Monthly Archives: April 2010

Suprise!


Many people don’t have the patience when it comes to photographing animals. It takes a lot of waiting around and quite a few days to get what you want. The age old saying “never work with babies or animals” is so true!

Persistance is the other thing you will need a lot of when trying to capture that winning image. I have lost count of the number days that I have been to the same location just hoping that it might be my lucky day. Eventually you might get it and thats the day you sit back with a cold beer in one hand, hopefully cheque in the other and a big smile on your face.

So I encourage every photographer out there…landscape, wedding, portrait, artistic or just plain amature to take your camera and lens, point it at an animal and click! Then send me the link to your photo and I will post it on my blog so everyone can see it.

Happy Shooting.

Leigh Diprose

Lioness


At this stage my reaction was to pull the lens in, start the car very very quickly and power the electric windows up so I wouldn’t get eaten.

The setup I took to the Kruger worked for me. I took the following…

1x Lowepro Photo Trekker AW II,   1x Canon 1D MK III,   1x Canon 40D with grip,   1x Simga 10mm f2.8 fisheye,    1x Canon 85mm f1.2,    1x Sigma 120-300mm f2.8,    1x Sigma 2x teleconvertor,  1x Velbon Sherpa Pro 8 with Manfrotto Monopod Head,   160GB external HD,    Trusty HP laptop and various other camera accessories.

I hired a Kia Sportivo (never buy one they are horrible) for the height and seating arrangement. My carbon fiber Velbon Sherpa Pro 8 sat snuggly between the seat adjustment located on the right hand side of my seat and the door. It allowed me to shoot completely hands free with the 1D and sigma 120-300 & 2x convertor just a swivel away. Tracking subjects was easy. I will post some photos of some birds and Wild Dog that I drove next to while shooting.

All together I did about 1000kms at a top speed of 50kms.

Problems: Rental Cars are horrible in Africa. Book well in advance. The car you book is not the one you will ever end up with.

For my next trip I plan to go to the Okavango Swamps. Any keen photographers willing to put their lives on the line to get the shot let me know. I could use the bait!

Keep checking the blog to see a range of animals and the occasional landscape shot.

Until then. Enjoy

Spotted Eagle Owl


This bird just sounds great! An eagle and an owl combinded what more could you want?

I just wish that it had a big fat mongoose or something hanging from its mouth. That would have really made the shot – oh well…it just means I will have to go back to Africa again – damm.

This ones my favorite..

I hope you all like the new redesigned frame.

Look out for the next post….LION! Stay tuned.

Happy Shooting

Leigh Diprose

It’s not a phase it’s a reality check


Went to the phase one night at team digital and soaked up everything that the phase and leaf offered. Canon is childs play in comparison. If you are after quality then the phase is the camera for you. A big thankyou to Ben and Christian for the enthusiasm for bettering photography in WA
Better go now Im sitting at the airport. The lions are waiting in Africa!

AFRICA: Updated Posted…Lions tomorrow….this is the last post for a few weeks. Until then,

Happy Shooting..

Pinnacles


What a place! I was a little bit suprised at just how touristy the Pinnacles are. I had a picture in my mind that there was going to be desert and nothing else – how wrong I was! Car parks, roads, annoying tourists and National Park fees were just some of things that irritated me.

However after driving around for a bit (behind tourists who were forever stopping) I was determined not to take the touristy/postcard shot. You know the one where people stand by a colum of limestone and say “smile”.

Here is one of the results. Over the next month you should see a few more.  Until then Happy Shooting!

Leigh Diprose

Sunset in Dunsborough


This shot was an exposure nightmare… shooting directly into the sun isn’t recommended when stitching photos.

I learnt that the best time to shoot Sugar Loaf Rock is at sunrise not sunset! I will certainly be going back at sunrise to capture this beautiful part of the world. Its just a matter of time.

Geraldton over the next couple of days then Northam followed by Africa. Can’t wait!

PS  – David what does this look like on your huge screen? I have only got a laptop (have to work on that!) and can’t quite see the detail – does it look alright and sharp?

Happy Shooting

Leigh Diprose

Sugar Loaf Rock


Yesterday was quite a large day for me. I went to the Wildlife Centre in Margaret River followed by the Berry Farm (where I was recognised by someone who I taught in Albany!) then onto Dunsborough for the sunset at Sugar Loaf Rock.

I managed to stop at Christian Fletcher’s gallery in Dunsborough for the first time and was blown away at the size of the place! If you haven’t already been it is certainly a place I would recommend visiting. The photography is breath taking. I’m really looking forward to the workshop Nick Rains and Christian are running in Tasmania. If you haven’t booked already get onto it.  I can’t wait!

I was eaten alive by mosquitoes to get this shot! I forgot that I had aerogard in my camera bag.

Enjoy

Leigh Diprose

Saturday Night


Gracetown is just off Caves Road near Margaret River, Western Australia.

I wasn’t planning on going here but I’m glad I did. The rocks in this landscape where amazing with different patterns and colours.  Everywhere I looked was beautiful.

Today I went to Sugar Loaf Rock so hopefully you should see the shots in the next week.

Until then…

Happy shooting!

Saturday


Saturday Morning:

I got up at 6am and headed down to the Margaret River mouth. I was suprised to see that I wasn’t the only mad person to get up early on a holiday. Surfers, paddlers, kayaks, walkers and tourists had flooded the car park. I was not alone.

There was numerous opportunities to photograph different subjects. The landscape was alive with surfers breaking in the first waves with the clouds on the distant horizon. Families walking on the dunes by the rivermouth and people enthusiastically fishing in kayaks on the river.

I decided to photograph birds by the river. After stalking a White Faced Heron through thick reeds,  I was able to sit myself down like a crouched predator about 10 metres from the bird.  For those of you who don’t know it is very very hard to get close to these birds.

I sat and watched for a few hours and waited…

and waited some more….

and finally…

So that was my morning!

Keep a eye out for Saturday afternoon/evening post!

Until then.

Happy Shooting,

Leigh Diprose

Another from up north


This one has taken me a while to put together – A total of 9 images shot on the trusty old sigma fisheye.

The landscape up north is just begging to be photographed. I found this little hole in the rock which would be a great place to shelter from an approaching storm.

I’m in Margaret River now so hopefully you should see some blue wrens posted soon! Until then….Happy Shooting!

Leigh Diprose