything would be found and that it was probably just pains from getting older. The sonar was completed and the result is that I have arthritis in 3 fingers and in the wrist, plus I have the beginning stages of carpal tunnel syndrome and an internal ganglion cyst in my wrist, nd finally that I have fluid buildup in my fingers where there should be none.</p> <p>I dropped off the detailed report at my doctor’s offices, and later that day he called me to tell me that he is referring me to an orthopedic surgeon and that his receptionist will call me with the appointment details. So, now I am waiting for that to see what happens next.</p> <p>I know I haven’t been posting here much, but I have thought about posting, though. It’s the thought that counts, right? Here are a few photographs from a while back!</p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JgnV9_j50m4/WHujiA1rpqI/AAAAAAAAAYk/HzfaQ3S3zww/s1600-h/D20151012T205145_WGD_S%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Playing with fire!" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Playing with fire!" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l3820OMLXNg/WHujjk7NeWI/AAAAAAAAAYo/Zn_MQ8RTU74/D20151012T205145_WGD_S_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>A little steel wool experimentation!<small> – 12 Oct 2015</small></small></td></tr></tbody></table><br> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eX4OMujPeMA/WHujkwoSzXI/AAAAAAAAAYs/E2EHomH3Peg/s1600-h/D20151012T205703_WGD_S%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Playing with fire!" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Playing with fire!" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oGDqqUAJNtg/WHujnKg_AUI/AAAAAAAAAYw/tkpE1x4ykd0/D20151012T205703_WGD_S_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="904"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>Some more!<small><small> – 12 Oct 2015</small></small></small></td></tr></tbody></table><br> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8l2oY2YdJO4/WHujpMwkQ8I/AAAAAAAAAY0/S4kDt2Jd0Ko/s1600-h/D20151101T071346_WGD_S%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Nature in Rietvlei Nature Reserve" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Nature in Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_5egPIUf5j8/WHujqjrtFUI/AAAAAAAAAY4/GkJNJcDUQTE/D20151101T071346_WGD_S_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>There’s mushroom for all of us! <small>at Rietvlei Nature Reserve</small><small> - 1 Nov 2015</small></small></td></tr></tbody></table><br> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3OXe-NFgyGU/WHujs2ElUTI/AAAAAAAAAY8/LKcWnEFZo_s/s1600-h/D20151101T084957_WGD_S_2%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Nature in Rietvlei Nature Reserve" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Nature in Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pw9YHVF2418/WHujt3JftVI/AAAAAAAAAZA/oFoTKByfB8s/D20151101T084957_WGD_S_2_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>White-fronted bee-eater <small>at Rietvlei Nature Reserve</small> - 1 Nov 2015</small></td></tr></tbody></table><br> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lGTokmjUop4/WHujuyVn48I/AAAAAAAAAZE/zeOYbYNweRw/s1600-h/D20151101T081235_WGD_S%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Nature in Rietvlei Nature Reserve" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Nature in Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-S4ZwiL_oS0Q/WHujwttmirI/AAAAAAAAAZI/B_vPFBnqh4s/D20151101T081235_WGD_S_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="904"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>The lonely road at Rietvlei Nature Reserve – 1 Nov 2015</small></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>You can get more of my photographs at <a href="http://bit.ly/WGD_Instagram" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="http://bit.ly/WGDTwitter" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://bit.ly/WGD_500px" target="_blank">500px</a> and <a href="http://bit.ly/WGD_Facebook" target="_blank">Facebook</a>!</p>William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-90628919781844616102016-07-04T21:32:00.000+02:002016-07-04T21:33:22.323+02:00Roodeplaat Nature Reserve - 10 October 2015<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";">This past weekend I thought I'd write up another short post with photographs, just to find out that I hadn't done so since last year September; that was 10 months ago! I also realised that there were many sets of photographs that I hadn't processed yet. That set me on a quest to do processing on photographs that I took months ago. </span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d28775.145935733453!2d28.3608046!3d-25.6416685!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x0%3A0x3be14623dc61106b!2sRoodeplaat+Dam+Provincial+Nature+Reserve!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sza!4v1467658579970" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe> </span></span><br />
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<span id="fullpost"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";">Last year in October I visited the Roodeplaat Nature Reserve (RNR), and although it isn't one of my favourite photographic spots, I did get a few photographs. When you visit RNR, you have to be VERY patient.</span></span><br />
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<span id="fullpost"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";">I arrived shortly after sunrise, and the light was a beautiful golden colour; indeed the golden hour!</span></span><br />
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<span id="fullpost"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/22099942762/in/album-72157659700480692/" title="Another watching zebra"><img alt="Another watching zebra" height="400" src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/668/22099942762_2ae33fc9ee_h.jpg" width="600" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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<span id="fullpost"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";">The zebra above stared at me very intently, but it didn't seem like he was much bothered with my presence.</span></span><br />
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<span id="fullpost"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21924893180/in/album-72157659700480692/" title="Indecisive kudu"><img alt="Indecisive kudu" height="600" src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/1/661/21924893180_d6e36a07c8_h.jpg" width="600" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></span></div>
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<span id="fullpost"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/22187672562/in/album-72157659700480692/" title="Roodeplaat Nature Reserve"><img alt="Roodeplaat Nature Reserve" height="400" src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/726/22187672562_d3e8f8ddc9_h.jpg" width="600" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></span></div>
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<span id="fullpost"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";">I came upon the Kudu above nibbling on the grasses. He looked at me for a short while, and then turned to his left and bolted out of there!</span></span><br />
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<span id="fullpost"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";">The rest of the photographs of this outing can be found <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/albums/72157659700480692" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span><br />
<br />William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-1322432097489714392015-09-28T20:52:00.001+02:002015-09-28T20:52:10.576+02:00The Blood Moon and Photographic Mistakes<p>A couple of weeks ago I photographed the <a href="http://picwill.blogspot.co.za/2015/09/partial-solar-eclipse-and-cnn.html" target="_blank">partial solar eclipse</a> that was seen over South Africa, and that just made me more excited about the blood moon that was set to appear in the early hours of this morning over South Africa. </p> <p>A friend of mine invited me over to his place, since he lives on a hill, and our view of the transformation of the moon wouldn’t be obstructed. So, last night I went to bed around 22:00 (10pm) and then woke up this morning at 02:30 (2:30am). I arrived at his place around 02:50 and then we set up in an open patch of grass next door to his house.</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Early phase" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21169263543/in/album-72157658810279568/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Early phase" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/675/21169263543_90eb082c3c_h.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>Early phase of the moon’s transformation to becoming a blood moon.</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>Taking pictures of the early phases of the transformation to becoming the blood moon was easy. It was nailing the actual blood moon that gave me problems. I basically created these problems for myself due to not thinking clearly what I wanted to accomplish. </p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Halfway mark" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21603477169/in/album-72157658810279568/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Halfway mark" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/605/21603477169_af6f13af13_h.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>Halfway through the transformation into the blood moon</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>The <em>first </em>problem I encountered was with my camera. Just to make clear, the camera isn’t the problem; it was my interpretation of what I saw on the LCD of the camera. I use a Sony SLT-A37, and for the price I paid for it, it is brilliant! I’ve had it now for 2 years and 8 months. I got this camera for free, since my insurance replaced my old Sony A200 after it was stolen. It was definitely a major upgrade to what I had. What I really like about the Sony cameras is that it makes use of an electronic viewfinder, which shows the photographer what the photo will look like before it is taken. That can be seen on the viewfinder and the LCD. However, that is the very thing that messed with my mind in the early hours this morning. When the moon was darkened, to get more light I started slowing down the shutter speed. But then, watching it on the LCD, it looked very grainy, but like one guy on Facebook said, even if he took grainy shots, he could still say that he did it. So, I took up the same philosophy. Yet, I started realizing that the photos I took of the blood moon didn’t have the grain in it like on the LCD (I didn’t feel like peeping through the viewfinder the whole night). They seemed ok. However, I had set the shutter speed down to somewhere between 6 and 10 seconds. Big.Mistake! When viewing it on the camera, it looked fine. However, when I got home I saw that they weren’t fine. So, what is usually very helpful, the electronic viewfinder (and LCD), in this case messed with my mind.</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Blood Moon completed" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21602498948/in/album-72157658810279568/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Blood Moon completed" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5818/21602498948_ba9e60e3ce_h.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small> When this photograph is enlarged, you can see a slight movement of the stars. Shutter speed 2 seconds.</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>The <em>second</em> problem was the fact that setting the shutter speed so slow actually picked up the movement of the moon and stars! Who knew that in 2-10 seconds there would be movement by these heavenly bodies?! I didn’t expect that, and so I never compensated for it. The right thing would have been to push the ISO higher in order to make use of a quicker shutter speed. But, that is how we live and learn.</p> <p>The good thing is that I have 3 years to prepare for the <a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/list.html" target="_blank">next total lunar eclipse</a> that will be seen over South Africa. Maybe I will be better prepared then?</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Blood Moon accomplished" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21765261616/in/album-72157658810279568/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Blood Moon accomplished" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/667/21765261616_10e893468d_h.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small> Here the stars actually make a long line of movement. Shutter speed 5 seconds.</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>Both of the blood moon photographs are blurred due to the long exposure, and you can see the stars making trails. Next time I will know better!</p> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-73706679576694017332015-09-19T10:46:00.001+02:002015-09-19T10:46:59.206+02:00Close up photography experimentation<p>A couple of nights ago I was experimenting a bit with close up photography, but without just taking a photograph from close up. The rules of my experiment was that I was not allowed to manipulate the photograph in post-processing—Photoshop—apart from sharpening, contrast and saturation. So, no special effects were to be added! The following photo is the result of this fun and games exercise.</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Close up Experimentation" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21521868602/in/datetaken-public/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Close up Experimentation" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5820/21521868602_5bd65e3f3d_h.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2AdUcPNLc5s/Vf0g-ul8i8I/AAAAAAAAAXU/OxZei0o2xkc/s1600-h/marbles_in_water_settings%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="marbles_in_water_settings" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="marbles_in_water_settings" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-x-su8_rehd4/Vf0hAEWh4zI/AAAAAAAAAXc/a3G4sHBYOYQ/marbles_in_water_settings_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="216" height="184"></a></small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>When I started off with this, all I knew was that I wanted water, a mirror in the water and candles for lighting, and something to take photos of in this setup. My wife offered me a rose shaped, creamy coloured candle as my subject. It was simply too bland. Then she hauled out a bunch of marbles of different colours: gold, green, blue, transparent, etc. </p> <p>I first tried with the gold marbles, but they came out too uni-coloured with the flame colour of the candles. Then I started playing around with the different marbles and moved the lighting candles around for the best position.</p> <p>Nothing really gave me that sparkle that I needed, and then it hit me! So far, the water was not moving and the marbles were on top of the mirror, but they were just… <em>there</em>! I needed to make the water move while I played around with a slow shutter speed.</p> <p>So, how did I do it?