Our 2020/2021 Photo Competition is still open with fantastic travel and equipment prizes up for grabs! We want to showcase the best photos out there, celebrating South African wildlife, landscapes and culture.
We’ll be sharing the finalists of each month’s entries until the winner is announced in July of this year. If you want to enter, take a look here.
Here are the finalists of March 2020.
African Sacred Ibis
This photograph was taken at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, in Roodepoort. This African Sacred Ibis flew across the park, towards the Sasol hide within the garden.
-By Jan Roos, Ruimsig, Roodepoort
Sony A9, Sony FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS, 1.4X Teleconverter, ISO 1250, F/8, 1/2000 sec
Buffalo double
This photo was taken near the Mooiplaas water hole in the Kruger National Park. I drove next to the waterhole in the late afternoon when a number of animals came to drink water and I realised that the setting sun was perfect for a backlight shot. It was very dry in the park with lots of dust around and little vegetation. I drove to the waterhole every afternoon and on the fifth day; a herd of about 300 buffalos approached the water hole. It was a windless afternoon with no clouds in the sky.
As the buffalos approached the waterhole, the air all around was filled with dust and towards the end of the herd two buffalos were slowly making their way towards the waterhole. With one buffalo in front of the dust cloud and another buffalo within it. I waited patiently for both buffalos to be aligned before I captured the most amazing and once in lifetime shot.
-By Willem Kruger, Bloemfontein
Nikon D5, Nikkor 600mmf4 ED AF-S VR, ISO 320, f/8, 1/2000 sec
Water is life
They say a photo should tell a story, but in order to tell this story I have to break convention. Normally when shooting split-level photos the objective is to get a flat and even water line, which divides the frame. The story I wanted to tell was one of energy and life. Of wild waters and how they sustain life in these rock pools. Each thunderous wave, which slams into the rocky shoreline, releases its energy into a mountain of white water. Seemingly unbound by the laws of nature the white water rushes effortless over the rocks whilst simultaneously raining down into the rock pools. It’s this continuous cycle of fresh nutrient-rich water, which sees life flourish in these rock pools.
-By Geo Cloete, Wellington
Nikon D300, Tamron 10-24mm, ISO 200, f/11, 1/320 sec
Protection
Nature is simultaneously a fragile and robust thing. This photograph was taken in the heat of a Kgalagadi summer, during one of the most intense droughts in recent years. This spotted thick-knee provided protection fro her recently born hatchling.
-By Elmar Venter, Moreletapark, Pretoria
Canon EOS 1DX, Canon 500mm f4, 1.4 converter, ISO 640, f/6.3, 1/1000sec
