I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all my loyal fans and followers a very Happy 2012. I hope this year is filled with good health and happiness for you and your families.

2011 was a good year for me photographically speaking but had many other challenging and difficult times but here I am in 2012 ready to tackle it by the horns. Later today I’ll be reflecting on 2011 in another blog post with my favourite images from the past year.

If you’re still on holiday please travel back safe and for those already back at work, well, somebody’s got to get the work done and I hope you are getting back into the swing of things.

My image "At The Mercy Of Men" of a lone Rhinoceros was the overall winner of the the Animal General category of the Getaway Fujifilm Wildlife Photography Awards 2011. (Print, stock or editorial enquiries may be directed to image@mitchellkrog.com with image REF: KES5721)

Greetings friends and readers, yesterday I received some really great news regarding the Fujifilm Getaway Wildlife Photography Awards 2011. My image “At the mercy of men” of a lone Rhinoceros in black and white was the overall winner of the Animal General category of this year’s competition. For several years this has remained a rather tough category to crack through but this year the judges saw something that really caught their eye and I am elated at being chosen as the winner for this category.

In addition I received First Runner Up in the same category with another image of mine “Lone Jackal on Etosha Pan” which is another low key monochrome image taken in Etosha earlier this year.

My image "Lone Jackal Etosha Pan" was the first runner-up of the Animal General category of the Getaway Fujifilm Wildlife Photography Awards 2011. (Print, stock or editorial enquiries may be directed to image@mitchellkrog.com with image REF: NAX7961)

My image "Deadvlei Sunrise" of a sunrise over the famous dead pan nestled in the tall red sand dunes of Namibia was the winner of the Landscapes and Plants category of the Getaway Fujifilm Wildlife Photography Awards 2011. (Print, stock or editorial enquiries may be directed to image@mitchellkrog.com with image REF: NAX1542)

I was also chosen as winner of the Landscapes and Plants category for a second year running with my image “Deadvlei Sunrise” taken in the iconic and world famous dead pan nestled in the tall red sand dunes of Namibia.

Last but not least, my image “Rush Hour” of a wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara, received a Certificate of Merit in the Animal Behaviour category of the competition.

My image "Rush Hour" of a wildebeest crossing in the Maasai Mara was the receiver of a Certificate of Merit in the Animal Behaviour category of the Fujifilm Getaway Wildlife Photography Awards 2011. (Print, stock or editorial enquiries may be directed to image@mitchellkrog.com with image REF: KEX4133)

It’s been really wonderful news and I’m still pinching myself thinking I have dreamed this all up.

I would like to thank everyone at Fujifilm and Getaway for these great honours and recognition of my work. I would also like to thank you, my friends and followers, who have been there supporting me every step of the way.

The Fujifilm Getaway Wildlife Awards remains to be one of the most coveted awards by South African photographers. This is one of the few photographic awards left in the world that judges images based on the actual print instead of a digital image on screen.  This year the quality of the winning images and certificates across all categories was really top class and it’s great to see some of the top photographers in South Africa recognised for their hard work and perserverance.

With the total onslaught of Rhino poaching in South Africa over the last 2 years it is especially welcome to see my Rhino image displayed for all to see. Conservation and protection of wildlife are issues which have always been very close to my heart and the Rhino poaching issue especially is one that digs deep into the psyche of just about every nature lover in the world.  The image is very close to my heart and was that way from the very moment I captured it. To me it portrays a vision that I hope to never see in my lifetime, the last Rhino standing out in an open field long after all the other Rhino’s have been slaughtered. It would be a grim day if we ever see the headline “Last Rhino Killed”.

Thank you once again to everyone for their support and encouragement over the years.

Over the next few days I’ll be delving into each of these 4 images with a separate blog post on each where I’ll share a little about the locations, circumstances and thought processes surrounding the images.

Golden Harvest - A disc plough at sunset on the freshly harvested maize fields of Magaliesburg. (Print, stock or editorial enquiries may be directed to image@mitchellkrog.com with REF: ZAS7875)

I’ve lived in a farming community for over 5 years now and it’s given me many great opportunities to photograph the agricultural landscape and activities.