</p> <p>Here are the tools I used to accomplish this:</p> <ul> <li>Deep cooking tray <li>Mirror <li>Water to cover the mirror <li>3 candles for lighting <li>2 teaspoons <li>A wife <li>Camera</li></ul> <p>I set up the cooking tray close to the edge of the kitchen counter. I know! I know! But, you can do more than just cooking in the kitchen! I put a large square mirror at the bottom of the cooking tray, and then added enough water to cover the mirror. The water almost covered the bottom layer of marbles completely. Next, I arranged the marbles in the centre of the mirror. I positioned two of the candles on the front corners of the tray closest to the camera. I positioned the third candle exactly opposite the camera, but so that the flame reflection was actually under the marbles where the camera couldn’t see it directly. I made no use of main lights for this experiment. Without the candle light it would essentially be dark. My camera’s settings were set as the graph shows below the photo above: shutter speed – 2s, ISO 200, aperture – f10. My wife stood on the right with a teaspoon and I was on the left with a teaspoon. I set the camera on a 2 second delay before it took the photograph. In these 2 seconds before the shutter release, both my wife and I started stirring the water back and forth and kept it going until the photo was finally captured. The camera was angled somewhere between 45° and 60° relative to the marbles.</p> <p>The continual movement of the water over the two seconds that the shutter was open, caused amazing light refraction patterns. Some of the patterns are soft, smoky looking while others look like small lightning bolts which can be seen on the green and blue marbles on the right of the photograph.</p> <p>Experimentation in photography can produce surprising results! Sometimes it can produce satisfying results and at other times disappointing results. I think this photograph came out quite satisfying. I just need to do some more experimentation to perfect the image.</p> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-91305731838928712462015-09-13T21:18:00.001+02:002015-09-13T21:18:14.374+02:00Partial Solar Eclipse and CNN<p>There was a <a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2015-september-13" target="_blank">partial solar eclipse over Southern Africa</a>, Antarctica and part of the southern Atlantic and Indian Oceans today. Many people did not know about it, but luckily I did. It started this morning between 06:40 and 06:45, and I made myself home in the Coots Corner Bird Hide at <a href="http://picwill.wordpress.com/2013/08/25/rietvlei-nature-reserve/" target="_blank">Rietvlei Nature Reserve</a>, since it is the perfect vantage point from which to watch the sunrise. I sat there for approximately one hour and forty minutes. I took a total of 33 photographs from the start of the eclipse to the end.</p> <p>I started to tweet on my Twitter account about the eclipse and I then started getting a lot of notifications of retweets and favorites! At the time of taking the photos I wasn’t able to upload any photos to Twitter or Facebook, etc; so, I improvised and snapped a photo of the LCD screen while the camera was aiming at the sun, using my Sony XPeria Z3 Compact. I immediately tweeted the photo onto my <a href="http://twitter.com/wgd_photography" target="_blank">Twitter account</a>.</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lzUCHC6m8e4/VfXLhy7RitI/AAAAAAAAATA/A3SwWa8way0/s1600-h/partialsolareclipsemycamera%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img title="partialsolareclipsemycamera" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="partialsolareclipsemycamera" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--l1gthJIHsA/VfXLiyzXeII/AAAAAAAAATI/dvMS4J4ioXw/partialsolareclipsemycamera_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="600" height="450"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>Used my mobile to take a photo of the back of my camera in order to tweet it.</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>I received a lot of activity on this photo on my Twitter page. Out of the blue I received a request from Derek van Dam, meteorologist at CNN and CNN International, via his <a href="https://twitter.com/VanDamCNN" target="_blank">Twitter account</a>, whether he could use this image on his next weather section on CNN. I gave the go-ahead, but I couldn’t see it, so I quickly called my wife to switch the TV on to watch it. She was in time to see it on CNN and that looked like this:</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SPOI8AT-tEQ/VfXLojDbySI/AAAAAAAAATQ/dDAuW0JcW8k/s1600-h/partialsolareclipsemycameracnn%25255B3%25255D.png"><img title="partialsolareclipsemycameracnn" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="partialsolareclipsemycameracnn" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6lmbXQoFXZc/VfXLro8VK0I/AAAAAAAAATY/WqUXtZMkH7k/partialsolareclipsemycameracnn_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="604" height="342"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>My photo from above on CNN! Yay! I’m famous!</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>It was really cool to see the image of my photo on CNN, later on Twitter. Funny how things happen sometimes. And it can’t even be called a real photograph!</p> <p>Anyway, I took some of the photographs of the eclipse and created an image with a series of the eclipse from beginning to end.</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Partial Solar Eclipse" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21375529062/in/album-72157658154918649/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Partial Solar Eclipse" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5650/21375529062_2a50db850a_h.jpg" width="600" height="266"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small> </small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>The settings of my camera changed from the beginning to the end as the sun became consistently brighter. See the photos below. Please note that I pulled the info below each photograph below from my <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/" target="_blank">Flickr account</a>.</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Partial Solar Eclipse" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21360121106/in/album-72157658154918649/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Partial Solar Eclipse" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5671/21360121106_7020178753_h.jpg" width="600" height="600"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qD2_QaK_oWo/VfXLsAXM3iI/AAAAAAAAATc/IDuW6mgOodE/s1600-h/01%252520-%252520D20150913T064752_WGD_S_tn_settings%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="01 - D20150913T064752_WGD_S_tn_settings" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="01 - D20150913T064752_WGD_S_tn_settings" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J7sL_-Wp580/VfXLsjcQHCI/AAAAAAAAATo/bBRCSHJ9dvI/01%252520-%252520D20150913T064752_WGD_S_tn_settings_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="228" height="183"></a></small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Partial Solar Eclipse" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21199443669/in/album-72157658154918649/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Partial Solar Eclipse" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5698/21199443669_39a31bc05f_h.jpg" width="600" height="600"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rWZG3h9ZZeA/VfXLtTO4XqI/AAAAAAAAATw/JyY1evEinUk/s1600-h/D20150913T065331_WGD_S_settings%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150913T065331_WGD_S_settings" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150913T065331_WGD_S_settings" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tiXWJFj1ggI/VfXLuPmHB0I/AAAAAAAAAT4/HJiIklkaJ0Y/D20150913T065331_WGD_S_settings_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="222" height="182"></a> </small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Partial Solar Eclipse" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/20763669984/in/album-72157658154918649/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Partial Solar Eclipse" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/664/20763669984_8edab177b4_h.jpg" width="600" height="600"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U_HDzlhfFZs/VfXLu9GiBzI/AAAAAAAAAUA/4-y-wTdqQiY/s1600-h/D20150913T065547_WGD_S_settings%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150913T065547_WGD_S_settings" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150913T065547_WGD_S_settings" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-REQTCWCwtJA/VfXLvmXsRhI/AAAAAAAAAUI/o1e7sM9JZ3I/D20150913T065547_WGD_S_settings_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="224" height="179"></a></small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Partial Solar Eclipse" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21375562722/in/album-72157658154918649/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Partial Solar Eclipse" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/572/21375562722_4a7062f83f_h.jpg" width="600" height="600"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kJcsyWJnvI8/VfXLwQO4iDI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/N5w2K7-je1Q/s1600-h/D20150913T070108_WGD_S_settings%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150913T070108_WGD_S_settings" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150913T070108_WGD_S_settings" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h692TW6ouL8/VfXLw5jIluI/AAAAAAAAAUY/HBXb5Gyyme0/D20150913T070108_WGD_S_settings_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="223" height="179"></a></small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Partial Solar Eclipse" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21386401625/in/album-72157658154918649/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Partial Solar Eclipse" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/582/21386401625_95df54b56e_h.jpg" width="600" height="600"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-66uXG0jYASo/VfXLxn61gKI/AAAAAAAAAUg/bJ3TdQ5BaKQ/s1600-h/D20150913T070751_WGD_S_settings%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150913T070751_WGD_S_settings" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150913T070751_WGD_S_settings" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8g5BXyB_RxY/VfXLyVhtFvI/AAAAAAAAAUo/YyTIoNNgdh0/D20150913T070751_WGD_S_settings_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="224" height="177"></a></small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Partial Solar Eclipse" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21375663162/in/album-72157658154918649/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Partial Solar Eclipse" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5809/21375663162_57ecf59d35_h.jpg" width="600" height="600"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D1KB7VJ6LTE/VfXLzJpfY2I/AAAAAAAAAUw/FKUcwNlA8uM/s1600-h/D20150913T071410_WGD_S_settings%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150913T071410_WGD_S_settings" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150913T071410_WGD_S_settings" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o4-71D_tWLo/VfXLz32qwrI/AAAAAAAAAU4/y5018BIy2qM/D20150913T071410_WGD_S_settings_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="225" height="179"></a></small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Partial Solar Eclipse" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21360187596/in/album-72157658154918649/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Partial Solar Eclipse" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5760/21360187596_f072d3fb95_h.jpg" width="600" height="600"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e9xMRZg87Lo/VfXL0UtCyuI/AAAAAAAAAVA/yP74HSSE5lk/s1600-h/D20150913T072035_WGD_S_settings%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150913T072035_WGD_S_settings" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150913T072035_WGD_S_settings" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e5K-Kbb9JtA/VfXL1UXP0sI/AAAAAAAAAVI/l0dvbqINc1E/D20150913T072035_WGD_S_settings_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="227" height="175"></a></small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Partial Solar Eclipse" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/20763730354/in/album-72157658154918649/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Partial Solar Eclipse" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5695/20763730354_3130561125_h.jpg" width="600" height="600"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7LvWOPhsi1Q/VfXL1xqFvDI/AAAAAAAAAVM/FAJoxkg4ihc/s1600-h/D20150913T072838_WGD_S_settings%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150913T072838_WGD_S_settings" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150913T072838_WGD_S_settings" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ogDYWqoVYX8/VfXL2X2LFtI/AAAAAAAAAVY/2jWgdQcl6SA/D20150913T072838_WGD_S_settings_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="224" height="177"></a></small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Partial Solar Eclipse" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21198588558/in/album-72157658154918649/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Partial Solar Eclipse" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/727/21198588558_8e9f36de38_h.jpg" width="600" height="600"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u46hKTr_uRA/VfXL3NGvLKI/AAAAAAAAAVg/gU7qyYXpJYY/s1600-h/D20150913T073825_WGD_S_settings%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150913T073825_WGD_S_settings" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150913T073825_WGD_S_settings" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Q3FhDcj_dic/VfXL36yNkDI/AAAAAAAAAVo/losqg_fKnDs/D20150913T073825_WGD_S_settings_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="226" height="180"></a></small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Partial Solar Eclipse" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/20765373653/in/album-72157658154918649/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Partial Solar Eclipse" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/623/20765373653_03401d6368_h.jpg" width="600" height="600"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--pZL7nnVmSc/VfXL4ditY4I/AAAAAAAAAVw/5XYa6kDU4Us/s1600-h/D20150913T074428_WGD_S_settings%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150913T074428_WGD_S_settings" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150913T074428_WGD_S_settings" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZywxwqysF7M/VfXL5FtHyCI/AAAAAAAAAV4/lBgfkn2RnGQ/D20150913T074428_WGD_S_settings_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="224" height="180"></a></small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>By the time of the photo above, the sun was sitting fairly high and it was very bright. I could no longer get a defined outline of the sun because of the brightness! I felt a little stuck at this point, and so my mind went into overdrive! I have the Sony SLT-A37 with the big lens on it, but I do not have an ND filter for it. However, my Canon D1200, which I use for close ups and landscapes using a small lens, has an ND400 filter, but it won’t fit my big lens. So, I had to improvise! For the next four photographs of the sun, of which three can be found below, I simply aimed at the sun while holding the smaller ND400 filter in front of the big lens, and it worked!