On a Photo Safari with the Canon 5D Mark III. Day 2: Meeting The Killing Machine

I'm running a series of posts here on my blog: On a Photo Safari with the Canon 5D Mark III.

Today is Day 2.

Our guide, Simon, called this leopard "The Killing Machine." Why? Because he was dining on wildebeeast after wildebeeast after wildebeeast at the crossing of the Great Migration (photos to come).

After his kill, the killing machine had his "snack" up in nearby tree. Two kills are shown in the photo on the right – front and back end.

One of my favorite wildlife photography lenses is the Canon 70-300mm IS zoom, which I used to make my portraits of "The Killing Machine."

Quick tip: When shooting, try to shoot eye-to-eye. The opening photographs for this post have impact because I am shooting at eye level, as opposed to shooting above the subject, as illustrated in the photograph above.

Scroll down for more posts in this series.

Thanks to Jonathan and Aggie Scott, The Big Cat People, for making our trip a reality. Follow my friends on Google+.

If you plan on a photo safari, I have a basic class on KelbyOne that offers advice.

Jonathan and I are planning some special trips. Shoot me an email to get on the list.

Jonathan and I made a few videos during our safari. Check 'em out here.

Interested in the gear I used on safari. Here is a QUICK look. :-)

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Check out my Gallery/One Week On the Mara photographs over on the left - and start your Squarespace site today. Click the image below to get started.

On a Photo Safari with the Canon 5D Mark III. Day 1: Giving credit where credit is due

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Canon 200-400mm IS lens.

I'm starting a series of posts here on my blog: On a Photo Safari with the Canon 5D Mark III.

Today is Day 1.

As I will be sharing my favorite photographs from my recent trip to Kenya's Masai Mara, I thought it only fair that I give credit where credit is due - because I had a lot of help in the making of my images! Here goes.

We would not have made the trip if it had not been for my friends and Canon Ambassadors Jonathan and Angela Scott. These guys made the trip a reality, so they get part of the credit. Follow my friends on Google+.

Simon Sitienei, expert guide/driver/Tuska Time organizer.

Our guide, Simone Sitenei, found the animals for us and got me into exactly - and I mean exactly - the best position for a photograph. That's skill. Credit due!

Jonathan loaned us his vehicle, customized for photography and videography, for the entire safari. Yes! This is one of the Big Cat Diary vehicles. My guess is that I got a much higher percentage of "keepers" thanks to having my own, awesome private vehicle.

Photograph by Jonathan Scott

I also gotta thank, big time, my wife/assistant Susan Sammon. Not too many "assistants" could put up with 9 days (starting in dark and ending at sunset) of "Quick, I need the 70-300, no the 200-400." Or, "Pass me the 24-105!"

Photograph by Jonathan Scott

I need to thank Canon for making some incredible cameras and lenses - and Canon CPS for loaning me the 200-400mm lens.

Susan makes cool images, too. She took the above image with her Canon PowerShot S110 - the perfect compact camera for fun (and awesome) shots.

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Here is the camera/lens/settings info for the opening image for this post.

If you look closely in the opening image, (click to enlarge), you'll see a black and white dot above the male lion's eyes. That's a fly. Black is its body, white areas the wings. Kinda amazing.

Stay tuned for more images. 

During our "downtime" (ha ha)  at Governors' Camp, our awesome home base for the safari, we made a few videos. You can view them on my YouTube channel.

I teach photography, Photoshop and Lightroom on all my workshops. Can't make a workshop? Check out my on-line classes.

Interested in the gear I used on safari. Here is a QUICK look. :-)

Explore the light,
Rick Sammon,
Canon Explorer of Light

Back From 8 Days on the Masai Mara!

Hey Everyone! We are back from a totally amazing 8 days on the Masai Mara with our friends Jonathan and Angela Scott - the Big Cat people.

Photos, movies and stories to come. Just need to play catch up for bit. Our first movie is here.

Here's a movie on my one week in the Mara.

And if you like people photography, check out this movie.

For now, above is one of my favorite images: a portrait of "The Killing Machine." I'll explain more later.

Thinking of a photo safari? Shoot me an email to get on my email list. Also check out my on-line class for first time photo safari goers.

Explore the light,
Rick

Create Your Own Reality - In Your Life

"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination." – John Lennon

"It's never too late to be who you could have been." – George Eliot

This post originally ran a few years ago. I'm running it again because my recent posts about going on a photo safari to Africa in a few days to shoot with Jonathan Scott, known as the Big Cat Man (because of his outstanding work on the TV series, Big Cat Diary) prompted many, "you are so lucky" emails.

