I didn’t do as much photography this year as in previous ones so not surprisingly, I don’t think I got that many quality shots. However, I thought I would recap a few of the highlights.
As usual I made a a very short trip in January to the Snow Monkeys in Central Honshu in Japan. I have lots of nice Monkey images but I thought I’d show a landscape image since you don’t see too many of these at this location. The key here was a tungsten white balance setting to emphasis the cool blue hues. That together with the symmetry of the rocks and ice and 1/6th of a second got the job done.
River water flowing past ice, Jigokudani, Japan
In February I was back in Hokkaido. Eastern Hokkaido is full of snowy hills and isolated trees which lends itself to minimalistic imagery.
Leafless Elder trees on top of a snow covered hill, Eastern Hokkaido, Japan
The main attraction off course in Eastern Hokkaido is birds and my favorite species are the Whooper Swans at Lake Kussharo. We were blessed with a number of misty mornings on the frozen lake which created fantastic atmospheric conditions.
Adult and juvenile Whooper Swans flying into land on frozen and lake with snow dusted mountains in the background, Lake Kussharo, Hokkaido, Japan
The next image might just be my favorite from the year. The key here was composition: ensuring that there was no merger between the swans and carefully using the overhanging branches as a frame in the top half of the image. There is something quintessentially Japanese about the image, almost like a Japanese painting and this is what I had in mind when I pressed the shutter. The other less artistic consideration was an ability to withstand a fair amount of pain! The temperature at the time was -20 c and I could only remove my fingers from my pocket-warmer laden mittens for about 20 seconds at a time before numbness would set in.
Whooper Swans at dawn on frozen lake opening under overhanging branches, Lake Kussharo, Hokkaido, Japan
In June I was back again in French Polynesia for the annual Camouflage Grouper aggregation and spawning event – almost certainly the largest aggregation of reef fish globally but which (thankfully) remains largely undocumented. While I would describe myself as a decent wildlife photographer and an average landscape one, I am no more than a poor underwater photographer. Although I’ve been diving for a quarter of a century, I just haven’t put in enough hours with a camera underwater to rise above mediocrity. It hasn’t helped that for a number of years I’ve had some major sinus issues which has taken away some of the pleasure but after seeing a specialist this year (and briefly contemplating surgery), I seem to have settled on a medication combination that works. Hopefully this will mean more diving and an improvement in my underwater imagery.
This first image was taken the day after the main Grouper spawning event. What many locals don’t fully appreciate is that the Groupers aren’t the only fish species that aggregate and spawn at this location during this period. Here, large schools of Dark-Banded Fusiliers are attracted to the spawn of Yellowfin Surgeon fish. As always, there are plenty of Grey Reef Sharks in attendance and things can get pretty intense when you get enveloped by the Fusiliers with the Sharks charging into them.
Grey Reef Sharks among Dark-Banded Fusiliers, French Polynesia
On the afternoon of the main Grouper spawning event, we have discovered another location a few hundred meters away where another reef fish species, Convict Surgeonfish, spawn. This image shows them during a brief lull but I like it for the composition and the sun rays arrowing down to the reef. The scene looks peaceful enough but I can tell you, there was an absolute ripping current flowing over the reef and just hanging on, let along composing and taking an image was a major challenge.
Grey Reef Sharks among an aggregation of Convict Surgeonfish
As I wrote in my last blog post, I made three short trips to East Africa in 2013. Apologies that I am repeating some of the images from the last blog but here are a few favorites from these trips. Up first is a juvenile Spotted Hyena which gave me plenty of entertainment and my rock cams a thorough going over near to its den in the Serengeti.
Juvenile Hyena walking, close-focus, wide-angle, Serengeti, Tanzania
The use of a camera-mounted remote controlled toy buggy afforded me more flexibility and worked especially well with Lions in the Mara.
Immature male Lion, close-focus, wide-angle, Masai Mara, Kenya
Two sub-adult male lions, close-focus, wide-angle, Masai Mara, Kenya
Another Lion, this time taken with a longer lens, after a particularly heavy deluge in March.