</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Partial Solar Eclipse" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21199552169/in/album-72157658154918649/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Partial Solar Eclipse" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5828/21199552169_896c0c9426_h.jpg" width="600" height="600"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Jne9uF3fJwg/VfXL500iNoI/AAAAAAAAAV8/GEfG0p-mg0s/s1600-h/D20150913T075331_WGD_S_settings%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150913T075331_WGD_S_settings" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150913T075331_WGD_S_settings" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Lzkz1aVbUak/VfXL6UU4qRI/AAAAAAAAAWI/DBXWDRyJlrc/D20150913T075331_WGD_S_settings_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="225" height="181"></a></small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Partial Solar Eclipse" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/21199560959/in/album-72157658154918649/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Partial Solar Eclipse" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5668/21199560959_5a17639807_h.jpg" width="600" height="600"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2IVmvOd_h98/VfXL7IeQoDI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/b1iF8IVIkAI/s1600-h/D20150913T075948_WGD_S_settings%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150913T075948_WGD_S_settings" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150913T075948_WGD_S_settings" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gq7QEhDKMHY/VfXL7wszQZI/AAAAAAAAAWY/08Ygnpd9aCY/D20150913T075948_WGD_S_settings_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="225" height="179"></a> </small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Partial Solar Eclipse" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/20767137834/in/album-72157658154918649/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Partial Solar Eclipse" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5652/20767137834_c3f3ae5ae2_h.jpg" width="600" height="600"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fYx7bM7z4Oc/VfXL8c7cOnI/AAAAAAAAAWg/EKI-_C_BGGA/s1600-h/D20150913T081825_WGD_S_settings%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150913T081825_WGD_S_settings" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150913T081825_WGD_S_settings" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kMSny8djWi0/VfXL9PP2sqI/AAAAAAAAAWo/g-nHhsOOC9g/D20150913T081825_WGD_S_settings_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="228" height="181"></a></small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>And so another day, another weekend comes to an end! Now we have to wait for the next eclipse, which will be a <a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2015-september-28" target="_blank">total lunar eclipse on 27/28 September 2015</a>. For South Africans, you will have to be awake in the very early hours of the morning on Monday, 28 September 2015 at 02:11. The total eclipse will start at 04:11, maximum eclipse will be at 04:47 and the full eclipse will end at 05:23.</p> <p>For more of my photos, visit my <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/" target="_blank">Flickr account</a>.</p> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-46436795910292355642015-08-16T22:24:00.001+02:002015-08-16T22:24:57.805+02:002015 Imperial Toyota Tshwane Motor Rally–2015-08-15<p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-akOVMPRz9f4/VdDxhGJWUYI/AAAAAAAAASQ/OptXqdOsIi8/s1600-h/2015rally%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2015rally" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2015rally" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Hc0lGoHa9lU/VdDxiX1H0CI/AAAAAAAAASY/5y6MI32pifQ/2015rally_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="800"></a></p> <p>I joined some of our photographic club members at this year’s Imperial Toyota Tshwane Motor Rally to do some action photography. The rally is part of the <a href="http://www.sarallying.co.za/" target="_blank">National Rally Championship</a>. It was my first time doing this. So, in essence, all of us, except for our club chairman, were rally photography rookies! It was a lot of fun, though! There were 9 of us.</p> <p>Of course, doing an action shoot at a motor rally in winter in Gauteng province, South Africa, is a very dusty affair, and a photographer should be prepared for this. because of all the dust kicked up by the cars, I took with a sturdy plastic bag with strings to pull tight when closing it. After every car passing I would open the bag and pop my camera in it to protect it from the dust. I also carried my lens dust brush with me.</p> <p>The rally was held around <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cullinan,_Gauteng" target="_blank">Cullinan</a> the first day (14 Aug) and around <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronkhorstspruit" target="_blank">Bronkhorstspruit</a> the second day (15 Aug).</p> <p>South African driver, Giniel de Villiers, who won the 2009 Dakar Rally, was also one of the drivers in this rally. The rally was won by Leeroy Poulter and Elvéne Coetzee of the Castrol Team Toyota Yaris S2000.</p> <p>Looking at the map above, we shot our photographs at SS 5 and SS 6.</p> <p>Here are some of the photos I took of the rally.</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MBU7PqMyze4/VdDxkrYfzQI/AAAAAAAAASg/VoxWx0E41p4/s1600-h/D20150815T101829_WGD_S_tn%25255B12%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150815T101829_WGD_S_tn" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150815T101829_WGD_S_tn" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AvMAHk3ug0I/VdDxmLHEfcI/AAAAAAAAASo/x5VBn9Qydvk/D20150815T101829_WGD_S_tn_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="600" height="398"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>Looks like The Mummy’s sand force enveloping the car!</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="D20150815T095822_WGD_002_S_tn" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/20439748950/in/album-72157655005780854/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="D20150815T095822_WGD_002_S_tn" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/771/20439748950_52cfa17685_h.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>Driver: Giniel de Villiers, winner 2009 Dakar Rally!</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Imperial Toyota Tshwane Rally Stage 5" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/20634410211/in/album-72157655005780854/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="Imperial Toyota Tshwane Rally Stage 5" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5723/20634410211_265292e121_h.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>Spin that wheel! Make dust!</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="D20150815T110409_WGD_002_S_tn" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/20618679352/in/album-72157655005780854/" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="D20150815T110409_WGD_002_S_tn" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/761/20618679352_8bfc67bb08_h.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>This one got a little bit too close for comfort!</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="2015 Imperial Toyota Tshwane Motor Rally - 20150815" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/albums/72157655005780854" data-flickr-embed="true"><img alt="2015 Imperial Toyota Tshwane Motor Rally - 20150815" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5733/20006816583_922cd99c67_h.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>Click on the image above to see more of the photos I shot at the rally.</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-14956789422501193652015-06-23T22:01:00.001+02:002015-06-23T22:01:16.959+02:00Marievale Bird Sanctuary–2015-05-01<p>More than a month ago, on 1 May 2015, I <a href="http://picwill.blogspot.com/2014/12/marievale-bird-sanctuary2014-12-21.html" target="_blank">once again visited Marievale Bird Sanctuary</a>. This was now my second visit, and true to form, things were different this time. I still haven’t seen the whole sanctuary, but I did enjoy my visit very much.</p> <p>Here are a few photographs…</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-giSHQ8NkSbQ/VYm7BSiGpFI/AAAAAAAAARw/k8pEQUgXtSc/s1600-h/D20150501T111403_WGD_S_tn5.jpg"><img title="D20150501T111403_WGD_S_tn" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150501T111403_WGD_S_tn" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GIfdAWV2jkc/VYm7CuqSI0I/AAAAAAAAAR4/SBJ51QX_Emk/D20150501T111403_WGD_S_tn_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="600" height="900"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>Grey Heron</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Marievale Bird Sanctuary by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/18472525513"><img alt="Marievale Bird Sanctuary" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/397/18472525513_5a8bb134e7_h.jpg" width="600" height="369"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>African Spoonbill – This was the first time I saw this one.</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Marievale Bird Sanctuary by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/19066966876"><img alt="Marievale Bird Sanctuary" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/386/19066966876_e2eb1cab12_h.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>There is more to photograph than just birds!</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>For more photographs of this visit, go to my <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/picwill/s44h4r" target="_blank">Flickr album</a>.</p> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-19687286310331766362015-06-21T08:10:00.001+02:002015-06-21T08:10:17.612+02:00B&B: Buddies and Breakfast–2015-06-20<p>For a long time, some years ago, 2 of my friends and I used to have breakfast together once a month on a Friday morning. Then I changed jobs and needed to travel 50Km (31mi) to work, and the same happened with one of the other two, and the breakfast fell by the wayside. But, then a little more than a month ago we decided to start it up again, on a Saturday morning! So, we had the first one last month, and then yesterday we had the second one. However, yesterday’s breakfast took on a different slant to just being a breakfast. Two of us like photography and use proper equipment, and the third uses his iPad (and some iPad apps) to come up with some creative photographs. So, iPad Man, his name is Drix, came up with the idea that we should have breakfast at <a href="http://picwill.wordpress.com/2013/08/25/rietvlei-nature-reserve/" target="_blank">Rietvlei Nature Reserve</a> this month, and then he would drive us around the reserve so that the other two, Mark and myself, could take photographs of the wildlife at Rietvlei. It turned out to be a great morning for each of us!</p> <p>Here are a few of the photographs that I took, and you can <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/sets/72157652491445684" target="_blank">see more at my Flickr account</a> of this visit.</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_C1ZP5DVz_M/VYZVQJRW25I/AAAAAAAAARU/j5OqExLHgO0/s1600-h/D20150620T100423_WGD_S_tn%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150620T100423_WGD_S_tn" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150620T100423_WGD_S_tn" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TTEUeMnI8kI/VYZVR03rD7I/AAAAAAAAARc/5HmwJmIdYU4/D20150620T100423_WGD_S_tn_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>This mongoose, and his little pal, were not bothered by our presence at all!</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/18806008018"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3695/18806008018_4a6341d58b_h.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>Have you ever tried to scratch your ear with your foot like this Springbuck?</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/18806067458"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/363/18806067458_97945036c2_h.jpg" width="600" height="900"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>The Cape Longclaw really makes a pretty picture!</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-36731439915839216312015-06-16T07:43:00.001+02:002015-06-16T07:43:58.109+02:00Rietvlei Nature Reserve–2015-05-30<p><a href="http://picwill.wordpress.com/2013/08/25/rietvlei-nature-reserve/" target="_blank">Rietvlei Nature Reserve</a> is one of my favourite places to visit. It is close to home, and there is enough to see. Early mornings provide for great sunrise photography. One thing is for sure; every time you visit, you will not get to see everything it has on offer. There are some animals there that I have never seen, such as the cheetah and otters. Anyway, here are a few pics from this visit, and if you want to see more go to the <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/sets/72157654625312771" target="_blank">album on my Flickr account</a>.</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v79l16yei9k/VX-3lf9J8CI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/1B42yxab2AM/s1600-h/D20150530T070152_WGD_S_tn%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150530T070152_WGD_S_tn" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150530T070152_WGD_S_tn" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-757CAjSLEV0/VX-3nIQ2MlI/AAAAAAAAARA/nQO4nTfgMBQ/D20150530T070152_WGD_S_tn_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="600" height="400"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>When I walked out of this bird hide, I simply turned around, liked what I saw and took the shot. For some reason, this is my wife’s favourite.</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/18850934725"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5342/18850934725_e27a630203_h.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>This Waterbuck was hoping that I couldn’t see him.</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/18663234940"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3746/18663234940_3388c92a14_h.jpg" width="600" height="900"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>A beautiful Common Fiscal.</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-72933978344511626302015-06-15T09:04:00.001+02:002015-06-15T09:04:11.352+02:00Sabie weekend–2015-05-09<p>This post is related to my previous post—<a href="http://picwill.blogspot.com/2015/06/bourkes-luck-potholes-2015-05-10.html" target="_blank">Bourke’s Luck Potholes - 2015-05-10</a>—as it is part of the same weekend away in Sabie, Mpumalanga (Lat: 25° 5.914'S, Long: 30° 46.735'E). On the Saturday of our weekend away, my wife and I visited the <a href="http://www.sudwalacaves.com/" target="_blank">Sudwala Caves</a> (Lat: 25° 22.557’S, Long: 30° 41.555’E) and the <a href="http://www.sabie.co.za/gallery/mac-mac-falls.html" target="_blank">Mac Mac Falls</a> (Lat: 25° 0.041'S, Long: 30° 48.986'E).</p> <p>We stayed over at the <a href="http://www.jock.co.za/" target="_blank">Jock-Sabie Lodge</a> (Lat: 25° 5.876'S, Long: 30° 46.682'E). It is a lovely place to stay at right in the heart of the town of Sabie. It is very neat and comfortable, and they make a mean breakfast too!</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-phbaQoALt3I/VX54t5l673I/AAAAAAAAAPs/uNzthY5_N9I/s1600-h/D20150509T092638_WGD_S_tn%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150509T092638_WGD_S_tn" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150509T092638_WGD_S_tn" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ogd9Upvdz48/VX54vCBwWbI/AAAAAAAAAP0/Oc-3dCxoRwg/D20150509T092638_WGD_S_tn_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="600" height="400"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>In the background is the restaurant area of the Jock-Sabie Lodge.</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>After we had a delicious breakfast at the lodge we headed out to the Sudwala Caves. I enjoyed visiting the caves. The rock formations, stalactites and stalagmites had really interesting shapes and sizes.</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OuOhmAgJ0Zk/VX54wksSRnI/AAAAAAAAAP8/_3TkdlNNt3A/s1600-h/D20150509T120528_WGD_S_tn%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150509T120528_WGD_S_tn" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150509T120528_WGD_S_tn" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TH8yWZvHhVg/VX54yfg0syI/AAAAAAAAAQE/32Pp6yxd1ds/D20150509T120528_WGD_S_tn_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="600" height="900"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>Interesting formations in the cave.