Yes, I have been lucky to a degree, but we all contribute to our own luck. What's more, it's important to remember this: "The harder one works, the luckier one becomes." It a fact.

So the point of this post is that we create our own luck - and reality.

Jonathan and Angie Scott

For example, I met Jonathan and his lovely wife Angie five years ago on a ship in Antarctica. We hung out. After the trip we kept in touch and became friends. Had I not kept in touch, I might be spending this Labor Day mowing the lawn.

I have two more similar "keeping-in-touch" stories.

I met a nice guy on a workshop that I was co-leading with another pro to Kenya.

We hung out and we became friends. After the trip he took me on a private workshop to Mongolia, and then to San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. He has also stayed at my home, which is always fun.

After one of my Miami, Florida workshops, a participant hired me to give him a private workshop in Botswana.

Okay, on to the original post.

• • • • • •

I often write about altering the reality of a photograph – creating a new reality in Photoshop or Lightroom.

Today I'd like to do "something completely different," as they used to say on Monty Pythons Flying Circus. I'd like to share some thoughts about creating your own reality in your life . . .  as far out as that may sound to some folks.

Here's an example: On one of my workshops I scheduled a sunrise shoot at Mono Lake in California. The folks who showed up (getting up at 2:45 AM) experienced the beautiful sunrise in the opening image for this post. The folks who chose to sleep in saw this:

Two different realities were created. Two different choices were made.

Before I go on, I know that we are not 100% in charge of our reality. For example, if I choose to walk outside during a storm and then get struck by lightning, my choice did not affect my reality. Or did it? If it was thundering and lightning, maybe staying inside would have been a better choice.

Again, as far out as it may sound, we are in control of our reality - our lives - to a great degree. The choices we make affect the here-and-now and our future . . . and to some degree the future of others. 

Don't agree about how we affect others? Think about your parents and your kids. Your parents' decisions affect and affected you, and your decisions (actions, words, behavior) effect your kids' decisions.

If you need some reinforcement of this idea, check out Real Magic by Dr. Wayne Dyer. I read Dr. Dyer's book, among many other self-help books, and realized a long time ago that we have the opportunity to create our own reality. 

Dr. Dyer suggests that if you are unhappy with your life, start living the life you want to live – and that it's possible that that life can become your reality.

My story: For 10 years (1980- 1990) I worked in an advertising agency in NYC. Shirt. Tie. Vest. Shined shoes. Train. Subway. BS. Etc.

In 1985 I decided that I wanted out. On my vacations, I played travel photographer: dressing like one and traveling to exotic locations. Each year I took more and more pictures and took more and more vacations . . . until I got fired for taking too many vacations. :-)

I created my own reality. I had enough saved, a "cush" as my account calls it, to tie me over until I started generating some income with my photography. 

I wanted to write books. I sent out enough proposals to publishers that I now have 35 books. No proposal letters, no books. No time typing, no books.

I got the idea for this post after receiving this touching and sad email:

Hi Rick - You always seem so happy and to be enjoying life. My life is horrible and always has been. I'd love to be as happy-to-lucky as you are. What is your secret.?"

My response was to read Real Magic.

I also suggested that the sign of a true professional is to make a hard job look easy. Just think of an ice skater . . . or any professional photographer today. It's hard work.

If you are unhappy, change. It's up to you.

When you are through changing, you are through.

If you have a comment, please post it in the Comments section here on my blog for others to see.

If you need some inspiration, check out this guest blog post I did for my friend, Scott Kelby.

Happiness (as the Buddhist monks would say),

Rick

P.S. If you need more some inspiration, you can get it from nature. My favorite inspiration quotes are in my iPad app:

Life Lessons We Can Learn From Mother Nature.

Conquer Composition – on line!

Outside of Tucumcari, New Mexico.

Famed photographer Edward Weston said, "Composition is the strongest way of seeing."

I agree, which is the reason why I call my KelbyOne class on composition: Composition – the strongest way of seeing. In the class I cover the basic rules of composition and why you should break them. I also cover the most import composition technique: composing emotionally.

Check out the course comments . . . and for those of you who have watched the class, thanks for all the positive feedback.

Speaking of KelbyOne, my friend Scott Kelby also has an in-depth class on composition. It's called Crush the Composition. Check out the course comments! As you will read, Scott provides an awesome learning experience.

Have fun conquering the composition.

Explore the light,
Rick

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