On the day this photo was taken it had been overcast and cool all day so I was not even thinking of shooting anything but close to sunset I noticed there was a nice gap between the clouds and horizon and thought I might just be in luck so I grabbed my camera and headed out.

My neighbor who had just completed his maize harvest had sent his disc plough out to process all the discarded plant material back into the ground. By chance he left his disc plough out for the night and just happened to leave it perfectly positioned for me giving me a nice anchor in fields that are otherwise devoid of anchors.

Just as the sun crept under the cloud bank the most beautiful light streamed across the farmlands. The yellow disc plough lit up in an intense golden colour and the sunlight clipped the bits of plant material still protruding from the ground turning them into flakes of gold.

This photo quickly found its way into my personal favorites and eventually went on to take second prize in the Nikon Lifestyle Photographic Competition 2011 held by the Magalies Meander and Nikon South Africa.

This is a single exposure, no filters or HDR techniques were used to compose this image.

Image can also be viewed on 500px.com

A massive supercell lightning storm rolls into the Highveld of South Africa at the start of the 2011 summer rain season. (Print, stock or editorial enquiries may be directed to image@mitchellkrog.com with image REF: ZAX3423)

The first summer thunderstorms on the Highveld of South Africa are finally upon us. After a very cold and dry winter the winds have finally started to bring in the much needed summer rains. This supercell rolled in this afternoon from the North West Province and brought with it the first sprinkling of rain to quench the thirst of the bone dry and dusty soils. It will only be a few days now before we see the farmers spring into action getting their crops into the ground and before the proper rains start to arrive. As for me, it’s my time to once again rush out and capture these incredible spectacles of nature.

Some sad news has just reached my desk. Well known South African aviation photographer Frans Dely was killed in a plane crash over the weekend. Frans along with others were en-route back to Rand Airport in Germiston when their plane crashed into the cliffs of the Mamotswiri Peak mountain region due to heavy clouds. It’s a sad loss for the South African photographic community. My thoughts and prayers go out to Frans’ family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time.

From Defenceweb.co.za “Search and rescue officials say they have found the two Piaggio P. 166S Albatross aircraft that disappeared Sunday in the Escarpment area on a flight from an airshow in Tzaneen to Rand Airport in Germiston. The wrecks were found this morning in the Mamotswiri Peak mountain region. All 13 crew and passengers aboard, including noted aviation photographer Frans Dely, were killed.” full story here.

A Young Gorilla from the Agushya (Group 13) family of Mountain Gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. (Print, Stock or Editorial enquiries may be directed to image@mitchellkrog.com with image REF: RWS7921)

During a trip last year to Rwanda my wife and I spent several days trekking Mountain Gorilla’s in the Volcanoes National Park. On our second day we spent a precious hour with the Agushya family otherwise known as Group 13. This family was comprised of members of all ages including some very playful youngsters. I tell you one thing, you cannot believe how quickly one hour of your life passes when in the presence of these magnificent creatures and when you encounter a group with playful youngsters you don’t know where to point your camera first. Before you know it your guide is whispering to you that you have 5 minutes left and you think huh?

Photographing Gorilla’s is a challenge of its own because no flash photography is permitted whatsoever so you are entirely reliant on natural light conditions. In some parts of the forest it can be quite dark and unless you know the constraints of your camera and lens you’ll be coming home with many blurred images. I worked with two camera’s during my visits with the Gorillas and they both outshined themselves repeatedly. This image was captured of one of the youngsters sitting by himself while watching the others at play.

Elephant Matriarch and Family - Amboseli, Kenya (Print, Stock or Editorial Enquiries may be directed to image@mitchellkrog.com with image REF: KEX5391)

Amboseli National Park is situated in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya and for the most part it is a flat barren piece of land covered mostly by grass. There are however a few small pockets of green vegetation near some swamp areas and this is where most animals seem to congregate. One of the main attractions of Amboseli is the often large groups of Elephants that traverse the land in search of water and food.

The park has only a few roads and off-road driving is most definitely not permitted which makes getting into position for photos extremely challenging. For the wildlife photographer that is willing to excercise some patience it can be a very rewarding place but for many it seems to only induce frustration.