</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>After we finished the visit in the cave we went to the dinosaur park next door and ran into this guy!</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2REdCx2bsJc/VX541Bh4CqI/AAAAAAAAAQM/zge9f719zCU/s1600-h/D20150509T140550_WGD_S_tn%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150509T140550_WGD_S_tn" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150509T140550_WGD_S_tn" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4rNmAvF_g3M/VX542-GnMFI/AAAAAAAAAQU/H_MvxnNVNm8/D20150509T140550_WGD_S_tn_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>When we finished here we went to the Mac Mac Falls. It was already late afternoon. I had heard of these falls so many times, so I was very excited to finally get to see the falls. However, I was very disappointed when I finally got to see the falls. <em>First</em>, you can’t get near them. <em>Second</em>, you get to see the falls from behind a high fence that you need to peer through. <em>Third</em>, with the number of visitors, you have to jockey for a good position if you intend to take any photographs. <em>Fourth</em>, at this time of day the sun sets right behind the falls. In the end, I didn’t have enough time to set up properly in order to get good photographs. My intention was to take long exposure shots of the falls, but with all the people there I didn’t want to occupy the best spot for too long.</p> <p> <table style="width: 602px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6J20R6oRmrA/VX544VYMPOI/AAAAAAAAAQc/1NZut1MpXFg/s1600-h/D20150509T162243_WGD_S_tn%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150509T162243_WGD_S_tn" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150509T162243_WGD_S_tn" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aXYh3o4Dtuc/VX546Jwbs-I/AAAAAAAAAQk/FnxxYDUk5yI/D20150509T162243_WGD_S_tn_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="904"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center"><small>I took this photograph with shutter speed of 1.3 seconds, aperture at F29 and ISO at 100.</small></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>All in all, my wife and I enjoyed the weekend away and definitely go back to this area. There is just so much to see that we never got to see!</p> <p>To see the rest of the photographs from this day, please visit this <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHske6s46y" target="_blank">album</a> on my Flickr account.</p> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-9543303455645593872015-06-07T23:14:00.001+02:002015-06-07T23:14:31.327+02:00Bourke’s Luck Potholes – 2015-05-10<p>A month ago my wife and I had a weekend break in Sabie, Mpumalanga (Lat: 25° 5.914'S, Long: 30° 46.735'E), an area in South Africa where the main business is trees. Yes, they grow thousands upon thousands of trees in the region that are used mainly in the paper making business. The region is one of the most beautiful regions in South Africa!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kLKNeSIrlvc/VXS0JA6olOI/AAAAAAAAAO8/Nq7k7Zgs9RY/s1600-h/nebuliser_tn%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="nebuliser_tn" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 3px 3px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="nebuliser_tn" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qzeU8u98khE/VXS0JwiL5UI/AAAAAAAAAPE/SYGC9pHgPlE/nebuliser_tn_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="237" align="right" height="173"></a>The problem with this break was that the previous Sunday I started getting sick, and by the Monday morning I was very sick. I decided to go see the doctor, with the result that he booked me off sick the whole week! I had developed bronchitis! The problem was that my lungs did not want to open up and release all the gunk in them. By Wednesday, my lungs weren’t doing better, so the doctor prescribed me a second set of antibiotics to take together with the first set, and he also prescribed stuff that I needed to nebulise with twice a day. By the time Friday arrived—departure day (8 May)—I was still not better. I was still nebulising, but I just felt that we had booked the weekend, and we (my wife and I) were going! I wasn’t going to just lose the money for the weekend away.</p> <p>My wife had to do the driving, since I couldn’t drive at the time because of all the coughing. I would suddenly get these coughing fits that would completely rob me of oxygen, making me go light-headed with momentary blackouts. I couldn’t sleep in the car as I was the navigator. We eventually arrived at the lodge at about 21:00! After unpacking, I first had to nebulise. Saturday and Sunday morning I first had to nebulise before we went out for the day.</p> <p>So, even though I was sick, and being in this beautiful area, I just had to take photographs. One of the most amazing places to visit is Bourke’s Luck Potholes (Lat: 24° 40.447'S, Long: 30° 48.646'E). These potholes are truly amazing, and here are some of the photographs I took.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bOXur0rwD1A/VXS0LojYwDI/AAAAAAAAAPM/9OmHWqJBfGg/s1600-h/D20150510T102808_WGD_S_tn%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150510T102808_WGD_S_tn" style="display: inline" alt="D20150510T102808_WGD_S_tn" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qY5weqdSrjo/VXS0Nb3JnuI/AAAAAAAAAPU/_8nKSuKNoKo/D20150510T102808_WGD_S_tn_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="600" height="900"></a></p> <p align="center"><a title="Bourke's Luck Potholes by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/18564985575"><img alt="Bourke's Luck Potholes" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/458/18564985575_0c0a8b66ec_h.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a></p> <p align="center"><a title="Bourke's Luck Potholes by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/18377413130"><img alt="Bourke's Luck Potholes" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/397/18377413130_c09f3e93fd_h.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a></p> <p>For more photographs of the Bourke’s Luck Potholes, please visit my <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/sets/72157654176951021" target="_blank">Flickr account</a>. In the past we used to be able to make slideshows of albums to embed on web pages and blog posts, but it seems that it is no longer available. I also tried some third party Flickr slideshow generators, but none worked.</p> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-87232027661363181302015-05-03T20:16:00.001+02:002015-05-03T20:16:49.202+02:00This n That<p>On Saturday morning I started the day off with 2 of my friends visiting the <a href="http://www.pretoriaboeremark.co.za/" target="_blank">Pretoria Boeremark</a> (farmers market) for breakfast. It is not the conventional sit-down breakfast. You simply arrive and watch people buy everything from their weekly meat and eggs, to leather belts, etc. Then there are food stalls where they sell “boerewors” rolls, <a href="https://www.google.co.za/search?num=100&newwindow=1&safe=off&espv=2&q=melkkos&oq=melkkos&gs_l=serp.3..0l10.71895.73173.0.74732.7.7.0.0.0.0.270.500.2-2.2.0.msedr...0...1c.1.64.serp..5.2.499.SdOjFvioFFU" target="_blank">melkkos</a>, <a href="https://www.google.co.za/search?num=100&newwindow=1&safe=off&espv=2&q=south+african+pancakes&oq=south+african+pancakes&gs_l=serp.3..0l2j0i22i30l8.147875.152004.0.152462.22.16.0.3.3.1.693.2792.3-2j2j2.6.0.msedr...0...1c.1.64.serp..14.8.2123.iv67u4xIQf0" target="_blank">pancakes</a> (not those silly things Americans call pancakes, which are really crumpets or flapjacks), samoosas, and more. We first had <a href="https://www.google.co.za/search?num=100&newwindow=1&safe=off&espv=2&q=condensed+milk&oq=conden&gs_l=serp.3.1.0l10.125719.126710.0.132294.6.6.0.0.0.0.341.341.3-1.1.0.msedr...0...1c.1.64.serp..5.1.326.r-qI7RDXNWc" target="_blank">condensed milk</a> coffee, which is a real treat! After strolling around checking out the food stalls I started off with 2 bacon and vienna rolls, where the bacon is wrapped around the vienna and then fried. One of my friends also had one of these rolls and the other one had melkkos. We strolled among the stalls some more and the other two decided that they would have some crumpets, but since my wife made us crumpets at home on Friday night, I decided to have some real pancakes. The line was long and by the time I was about 5 people from the front, they ran out of pancake mix. No big deal! Since I had two of the vienna and bacon rolls, I reckoned that I had enough anyway. So, we ended the morning off with some more condensed milk coffee.</p> <p>I took my camera along in case I saw something interesting. At such a “boeremark” all kinds of things can popup, and that is when I saw this sign:</p> <p> <table align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3mgJYIsAQlI/VUZmCQqsfRI/AAAAAAAAAOg/V664KSkrsM4/s1600-h/D20150502T071153_WGD_S_tn%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Photographer" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Photographer" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-llJ8dcJaQUk/VUZmDjucFVI/AAAAAAAAAOo/XvBXtzBT-84/D20150502T071153_WGD_S_tn_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="600" height="400"></a></p></td></tr> <tr> <td> <p align="center"><small>Direction signs are sometimes helpful,<br>but other times not!</small></p></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>Of course, to understand this sign, it will really help being South African!</p> <p>I also saw this black man making his wire trinkets and selling them on the spot.</p> <p> <table align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p align="center"><a title="Pretoria Boeremark by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/17355660351"><img alt="Pretoria Boeremark" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8721/17355660351_cd46922d14_o.jpg" width="400" height="600"></a></p></td></tr> <tr> <td> <p align="center"><small>A black man hard at work making his wares!</small></p></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>Those were the only photographs I snapped while at the market.</p> <p>As an extended family we all decided to go watch the afternoon show of the new Avengers movie. After the movie we quickly popped into a local store, and then we headed home. When we got home I saw that moon was floating at a nice angle, so the first thing I did after returning home was to grab my camera and tripod, set it up outside and started taking pics. I tried a whole lot of settings, but here it is:</p> <p align="center"> <table align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td><a title="2 May 2015 18:05:32 by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16735775873"><img alt="2 May 2015 18:05:32" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7775/16735775873_3142e848b0_o.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td> <p align="left"><span align="left"><span style="white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-transform: none; float: none; color: rgb(20,24,35); text-align: left; font: 13px/18px helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; widows: 1; display: inline !important; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><strong><em>-- Hardware --</em></strong></span></span></p> <p align="left"><span align="left"><span style="white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-transform: none; float: none; color: rgb(20,24,35); text-align: left; font: 13px/18px helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; widows: 1; display: inline !important; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><em>Camera</em>: Sony SLT-A37 -- </span><span style="white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-transform: none; float: none; color: rgb(20,24,35); text-align: left; font: 13px/18px helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; widows: 1; display: inline !important; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><em>Lens</em>: Sigma DG 15-500mm 1:5-6.3 APO HSM<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></p> <p align="left"><span align="left"><span style="white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-transform: none; float: none; color: rgb(20,24,35); text-align: left; font: 13px/18px helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; widows: 1; display: inline !important; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><strong><em>-- Manual Settings --</em></strong></span></span></p> <p align="left"><span align="left"><span style="white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-transform: none; float: none; color: rgb(20,24,35); text-align: left; font: 13px/18px helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; widows: 1; display: inline !important; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><em>Shutter</em>: 1/125s -- </span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-transform: none; color: rgb(20,24,35); text-align: left; font: 13px/18px helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; widows: 1; display: inline; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: rgb(255,255,255); text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><em>Aperture</em>: F14 -- <em>ISO</em>: 200<br><em>Focal Length</em>: 500mm -- <em>White Balance</em>: Manual 3900K -- <em>Metering Mode</em>: Spot</span> </span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p>So, that was my Saturday!</p> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-45055773236793524332015-04-19T23:11:00.001+02:002015-04-19T23:11:22.006+02:00Slow day at Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve–2015-04-11<p>I visited MKNR last weekend and it was a very quiet day. It isn’t a big reserve, in fact, it is in the middle of one of Pretoria’s up market suburbs, Moreleta Park. At a brisk walking pace you could walk through the reserve in a couple of hours. Somehow, the zebras, impalas and blesbucks evaded me. I walked right around the reserve, and discovered that they had all settled on the front lawn of the Rademeyer Restaurant on the reserve. I also sat at the bird hide for at least half an hour and never saw one bird there. It was one of those days.</p> <p> </p> <p>Anyway, here is what I did capture…</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YpLCtsRb_C0/VTQZ88HhrcI/AAAAAAAAAOE/9Cq3ylqhlaA/s1600-h/D20150412T075546_WGD_S_tn%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6odrus2hNMA/VTQZ-J2TSII/AAAAAAAAAOM/UYX9USi5Jf8/D20150412T075546_WGD_S_tn_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="600" height="400"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Springbok</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7672/16579084903_7d34961e65_o.jpg" width="600" height="400"></p> <p align="center"><small>Helmeted Guineafowl</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8693/16576831964_0cab4b3ee8_o.jpg" width="600" height="400"></p> <p align="center"><small>Bridge over … peaceful waters</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7680/17011745260_48a850eff0_o.jpg" width="600" height="400"></p> <p align="center"><small>Bad hair day!</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8770/17011743890_bc8c6c8df8_o.jpg" width="600" height="400"></p> <p align="center"><small>Serenity in the woods</small></p> <p>More of my photographs can be seen at my <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/" target="_blank">Flickr</a> account.</p> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-64687144873893423992015-03-24T21:14:00.001+02:002015-03-24T21:14:14.611+02:00Roodeplaat Nature Reserve–2015-03-21<p>So, last week I read a bit at <a href="http://sabirdingspots.com/" target="_blank">South African Birding Spots</a>, and discovered that there is yet another nature reserve that I could go to and be there in about 30 minutes. That is the <a href="http://sabirdingspots.com/roodeplaat-dam-nature-reserve/" target="_blank">Roodeplaat Nature Reserve</a>.