Male Lion shaking wet mane with water spraying, with motion, Masai Mara, Kenya
In my last blog I described the fun I had with a family of Black-Backed Jackals in the Mara in November and this was probably the best encounter that I had with the Jackals really dishing it out to the Vultures whenever the latter tried to encroach on a Wildebeest carcass that the Jackals were feeding on.
Black-Backed Jackal fighting with African White-Backed Vulture, Masai Mara, Kenya
I love Zebras. There is something hypnotic about their stripes and it was these patterns that I concentrated on for more than two hours on a heavily overcast day in the Serengeti in May.
Zebra patterns, abstract, Serengeti, Tanzania
Juvenile Zebra, abstract, Serengeti, Tanzania
I was able to indulge my love of aerial photography on two of my Africa trips and conditions on the soda lakes provided a bewildering array of opportunities.
Aerial image of Lesser Flamingos and their trails, Lake Logipi, Kenya
Aerial image of Lesser Flamingos flying in formation over algae slick on Lake Bogoria, Kenya
Aerial image of Lesser Flamingos and their trails through shallow water soda lake, Lake Natron, Tanzania
In late November I went to Palau in Micronesia with celebrated photographer and all round nice guy, Tony Wu, to try and photograph spawning Bumphead Parrotfish. This was extremely challenging given the general wariness of the Bumpheads towards divers, the low visibility and the inability to use strobes (in order to minimize disturbance). I have still to process most of my images but looking through the raw files suggests that my efforts were pretty feeble especially in comparison to Tony Ironman Wu. But just to show that I did actually try, here is one image as the Bumpheads stream in, just prior to spawning.
Pre-spawning aggregation of Bumphead Parrotfish, Palau, Micronesia
I’m definitely not one for selfies but I could not resist while free diving in Jellyfish Lake in Palau. Anyway hope you enjoyed and I wish everyone a great 2014. Next up for me will be Japan. Can’t wait.
Selfie at 10m, Jellyfish Lake, Palau, Micronesia
Ko, kam po
January 2, 2014
Dear Paul,
Tks a great deal with sharing your unique masterpieces.
They are all very very good images and taken in the right
stunning split of a second.
Paul you are doing better than ever! If your past works were outstanding,
these new creative are out of the extremes level.
Keep up with your spirit.
Wishing you a great photo adventure in Japan and the rest of 2014.
Ko, kam po
Ontario
Arthur Morris
January 2, 2014
Yo Momma, Great stuff, especially the young hyena, the first fish image, the lion shaking, and the 5 swans. What lens was that? See you in Tokyo soon. artie
Paul Quah
January 2, 2014
Thanks mate for that amazing trip to Japan (Eastern Hokkaido) and this wonderful blog to start the year. Hard to single out a highlight but I think snowshoeing for those landscape/tree shots is right up there for me. Look forward to more. PQ
Paul Mckenzie
January 2, 2014
Agree on the snow shoeing. Hope to be able to do some in February when I’m next there. Looks like I will be in Perth late January.
Denise Ippolito/A Creative Adventure
January 2, 2014
Paul, Have a wonderful New Year! Fantastic shots as usual! I love the tree minimalistic image, hope to get something like it while I’m in Japan 🙂
Paul Mckenzie
January 4, 2014
Thx Denise. If you are willing to snow shoe (quite easy), I can take you to some fantastic spots for trees.
Gordon Lindsay
January 2, 2014
I disagree on your definition of mediocrity I enjoy all your images Paul, and I love the selfie.
Hilary Hann
January 3, 2014
A beautiful and varied selection of images. I think my favourite is also the whooper swans under the tree branches which I find so peaceful and serene, but your Lake Logipi image is very close behind.
Paul Mckenzie
January 4, 2014
Agree with you Hilary on the Swans. Thx for stopping by.
Lina Zapata
January 5, 2014
Dear Paul, thanks for sharing, awesome pictures! The lion shaking it’s mane is my favorite one.
Hope you get to take many more pictures this year.
Lina Z