On the morning I captured this image I headed out just before sunrise and immediately noticed a large bank of cloud that was sitting to the East blocking most of the sky and horizon where the sun would rise. Not being one to give up easily I travelled along one of the main roads where I felt I had a chance of catching some elephants coming out from the forested areas in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. Just after the sun has risen I spotted this family, being led by the matriarch, emerging from the forest and heading directly towards my vehicle and they moved surprisingly fast. When they were just at the right distance I captured this image and there was just a touch of golden light that found its way through a few gaps in the clouds. The whole family were covered in red mud from an earlier mud bath and this helped bring a lot of warm tones to the image and for me it made my day.

A White Rhino on the fringes of the Golden Fever Tree Forest in Lake Nakuru, Kenya in the early golden morning sunlight. (Print, Stock or Editorial Enquiries may be directed to image@mitchellkrog.com with image REF: KEX8802)

On a cool morning drive through Lake Nakuru last year there was not much happening as far as sightings of animals go. I decided this morning to concentrate on the fringes of the Golden Fever Tree Forest as a number of animals, especially Rhino, seek refuge there. Shortly after the sun had risen I spotted something lying inside the forest but was not entirely sure if it was just another branch from a tree of which I had already spotted hundreds. After a bit of closer inspection with the long lens I could clearly see a horn sticking out from undergrowth of the forest and it was only a few minutes before it started to move. This magnificent White Rhino arose to greet my lens and came slowly walking out of the forest towards my vehicle. I waited for a moment when he would be nicely positioned in a clearing and then grabbed this image. It’s sad to think that over 200 such creatures have been slaughtered on South African soil in only the last 6 months in what can only be termed an abomination of conservation and law. Let’s hope that photos of Rhino’s are not the only things we get to show our children one day.

Rhino’s are generally very shy and somewhat secretive animals and finding them standing out in the open posing for a camera is certainly not an everyday occurence, not for me anyway. On a trip to Lake Nakuru in Kenya last year I made my way down to the lake shores one afternoon to photograph the flamingoes, but upon arriving, here stood this magnificent Rhino right out in the open with a beautiful backdrop gracing the scene. The contrasts of the scene were intense and screamed black and white to me and for one brief moment the Rhino lifted his head up and looked straight at me. This print is available on a selection of Hahnemule fine art papers and canvas.

A fine art monotone print of an African Rhino on the shores of Lake Nakuru in Kenya near sunset. (Print, stock or editorial enquiries may be directed to image@mitchellkrog.com with REF: KES5721)

]]> http://mitchellkrog.com/fine-art-wildlife/african-rhino-lake-nakuru-kenya-fine-art-wildlife-prints/feed/ 15 http://mitchellkrog.com/landscape-photography/deadvlei-namibia-a-900-year-old-natural-graveyard/ http://mitchellkrog.com/landscape-photography/deadvlei-namibia-a-900-year-old-natural-graveyard/#comments Thu, 14 Jul 2011 09:35:18 +0000 mitchellkrog http://mitchellkrog.com/?p=822

I’ve visited Deadvlei in Namibia a number of times and each time it’s like a brand new palette just teaming with possibilities. It’s a truly magical place and just one visit sets its anchors deep into your heart making sure you will return again and again and again.

Deadvlei is found among the tallest red sand dunes in the world, some reaching 400 meters high. It is said that some 900 years ago the area went through an extreme dry period and the massive red dunes cut off Dead Vlei from the Tsauchab river.

Deadvlei became so dry that not only did the trees die but they could not even decompose and simply scorched black in the sun essentially becoming statues to their downfall. The trees now form a barren forest frozen in time in the middle of a harsh unforgiving environment.

Landscape Photograph of Deadvlei in Sossuvlei, Namibia. Deadvlei is found among the tallest red sand dunes in the world, some reaching 400 meters high. It is said that some 900 years ago the area went through an extreme dry period and the massive red dunes cut off Dead Vlei from the Tsauchab river leaving a graveyard of dead trees. (Print, stock or editorial enquiries may be directed to image@mitchellkrog.com with REF: NAX1542)