</p> <p>I visited Roodeplaat on Saturday morning, arriving there just after 06:00. It opens at 06:00 and I wanted to be there when it opened. It really took some time to eventually get in, even if I was only the eighth car. Once I got in I decided to stick to the tar roads for a while first, just to get to know the lay of the land.</p> <p>While I was riding I saw a part of the Roodeplaat Dam and decided to follow a dirt road that seemed to go that way. After following the dirt road a while I decided to turn back to the tar road as the dirt road didn’t seem to go anywhere specific. I stayed on the tar road until I saw a bird hide to my right. I stopped the car and walked to the hide.</p> <p> </p> <p align="center"><a title="1st Birdhide at Roodeplaat Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16730516818"><img alt="1st Birdhide at Roodeplaat Nature Reserve" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7286/16730516818_5339271322_o.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>I sat at this hide for quite some time. I saw an African Wattled Lapwing at a distance. Slightly closer I saw some Grey Go-away birds.</p> <p> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Grey Go-Away birds by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16710852387"><img alt="Grey Go-Away birds" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7649/16710852387_c2979d366e_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>After that I carried on with the tar road and eventually came to a T-Junction. Right led to the exit, and left took you further into the reserve. I turned left. I soon came to the reserve’s offices where I saw a sign that said, “Bird hide.” I decided to follow that, which led me onto another dirt track (with lots of stones and smaller rocks). After driving a while I came upon a split in the dirt road. A bunch of arrows pointed left and one pointed back. “Hmmm. Which one?” I went left, and after some time realized that there probably was no bird hide on that road. I turned around and returned to the split and carried on with the other side of the split. Not too long and I came across a beautiful kudu male. He tried to be very nonchalant, and even tried to hide behind some branches and leaves (see the slideshow below), but I spotted him and still got my photograph.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-D_g1asVqas4/VRG3fb7DQ1I/AAAAAAAAANo/BCeDJCdhCZU/s1600-h/D20150321T073323_WGD_S_tn%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150321T073323_WGD_S_tn" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="D20150321T073323_WGD_S_tn" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-n55yz1iPZQE/VRG3hIAN2fI/AAAAAAAAANw/jIGM7mxaUY0/D20150321T073323_WGD_S_tn_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="600" height="400"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>After the kudu I decided to continue; just to get to another split in the dirt road. I decided to just take the middle one. Eventually I got to the second bird hide. I sat here for some time too. I got to see 2 White-breasted Cormorants, a Squacco Heron and some swallows. I was hoping for so much more.</p> <p> </p> <p align="center"><a title="2nd Birdhide at Roodeplaat Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16917163361"><img alt="2nd Birdhide at Roodeplaat Nature Reserve" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8753/16917163361_b3930d2e14_o.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>As I was walking back to my car, I saw that the tree on the other side of my car was covered in Barn Swallows. It was just amazing to see so many together. They eventually took off, and within minutes a couple of Lesser Striped Swallows came and sat in the same tree.</p> <p>I wanted to stay longer and cover some more of the reserve. However, while I was driving down the dirt road I realised that my car’s fuel light was on and that my tank was low. Because I didn’t know the rest of the reserve, I decided to pack up and leave (to fill up) and to return another day.</p> <p>I will return to the reserve soon, perhaps even this coming weekend. It is hard not to compare things with one another. Entering this reserve I had no idea where to go and which roads led to what. You are kind of left to your own devices. What I like about <a href="http://picwill.wordpress.com/2013/08/25/rietvlei-nature-reserve/" target="_blank">Rietvlei Nature Reserve</a> is that they give visitors a map of the reserve so that you could at least have an idea where the different roads go. Roodeplaat had nothing like that. Also, getting through the gate wasn’t that easy. While we were still sitting in our cars waiting for the gate to open, one of the security team came around and we could enter our information in a log book. Once we got to the physical gate, it had to be done again, even though the first guy was there with the others. It could be that the slow entry was due to the day itself. Maybe the next time I go, it will go better. Next time I will take my own map that I get from <a href="https://www.google.com/earth/" target="_blank">Google Earth</a>.</p> <p> </p> <p align="center"></p> <div style="height: 600px; width: 600px; text-align: center; margin: auto"><object width="600" height="600" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157651528510682%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157651528510682%2F&set_id=72157651528510682&tags=Roodeplaat,Nature,Reserve" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="src" value="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" /> <embed width="600" height="600" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157651528510682%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157651528510682%2F&set_id=72157651528510682&tags=Roodeplaat,Nature,Reserve" allowFullScreen="true" /> </object><br><small>Created with <a href="http://www.flickrslideshow.com">flickr slideshow</a>.</small></div> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-80667836348655774662015-02-14T15:11:00.001+02:002015-02-14T15:11:11.655+02:00New Camera Addition<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NgyUEhkJIgY/VN9JUKJpfVI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/N4YDBVG2-b4/s1600-h/SonyA37_Sigma_DG_15-500mm_APO_HSM_cr%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="SonyA37_Sigma_DG_15-500mm_APO_HSM_cr" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="SonyA37_Sigma_DG_15-500mm_APO_HSM_cr" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7loSxTPMUOw/VN9JVScxhAI/AAAAAAAAAMY/Ka27MTZ_XW8/SonyA37_Sigma_DG_15-500mm_APO_HSM_cr_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="316" align="right" height="414"></a>For some time now I’ve been thinking that a second camera would really be nice. You know, you are out somewhere walking in the bushes with a 150-500mm lens on the camera, and then you see something that would be captured much easier with a small lens. So, off comes the camera backpack, and the swapping of lenses ensues. You take the photograph, and the lenses are then swapped in reverse order. That is simply annoying.</p> <p>My main configuration is my Sony A37-SLT with a Sigma DG 15-500mm 1:5-6.3 APO HSM lens. I do still use the Sony 3.5-5.6 18-55 SAM kit lens that came with the camera and also a Sony DT 4.5-5.6 55-300 SAM lens, but that happens seldom, since having to swap lenses isn’t always convenient.</p> <p>This is a problem for many photographers. The problem is that if photography isn’t what pays your bills, then buying a second camera willy-nilly isn’t always part of the budget. And, if it is like my own budget, then a second camera is definitely not on the cards.</p> <p>As a result, it was always just a dream to have a second camera. Window shopping without ever laying out the money to get it! In other words…, just a dream! And it was never a case of wanting to buy the best there is, because frankly, the best there is will break our family budget into tiny little pieces that will waft away in the first little breeze that comes along!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Mv-xnQqnEAM/VN9JW2hncUI/AAAAAAAAAMg/WJdJ6JVwwXI/s1600-h/CanonEOS1200D_EFS_18-55mm_cr%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="CanonEOS1200D_EFS_18-55mm_cr" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="CanonEOS1200D_EFS_18-55mm_cr" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-41L70Tw7dmo/VN9JXtAc5DI/AAAAAAAAAMo/68TBDpHPfIQ/CanonEOS1200D_EFS_18-55mm_cr_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="256" align="left" height="260"></a>So, there I was, wondering how many <a href="http://www.ebucks.co.za" target="_blank">eBucks</a> I had. eBucks are loyalty points associated with the <a href="http://www.fnb.co.za" target="_blank">First National Bank</a> here in South Africa. These eBucks can then be used at the many partners that take these points as money, or you could go straight into the eBucks store to buy whatever is in the store. I started browsing around and found that they sold cameras and accessories.</p> <p>While browsing through the cameras I realized that I had enough eBucks to buy the Canon EOS 1200D. The deal included the body, the EFS 18-55mm kit lens, a Canon bag and a memory card. It was totally unexpected, but there I was, having enough eBucks to essentially get the camera for free. What <a href="http://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hbd/view.cgi?n=5128" target="_blank">providence</a>!</p> <p>At last! Now I had a second camera that I could use for subjects that were close.</p> <p>According to eBucks it could take up to 10 working days for delivery, so I was very surprised 2 days later when it was delivered.</p> <p>I am happy with the purchase. It takes very good looking photographs. Of course, it handles very differently to the Sony, and I had to get used to that first.</p> <p>Here are 2 of my initial photographs that I shot with the Canon…</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-AesRZjnrWVU/VN9JYrMuQ1I/AAAAAAAAAMw/Mnb6prgYwZo/s1600-h/D20150207T084107_WGD_S%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150207T084107_WGD_S" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150207T084107_WGD_S" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AQ8fvkBQL4I/VN9JZtKB5qI/AAAAAAAAAM4/0kGaYhyzwvM/D20150207T084107_WGD_S_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="620" height="420"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>This was a hand-held shot at Rietvlei Nature Reserve since I didn’t have a tripod with me.<br>ISO100 – F5.6 – 1/800 – 55mm</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lBuYX-GxUEI/VN9JarmREkI/AAAAAAAAANA/nk2OfBITS_Q/s1600-h/D20150212T183912_WGD_S2%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Pretty Flower" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Pretty Flower" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-UvZGglenxWc/VN9JblHsTTI/AAAAAAAAANI/RR7j4t-bk98/D20150212T183912_WGD_S2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="620" height="420"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>This was also a hand-held shot at home when it was dusk.<br>ISO200 – F5.6 – 1/200 – 55mm – Flash</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><big><big>Happy photographing!</big></big></p> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-28546914821295147832015-02-08T20:04:00.001+02:002015-02-08T20:04:47.094+02:00Another visit to Rietvlei Nature Reserve–2015-02-07<p>I arrived at Rietvlei at about 6am, but hardly got to see any animals this day. I saw a few springboks, blesbucks and black Wildebeest in the distance, but nothing up close. I got close to zebras, but they were on the wrong side of the car, exactly in line with the sun behind them. The landscape photographs were as a result of testing out a new 2nd camera.</p> <p>For some time now I’ve been wanting a second camera. My main camera is the <a href="http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/sony_a37_review/" target="_blank">Sony A37</a> with the <a href="http://www.sigmaphoto.com/product/150-500mm-f5-63-apo-dg-os-hsm" target="_blank">Sigma DG 150-500mm 5-6.3 APO HSM</a> lens. This is almost a permanent configuration. I really don’t like to have to change lenses when the big lens is just to big for closer subjects. </p> <p>Here in South Africa, our <a href="http://www.fnb.co.za" target="_blank">First National Bank</a> (FNB) has a loyalty points system called <a href="http://www.ebucks.co.za" target="_blank">eBucks</a>. The more you use your credit and cheque cards the more points you get. Then, when you have enough points, you can use them to purchase stuff from partner stores nation wide. eBucks also has its own store through which you can buy all kinds of stuff. Then a couple of weeks ago I wanted to check the status of my eBucks. While I was on their website, I decided to browse around their online store and found that they sold cameras and lenses. Because of my good rating with them, I could also get 40% of anything I bought using eBucks alone. I realized that I could buy one of the cameras with the eBucks I had at the time. They only had Canon and Nikon cameras in their store. So, I ordered the <a href="http://www.canon.co.za/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/Digital_SLR/EOS_1200D/" target="_blank">Canon EOS 1200D</a>.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BCkXI8HNy5g/VNelOJ7U0xI/AAAAAAAAAL4/0sLnCoDbcw8/s1600-h/D20150207T084107_WGD_S4.jpg"><img title="D20150207T084107_WGD_S" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150207T084107_WGD_S" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WPKRUV78OXY/VNelPeu2OFI/AAAAAAAAAMA/I5hAz2zq_7E/D20150207T084107_WGD_S_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Feeding Bee</small></p> <table style="width: 400px" align="center" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Hardware</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td width="109"><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Camera:</i></span></td> <td width="303"><span style="font-size: x-small">Canon EOS 1200D</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Lens:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">Canon EFS 18-55mm</span></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Photo Settings</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Aperture:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">f/5.6</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Shutter:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">1/800</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>ISO:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">100</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Focal Length:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">55mm</span></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16286210897"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8675/16286210897_a85db400c7_o.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Amur Falcon</small></p> <table style="width: 400px" align="center" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Hardware</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td width="109"><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Camera:</i></span></td> <td width="303"><span style="font-size: x-small">Sony SLT-A37</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Lens:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">Sigma DG 150-500mm 5-6.3 APO HSM</span></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Photo Settings</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Aperture:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">f/6.3</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Shutter:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">1/1250</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>ISO:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">200</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Focal Length:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">500mm</span></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/15849593694"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7406/15849593694_f577bb7d32_o.