21 June 2011

White-necked raven, Nyika Plateau


A long way from anywhere I stopped the ute and got out to wander around in the wind and sun. A small group of roan antelope grazed in the distance and a storm moved across the horizon where hills receded into the blue-grey haze. A raven watched me carefully as it fed. One can't be too careful around here.


[24 May 2007, Canon 20D, 300 mm f4 L IS, ISO 200, 1/800 at f7.1] 

All content © 2011 Pete McGregor

5 comments:

Me from Cali said...

Great bokeh and foreground subject definition. A real 3-D effect. VERY sharp.

How about taking a photo of your photo equipment -- the Cannon stuff that you use on a regular basis (bags, lenses, filter, etc.) and perhaps some others as well.

Just a suggestion that might be of interest to your fans.

Relatively Retiring said...

Something very eagle-like - the posture, that ferocious beak, and the feeling of leaning into the wind.

Zhoen said...

Only fair, you were keeping a keen eye on him.

Anonymous said...

The raven is assured of its beauty as the object of your focus. He stares back at you, remembering without camera.

pohanginapete said...

Thanks Paul. I'll think about the suggestion, although photos of gear are likely to be boring for people not into gear. My most-used kit's not substantial: the 20D body with the 300 mm and 24–105 mm probably accounted for 80% or more of my photos. Add the 10–22 and that'd increase to over 90% (these are just guesses). Macro work starts to get more involved, and occasionally I use a flash (strobe), but I have no special bags and can't remember the last time I used a filter. Of course, the new Panasonic GH1 kit is just the body and two lenses: 14–45 and 100–300. Nowhere near as versatile, but the quality's comparable and the portability's light-years better ;^)

RR, true — the bird does have a similarly powerful quality, a commanding presence.

Zhoen, I wonder how I appeared to the raven? I doubt very much it had ever seen anything quite like me and my camera.

Robin, sometimes I long for the simplicity of not having a camera; for being free to focus entirely on the moment.