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Landscape</small></p> <table style="width: 400px" align="center" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Hardware</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td width="109"><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Camera:</i></span></td> <td width="303"><span style="font-size: x-small">Canon EOS 1200D</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Lens:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">EFS 18-55mm</span></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Photo Settings</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Aperture:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">f/5.0</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Shutter:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">1/1600</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>ISO:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">100</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Focal Length:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">46mm</span></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="center"><small></small> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16286208767"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8603/16286208767_603e93fb63_o.jpg" width="600" height="400"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>B&W Landscape</small></p> <table style="width: 400px" align="center" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Hardware</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td width="109"><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Camera:</i></span></td> <td width="303"><span style="font-size: x-small">Canon EOS 1200D</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Lens:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">EFS 18-55mm</span></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Photo Settings</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Aperture:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">f/4.0</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Shutter:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">1/4000</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>ISO:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">100</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Focal Length:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">27mm</span></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"></p> <div style="height: 400px; width: 600px; text-align: center; margin: auto"><object width="600" height="400" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157650291386070%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157650291386070%2F&set_id=72157650291386070&tags=Landscape,Falcon,Bee,Lapwing,Guineafowl" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="src" value="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" /> <embed width="600" height="400" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157650291386070%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157650291386070%2F&set_id=72157650291386070&tags=Landscape,Falcon,Bee,Lapwing,Guineafowl" allowFullScreen="true" /> </object><br><small>Created with <a href="http://www.flickrslideshow.com">flickr slideshow</a>.</small></div> <p align="center"><small>Rietvlei Nature Reserve - 2015-02-07</small></p> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-55111793451827551722015-01-02T16:03:00.001+02:002015-01-02T16:03:01.984+02:001st Photos of 2015–Rietvlei Nature Reserve–New Year’s Day<p>Well, who would’ve thought that I’d start this year with photographs from <a href="http://picwill.blogspot.com/search/label/Rietvlei%20Nature%20Reserve" target="_blank">Rietvlei Nature Reserve</a> (RNR)? To tell you the truth, I hoped that the opportunity would come up, and it did! Initially I wasn’t going to be in a position to go do a photoshoot. The day started off a little gloomy and the plan was to go visit my mom for New Year’s Day at the Alzheimer’s home where she is being cared for. We packed a picnic and arrived there at midday. We had a lovely time, but because we were up on New Year’s Eve through to 01:30 on New Year’s Day (NYD), we were somewhat tired.</p> <p>Originally, we were going to have an evening braai (barbecue) at our home when we got back from visiting my mom, but on the way home my wife said that she was too tired to bother with the braai and that she was going to have a nap when we got home. Did you hear that? That was opportunity knocking and I grabbed it with both hands. Even though I was awake before everyone on NYD, I just couldn’t let this opportunity go! Sure I was also tired, but “hey!,” I had an opportunity to go hang at RNR for a couple of hours. So, I spent more than two and a half hours there from 16:00 to around 18:40.</p> <p>I didn’t get to see or photograph a lot of birds or animals, but I enjoyed it nonetheless! So, without further delay here they are…</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9rvx2VDH9VE/VKalEOztAOI/AAAAAAAAALg/RU2bYrZNAjw/s1600-h/D20150101T163212_WGD_S%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20150101T163212_WGD_S" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20150101T163212_WGD_S" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WdWe0QFSI2g/VKalE1z7JsI/AAAAAAAAALo/00vld7bqSfs/D20150101T163212_WGD_S_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="600" height="400"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>European Bee-eater</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16146063306"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7539/16146063306_38208661f9_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Pied Starling</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/15986071047"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7500/15986071047_6bc1c9fb9b_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Unknown bird – Any ideas?</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16169980221"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8676/16169980221_0ca1aba9eb_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>African Wattled Lapwing</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/15984414088"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8661/15984414088_3cd07ce57c_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Zebra shaking its head</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/15986067567"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8681/15986067567_ff35398ff3_o.jpg" width="600" height="398"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Diederik Cuckoo</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"></p> <div style="height: 400px; width: 600px; text-align: center; margin: auto"><object width="600" height="400" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157649656567060%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157649656567060%2F&set_id=72157649656567060&tags=Wildlife" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="src" value="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" /> <embed width="600" height="400" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157649656567060%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157649656567060%2F&set_id=72157649656567060&tags=Wildlife" allowFullScreen="true" /> </object><br><small>Created with <a href="http://www.flickrslideshow.com">flickr slideshow</a>.</small></div> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-12310594992582867802015-01-01T15:56:00.001+02:002015-01-01T15:56:22.978+02:00Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve–2014-12-30<p>On Wednesday morning I quickly popped over to the <a href="http://picwill.blogspot.com/2012/05/moreleta-kloof-nature-reserve2012-05-05.html" target="_blank">Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve</a> (MKNR) the first time I got close enough to get a decent photograph of the Diederik Cuckoo. Without further delay, here are some photographs from MKNR.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UI9pf4a7NiY/VKVR_mooC2I/AAAAAAAAALI/lmFFBSNxHfs/s1600-h/D20141230T082746_WGD_U%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-63KN6jVobuA/VKVSBKhQrBI/AAAAAAAAALQ/Wd8VnK_4D2g/D20141230T082746_WGD_U_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="600" height="400"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=1237" target="_blank"><small>Diederik Cuckoo</small></a></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Yellow-bellied Greenbul by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/15978578467"><img alt="Yellow-bellied Greenbul" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7537/15978578467_9028ddf4b5_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Yellow-bellied Greenbul</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Flower or weed? by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16138545956"><img alt="Flower or weed?" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8596/16138545956_5129b2b946_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Weed or flower?</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Springbok by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/15978573697"><img alt="Springbok" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7538/15978573697_b100e7591d_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Springbok</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"></p> <div style="height: 400px; width: 600px; text-align: center; margin: auto"><object width="600" height="400" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157650043750221%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157650043750221%2F&set_id=72157650043750221&tags=Wildlife" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="src" value="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" /> <embed width="600" height="400" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157650043750221%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157650043750221%2F&set_id=72157650043750221&tags=Wildlife" allowFullScreen="true" /> </object><br><small>Created with <a href="http://www.flickrslideshow.com">flickr slideshow</a>.</small></div> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-79765705861635754272014-12-23T11:59:00.001+02:002014-12-23T11:59:02.228+02:00Marievale Bird Sanctuary—2014-12-21<p>I finally got to visit the <a href="http://www.nigel.co.za/marievale/" target="_blank">Marievale Bird Sanctuary</a> (MBS) which is an Important Bird Area (IBA SA021). I heard about the place earlier this year when my wife—who is a teacher of grade 4 to 6—taught her pupils about it. In one of the subjects she teaches, the lesson was on the <a href="http://www.ewisa.co.za/misc/wetlands/defaultwetBlesbokspruiti.htm" target="_blank">Blesbokspruit RAMSAR</a> site. MBS lies in the southern half of this <a href="http://www.ramsar.org/" target="_blank">RAMSAR</a> site.</p> <p><a href="http://www.ramsar.org/sites-countries/the-ramsar-sites" target="_blank">Ramsar sites</a>—of which there are 20 currently in South Africa—are wetlands of international importance and are classified according to certain important criteria:</p> <ul> <li>their conservation of biodiversity <li>support of endangered species <li>support of plant or animal species during critical stages in their life-cycle <li>provision of a food source, nursery and spawning ground for fish. </li></ul> <p><a href="http://www.birdlife.org.za/support-us/leave-a-legacy/item/162-sa021-blesbokspruit" target="_blank">BirdLife South Africa</a> has recorded at least 286 species, 78 of which are waterbirds in the Blesbokspruit wetlands.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0EeUcxyEIjI/VJk81l_LK1I/AAAAAAAAAKg/FN1NX2nMV2U/s1600-h/routetomarievale4.jpg"><img title="routetomarievale" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="routetomarievale" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FJKb99Q5aY8/VJk83J7kymI/AAAAAAAAAKo/DBUtf61HapM/routetomarievale_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" align="right" height="554"></a>With the December holidays coming up I decided to plan to pay MBS a visit. With all the rain we’ve been having that didn’t happen until 21 December 2014 (this past weekend). I invited my wife to join me, and to my joy, she accepted. I usually don’t take the family on photo shoots with me, since they could become long extended times of sitting in a spot waiting. This tests patience severely.</p> <p>We woke up at 05:30 and left home in Pretoria between 06:30 and 06:45. I had to first feed the animals, before we left. The distance is about 95Km (59mi). The road is fairly fine up until just before Delmas where it starts deteriorating. From there to MBS there are potholes every now and again on the road. It is really not that bad that you should rather take another route. The driver must just not be a sleepy head!</p> <p>What was annoying, though (and I use annoying as a euphemism here), is that there was no road sign to indicate where the turn off was towards MBS (R42 Nigel). So, I ended up driving about 15Km past Delmas when I decided to turn back. I was sure that the R42 wasn’t that far after Delmas. From the Leandra side there was a sign indicating R42 Nigel. </p> <p>We eventually arrived at MBS at around 08:00! The place is big, especially considering that you do not travel fast inside MBS. The speed limit is 30Km/h. I don’t know whoever reaches that speed! We were there slightly more than four hours, and I think we only covered about half of the place. There are little roads all over the place. There are sections that they close every now and again due to flooding, but this time all roads were accessible. There are bird hides at regular intervals. It is possible to stop the car somewhere and then to walk wherever you want to go, but on a hot and sunny day like Sunday, you could get burnt to a cinder!</p> <p>The bird hides are well set out and at some of them it is like being in paradise! The water is clear in most places and you can even see the water plants under the water level moving with the movement of the water.</p> <p>It is free to enter MBS (donations are welcome) and you can even plan to overnight there. They have chalets for R60-00 per person per night. This would be ideal! You could get up and be out among the birds, water and reeds as early as you want. You could also then be there till fairly late.</p> <p>I have been told by other visitors to MBS that it may not be a good idea to go there during the week if you plan to go alone. There have been a few incidents of robberies in the past, and I stress FEW! During the weekends there are usually more people around, and would then be considered safe.</p> <p>I hope that whoever reads this blog post, and has the means, would visit MBS! I am planning to go back! Directions from Pretoria East can be found <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JMV7lQuVgG6kzijQS5MzafsW1_MTh5KDPQRgYak8sZ8/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <p>Here are some photographs I took while there:</p> <a name='more'></a> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-c9bOznvPc_4/VJk84FTsNpI/AAAAAAAAAKw/WX9e1wVz0HE/s1600-h/D20141221T103100_WGD_S5.jpg"><img title="Life at Marievale" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Life at Marievale" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TKfKZqnPSq8/VJk85PNESOI/AAAAAAAAAK4/wlqiPFRG84E/D20141221T103100_WGD_S_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="600" height="400"></a></p> <p align="center">Pied Kingfisher</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Marievale Bird Sanctuary by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/15899658389"><img alt="Marievale Bird Sanctuary" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7480/15899658389_b83cd0e517_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center">Cape Wagtail</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Marievale Bird Sanctuary by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/15466079343"><img alt="Marievale Bird Sanctuary" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7498/15466079343_e479086599_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center">Common Moorhen</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Marievale Bird Sanctuary by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/15466078423"><img alt="Marievale Bird Sanctuary" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8649/15466078423_c189d87299_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center">White-throated Swallow</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Marievale Bird Sanctuary by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/15898456460"><img alt="Marievale Bird Sanctuary" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7566/15898456460_b51ef2bf34_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center">Black-headed Heron</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Marievale Bird Sanctuary by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/15463428524"><img alt="Marievale Bird Sanctuary" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8596/15463428524_87975a6115_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center">African Darter</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Marievale Bird Sanctuary by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16083816721"><img alt="Marievale Bird Sanctuary" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7553/16083816721_ced9813b32_o.jpg" width="600" height="398"></a></p> <p align="center">Whiskered Tern</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"></p> <div style="height: 400px; width: 600px; text-align: center; margin: auto"><object width="600" height="400" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157649883176992%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157649883176992%2F&set_id=72157649883176992" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="src" value="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" /> <embed width="600" height="400" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157649883176992%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157649883176992%2F&set_id=72157649883176992" allowFullScreen="true" /> </object><br><small>Created with <a href="http://www.flickrslideshow.com">flickr slideshow</a>.</small></div> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-23193249781587085042014-12-20T19:31:00.001+02:002014-12-20T19:31:46.146+02:00Rietvlei Nature Reserve–2014-12-20<p>This morning I was up at 05:30 in order that I could get ready, feed the animals, and then to leave for the Rietvlei Nature Reserve, which is only 7Km (4.35mi) from my house! Having arrived at the reserve, I started doing what photographers do at reserves…, take photographs! Having taken about 25 photographs, I realised that the battery of my camera was dying. So, I did what any photographer would do at this point. Open the equipment bag and get out the second battery. It was at this point that I realised that my second battery wasn’t charged! How it came to this point I do not know. I have been very good at keeping a charged backup battery! All I can think of is that somehow at some previous shoot, I use the backup battery and forgot that I did. Then when I got home I only charged the battery that was in the camera, thinking that it was the only battery I used. Here are a few of the photographs I shot.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-526o6DjGbc4/VJWye4AXePI/AAAAAAAAAKI/yqPJuUa2XeA/s1600-h/D20141220T070215_WGD_S4.jpg"><img title="D20141220T070215_WGD_S" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20141220T070215_WGD_S" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-p3ymky6ZyB0/VJWygN0mWmI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/Wac9S8cZaro/D20141220T070215_WGD_S_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="402" height="604"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Yellow-billed Duck</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16062071141"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7533/16062071141_8c9e8fbc49_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Zebra</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/15876718480"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8594/15876718480_167276bd3a_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Little Egret</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16064011045"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8663/16064011045_823a01b6c7_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Blesbuck calves</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Rietvlei Nature Reserve by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16063317382"><img alt="Rietvlei Nature Reserve" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8662/16063317382_27a90ba0d8_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Springbuck</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"></p> <div style="height: 400px; width: 600px; text-align: center; margin: auto"><object width="600" height="400" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157649433492319%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157649433492319%2F&set_id=72157649433492319&tags=Blesbuck,,Springbuck,,Zebra,,Egret,,Duck" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="src" value="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" /> <embed width="600" height="400" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157649433492319%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157649433492319%2F&set_id=72157649433492319&tags=Blesbuck,,Springbuck,,Zebra,,Egret,,Duck" allowFullScreen="true" /> </object><br><small>Created with <a href="http://www.flickrslideshow.com">flickr slideshow</a>.</small></div> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-23712469378702968772014-12-20T18:21:00.001+02:002014-12-20T18:21:44.097+02:00Austin Roberts Memorial Bird Sanctuary–2014-12-19<p>I visited the <a href="http://picwill.blogspot.com/2012/03/austin-roberts-bird-sanctuary-24-03.html" target="_blank">Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary</a> yesterday morning. The birds were unusually quiet, but I had time on hand, so I could sit and wait. Here are some photos I shot.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bAeWOrIw47c/VJWiEnb39_I/AAAAAAAAAJw/kEWoleKJ2b0/s1600-h/D20141219T073750_WGD_S%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20141219T073750_WGD_S" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20141219T073750_WGD_S" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Uho7aTObB5E/VJWiFoRUyWI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/DGWcU5syxrA/D20141219T073750_WGD_S_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="600" height="400"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Pied Kingfisher</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/15877805749"><img alt="Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7541/15877805749_9918dec539_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Black Heron</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16063188762"><img alt="Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7488/16063188762_b2c2cf6551_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Little Bittern</small></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a title="Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/15441585504"><img alt="Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7529/15441585504_8ea190e6a7_o.jpg" width="600" height="398"></a></p> <p align="center"><small>Thick-billed Weaver</small></p> <p> </p> <p align="center"></p> <div style="height: 400px; width: 600px; text-align: center; margin: auto"><object width="600" height="400" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157647516668144%2F%2B%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157647516668144%2F%2B%2F&tags=Pied,Kingfisher,,Little,bittern,,birds" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="src" value="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" /> <embed width="600" height="400" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157647516668144%2F%2B%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157647516668144%2F%2B%2F&tags=Pied,Kingfisher,,Little,bittern,,birds" allowFullScreen="true" /> </object><br><small>Created with <a href="http://www.flickrslideshow.com">flickr slideshow</a>.</small></div> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-63948860944333034732014-12-18T10:17:00.001+02:002014-12-18T10:17:54.696+02:00Cat dragged in a Crested Barbet<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Qisx44PwDwI/VJKNljdkVGI/AAAAAAAAAIo/hhqWIw1VS7o/s1600-h/D20141218T061458_WGD_S%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="The Moon" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 5px 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="The Moon" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-T7d9Ew62raY/VJKNmelccSI/AAAAAAAAAIw/t22YBrhkAOU/D20141218T061458_WGD_S_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" align="left" height="204"></a>Yesterday, my daughter came screaming into the study where I was. “There’s a bird in the spare room!” she exclaimed! I thought that the cat had dragged a bird into the house and she wanted me to take the bird out and throw the carcass away. Women are like that!</p> <p>However, when I walked into the room, the bird was still alive, flying all around the room, trying to stay away from the cat. I picked up the cat and put it outside the room and closed the door. I didn’t want the bird to start flying throughout the house, because it would take so much longer to catch it and then to release it outside. I opened one of the windows as wide as it could go, and grabbed a towel to throw over the bird and then to take it outside. I didn’t just want to grab the bird, since that would probably hurt it. It was sitting on top of the curtain rail at the far end to the open window. Since, from that vantage point, it could not see the open window, I walked towards the bird and it flew to the opposite side of the room. This gave it a straight view of the window.</p> <p>At this point I changed my tactics. I knew that if only I could make it realize that the window was his opportunity to escape, he’d fly towards it. So, to make sure that it didn’t just fly over my head towards the same old spot on the curtain rail, I opened the towel and held it above my head. When I got close to the bird, I gave him only one direction to fly…, towards the window. It worked! He flew towards the window and landed on one of the crossbars. He was still facing into the room. I thought that by now he would’ve flown straight out. I kept the towel up and walked towards the bird. For a moment he kept flying into the open end of the window, but as I got too close it forced him to change direction and he was free!</p> <p>We’ve seen this bird in our backyard before.</p> <p>This morning, this same bird woke me up. He was sitting in the tree outside our bedroom making a type of rapid “tok, tok, tok” sound. He made the same noise yesterday while he was stuck in the room. I opened the curtain and tried to spot him in the tree, but the foliage on the tree is too thick to easily see the bird. I went outside and approached the tree. Two large hadedas took off from the tree with their familiar loud penetrating calls. With that, every bird in the tree took off. I walked closer, and over the wall, on the neighbour’s TV antenna, I could see the Crested Barbet. I knocked on our bedroom window—luckily my wife was also awake—and asked my wife to pass me my camera. I was happy to get a couple shots of this pretty bird.</p> <p>The weather, of course, did not play along, and so the angle that I had to take the photo from, ensured that there was a pale, white, cloudy background, usually not conducive to good photographs. Thinking back now, I should’ve paid more attention to my camera settings. The ISO should probably have been either 200 or 400, instead of the 800 that the camera was set to. But, I had just woken up with a mean headache and neck ache (I have <a href="https://cerebrating.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/life-throws-us-curve-balls-when-we-least-expect-it-part-2/" target="_blank">problems with my back</a>). Maybe next time I will make sure the settings are better!</p> <p> </p> <p align="center"> <div align="center"> <table style="width: 601px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-TD_ozTpjxjs/VJKNngj0TWI/AAAAAAAAAI4/bBzHpB603d8/s1600-h/D20141218T061607_WGD_S%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="The Moon" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="The Moon" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-g2haW5mIs6s/VJKNoRvdLlI/AAAAAAAAAJA/S_dfgnKBmS4/D20141218T061607_WGD_S_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td><em>Crested Barbet</em></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <table style="width: 400px" align="center" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Hardware</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td width="109"><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Camera:</i></span></td> <td width="303"><span style="font-size: x-small">Sony SLT-A37</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Lens:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">Sigma DG 150-500mm 5-6.3 APO HSM</span></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Photo Settings</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Aperture:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">f/6.3</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Shutter:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">1/800</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>ISO:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">800</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Focal Length:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">500mm</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br><br> <p align="center"> <div align="center"> <table style="width: 601px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mJCdO5t0AEc/VJKNpUNm7KI/AAAAAAAAAJI/utCiAByS4wg/s1600-h/D20141218T061624_WGD_S%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="The Moon" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="The Moon" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UsIje8Z2LO4/VJKNqNDkfZI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/CoXsPL-IQO8/D20141218T061624_WGD_S_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td><em>Crested Barbet</em></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <table style="width: 400px" align="center" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Hardware</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td width="109"><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Camera:</i></span></td> <td width="303"><span style="font-size: x-small">Sony SLT-A37</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Lens:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">Sigma DG 150-500mm 5-6.3 APO HSM</span></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Photo Settings</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Aperture:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">f/6.3</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Shutter:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">1/800</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>ISO:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">800</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Focal Length:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">500mm</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br><br> <p align="center"> <div align="center"> <table style="width: 601px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RazYxDslUm0/VJKNrBaoRLI/AAAAAAAAAJY/6DfHVj80WAw/s1600-h/D20141218T061624_WGD_S_PS%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="The Moon" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="The Moon" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lBeE1Oirnbk/VJKNsJjv8HI/AAAAAAAAAJg/rVgJxL1c6W4/D20141218T061624_WGD_S_PS_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td><em>Crested Barbet<br>NOTE: You will notice that this pic and the one above it are really the same pic. I simply added a blue background to let the colours of the bird stand out a bit more, and to get rid of that white cloudy background.</em></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <table style="width: 400px" align="center" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Hardware</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td width="109"><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Camera:</i></span></td> <td width="303"><span style="font-size: x-small">Sony SLT-A37</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Lens:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">Sigma DG 150-500mm 5-6.3 APO HSM</span></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Photo Settings</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Aperture:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">f/6.3</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Shutter:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">1/800</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>ISO:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">800</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Focal Length:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">500mm</span></td></tr></tbody></table> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-76834548266337426572014-12-16T22:06:00.001+02:002014-12-23T19:59:47.230+02:00Problems with and solution for Roberts Multimedia Birds of Southern Africa Android app<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=za.co.sabirding" target="_blank"><img align="right" alt="roberts_field_guide" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MGEr1HEe_QQ/VJCQtR7clmI/AAAAAAAAAIY/SKI0iWYXBNE/roberts_field_guide%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="444" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="roberts_field_guide" width="290" /></a>I purchased the “<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=za.co.sabirding" target="_blank">Roberts VII Multimedia Birds of Southern Africa</a>” Android app last night. After I downloaded and installed the app on my phone (Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, Android 4.4.4), the app then had to download the data pack (882Mb) and extract it.<br />
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However, I encountered problems once the app prompted me to choose where I wanted to extract it. There were two options: (1) Internal storage of the phone; and, (2) SD Card. I opted for (2) SD Card. Each time I selected it, the app would inform me that it could not locate the SD card. I tried this three times. <br />
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To satisfy myself, I used a file manager to actually browse to the SD card, just to make sure that it was accessible. It was!<br />
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Then, when I realized that the app simply couldn’t extract the data to the SD card, I relented and selected the phone’s internal storage. By this time I had tired out the app and it crashed without any fanfare. After this, the app would run, but it had no data files and so it was in effect unusable.<br />
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This was very annoying, and in my opinion, unacceptable! So, I wrote an email to the support of the app developer at <a href="mailto:support@gibbonmm.com">support@gibbonmm.com</a> this morning. Being the time of the year that it is, I did not expect any response soon, so I decided to come up with a solution of my own.<br />
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When the app starts up and there are no data files, it asks whether to download the files or where the data had been extracted. This made me think! I know, it hurts sometimes! I realized that on my phone it created a folder named “sa_birding.” I also started wondering where it downloaded the data (.obb file) file to. I eventually discovered its location at <i>/storage/emulated/0/Android/obb/za.co.sabirding</i>. The file’s name is <i>main.10.za.co.sabirding.obb</i>. I used the <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ghisler.android.TotalCommander" target="_blank">Total Commander</a> Android app to view the contents of the OBB file. From this I noticed that the original failed attempt by the Roberts app to extract the data, created the same file structure at <i>/storage/emulated/0/sa_birding</i> as that which I found inside the OBB file. So, once again I used Total Commander to extract the OBB file to <i>/storage/emulated/0/sa_birding</i>, and, <b><i>voila!</i></b>, the app came to life! <br />
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You are allowed to load the app and its data on 2 devices connected to your Google Play account, so in order to confirm the correctness of my solution, I went through the same steps on my Google Nexus 7 tablet, and it worked just fine there too.<br />
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So, since the app started working properly, I have been playing with it and enjoyed having fun with it, especially listening to the different calls and songs of the many different birds.<br />
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I suppose the final test of the worth of this app will be when I use it in the field where I encounter all kinds of birds.<br />
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After the failed extraction, I rated the app 2/5 on the Google Play store. I think it would be good to increase that rating now to at least 3/5. Once I’ve used it in the field, I could revisit the rating.<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><u><b>UPDATE:</b></u></span><br />
23 December 2014 -I have now been using this app quite a lot, especially to identify birds. I think the app is well thought out and overall it is easy to use. It is definitely well worth having. One thing that may still have to be redesigned would be the "Identification" button on the first window. I find that somehow getting all the options right to identify a bird is somewhat cumbersome, and sometimes after I have selected all the options to identify a bird, the app comes back with zero hits. But, all nin all I think it is a great app, and I have re-rated the app and given it 4/5!William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535921808702092122.post-1376241587841526952014-12-15T22:45:00.001+02:002014-12-15T22:45:10.656+02:00Rietvlei Nature Reserve–2014-11-22<p>Back in April, for the first time in my life, also at Rietvlei, I saw the European Bee Eater. I immediately fell in love with this beautiful bird. At the time, I only had a 55-300mm lens, and the birds were fairly far away from where I was, and unfortunately, I couldn’t get closer. I took a couple of photographs, and that was it! By the end of April these migratory birds had left, and at the time there was no chance to see them again. Then, one day (I think it was somewhere in October), while I was outside in my garden, making sure the swimming pool was in good order, I suddenly heard this sound that I knew so well. Prrrrt, prrrt, prrrt! I looked up, and there I saw a whole flock of these Bee Eaters flying right over our house. They were coming in from the north, on their way to Rietvlei.</p> <p>That very Saturday, after this event, I took my camera and the Sigma 150-500 lens that I had bought in the meantime, and headed for the reserve. I couldn’t find the birds. It took me a couple of visits before I eventually saw them on 22 Nov 2014. I was very happy. When I saw them, I was actually heading out, since it threatened to rain and some drops had already started to fall. For a short while the threat subsided and I could sit in the car just watching them and waiting for an opportunity to photograph them. I was very happy.</p> <p>Anyway, here are some pictures of them, and some other creatures that I photographed.</p> <p align="center"> <div align="center"> <table style="width: 601px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0nSeh25rnao/VI9IUATZz-I/AAAAAAAAAIA/EZFWelWVu9Q/s1600-h/D20141122T105026_WGD_U%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="D20141122T105026_WGD_U" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="D20141122T105026_WGD_U" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Rhb_7K2jOW4/VI9IVJnCZAI/AAAAAAAAAII/tj9jAxwGNks/D20141122T105026_WGD_U_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td><em>European Bee Eater</em></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <table style="width: 400px" align="center" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Hardware</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td width="109"><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Camera:</i></span></td> <td width="303"><span style="font-size: x-small">Sony SLT-A37</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Lens:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">Sigma DG 150-500mm 5-6.3 APO HSM</span></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Photo Settings</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Aperture:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">f/9</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Shutter:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">1/1250</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>ISO:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">800</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Focal Length:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">500mm (35mm Eq = 750mm)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br><br> <p align="center"> <div align="center"> <table style="width: 601px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td><a title="Zebra by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16028882532"><img alt="Zebra" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8634/16028882532_d559cbf108_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td><em>Zebra Foal</em></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <table style="width: 400px" align="center" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Hardware</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td width="109"><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Camera:</i></span></td> <td width="303"><span style="font-size: x-small">Sony SLT-A37</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Lens:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">Sigma DG 150-500mm 5-6.3 APO HSM</span></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Photo Settings</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Aperture:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">f/5.6</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Shutter:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">1/1600</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>ISO:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">400</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Focal Length:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">150mm (35mm Eq = 225mm)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br><br> <p align="center"> <div align="center"> <table style="width: 601px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td><a title="Blesbok by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16028881612"><img alt="Blesbok" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7577/16028881612_145114514a_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td><em>Blesbuck family</em></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <table style="width: 400px" align="center" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Hardware</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td width="109"><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Camera:</i></span></td> <td width="303"><span style="font-size: x-small">Sony SLT-A37</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Lens:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">Sigma DG 150-500mm 5-6.3 APO HSM</span></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Photo Settings</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Aperture:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">f/6.3</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Shutter:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">1/4000</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>ISO:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">400</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Focal Length:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">500mm (35mm Eq = 750mm)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br><br> <p align="center"> <div align="center"> <table style="width: 601px" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td><a title="Whiskered Tern by William Dicks, on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/picwill/16028876862"><img alt="Whiskered Tern" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8588/16028876862_bc9594eab5_o.jpg" width="600" height="399"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td><em>Whiskered Tern</em></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <table style="width: 400px" align="center" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Hardware</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td width="109"><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Camera:</i></span></td> <td width="303"><span style="font-size: x-small">Sony SLT-A37</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Lens:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">Sigma DG 150-500mm 5-6.3 APO HSM</span></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="middle" colspan="2" align="center"> <h3><span style="font-size: x-small"><u><b>Photo Settings</b></u></span></h3></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Aperture:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">f/6.3</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Shutter:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">1/3200</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>ISO:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">200</span></td></tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-size: x-small"><i>Focal Length:</i></span></td> <td><span style="font-size: x-small">500mm (35mm Eq = 750mm)</span></td></tr></tbody></table> <p> </p> <p>More pictures can be found in the slideshow below. There are more photographs of the European Bee Eater, a Pied Starling, and African Darter, a White Throated Swallow, more Zebras, etc.<br><br></p> <p align="center"></p> <div style="height: 600px; width: 600px; text-align: center; margin: auto"><object width="600" height="600" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157647443777404%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157647443777404%2F&set_id=72157647443777404&tags=European,Bee,Eater,,Whiskered,Tern,,Zebra,,Blesbuck" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="src" value="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" /> <embed width="600" height="600" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157647443777404%2Fshow&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpicwill%2Fsets%2F72157647443777404%2F&set_id=72157647443777404&tags=European,Bee,Eater,,Whiskered,Tern,,Zebra,,Blesbuck" allowFullScreen="true" /> </object><br><small>Created with <a href="http://www.flickrslideshow.com">flickr slideshow</a>.</small></div> William Dickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16598200388338991434noreply@blogger.com0