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Hi there! Newbie back from Kenya!!
:wave I learned of SmugMug & DGrin yesterday, spent last night digging around, joined on, and here I am!!!! I think my family is going to miss me....
We've recently returned from fullfilling a life long dream - a trip to Africa. Since I was a little girl - watching Born Free and Daktari - I've told anyone who would listen that "I'm going to Africa when I'm 50!" Why 50? I can't say. And when you're little kid - 50 and "dead" are pretty much synonymous. But there you have it.
Yup, I hit the milestone in May and we left on July 21st for 2 weeks in the Kenyan bush at 3 very different Safari Camps in Southwestern Kenya - Amboseli NP, Lewa Conservancy, and the Masai Mara. All 3 camps are privately owned & operated and all are on land rented from the Massi villages. EcoTourism is an important element to the Kenyan Government and these 3 camps are exceptional examples!
After 17 hrs of travel, we arrived in Nairobi, were picked up at the airport by a representative of the tour outfitter we worked with and taken to the Fairview Hotel. Perhaps the safest hotel in this city, as it sits across the street from the Israeli Embassy (which has several "Friendly Checkpoints" near its entrance). Ater dinner and some wonderful music (!!!!) we finally CRASHED - and were then picked up the following morning and driven 4 (dusty) hours through Nairobi, out onto the savannah, and to our first camp - Porini - near Amboseli National Park and in the shadow of Mt. Kilamanjaro. (We only saw a snow-capped shoulder because, as the locals will tell you, "She is a very shy lady"). 3 incredible days at this rustic bush camp (with wonderful accomodations, terrific food, amazing people, AND the Southern Cross!) were followed by a flight in a small bush plane to Lewa Safari Camp in the Lewa Conservancy. This is a rhino conservancy and is part of an international organization which raises funds for the conservancy and the magnificant work they do. However, that also means that the camp part of the Conservancy has many more resources than the other camps we visited. Lewa had on-demand water and electricity and, in fact, landscaped grounds with gardeners and watering systems. We spent as much time as possible out on game drives, photographing Mt. Kenya, having indepth discussions with our amazing (!) Guides about the Masai culture and absorbing everything we possibly could. The land was quite different here with many more hills and different animals. 3 days here and we were off, again by bush plane to an absolute jewel of a camp - Kicheche Safari Camp - on the Masai Mara. The Mara is the same ecosystem as the Serengetti BUT - the Serengetti is in Tanzania and the Mara is in Kenya. This very camp is where The Animal Planet's TV Show "Big Cat Diary" is produced and we met many of the very cats who are followed on the show. This is also were Paradise Crossing is - the site of many, many programs about the Great Migration (National Geographic among them). Although the Migration was late this year, we did see the very beginning. INCREDIBLE!!! We were at Kicheche for 5 glorious nights and will, most certainly return.
What started as the "Trip of a Lifetime", quickly became a journey that has only just begun. What a magical place with incredible people and simply amazing wildlife. We went with no expectation other than to see and learn what Africa decided we needed to be shown and taught. We returned with the knowledge that Africa is, indeed, one of the world's finest teachers!!
So here I am - an photogrpher on a photography site writing a lot of words. Seems a bit odd but, as I understand it - that's what you like. Now for the other part. I haven't yet figured out how to post individual photos so include here the link to my new iMac web site, including a slide show with about 365 of the 5000 photos we've kept (you ALL know what that means about how much fun I had with my Nikon D200....purchased last August JUST for this adventure!!!). We also have 5 hrs of video but I'll leave that for another day.
Here's the link - hope you enjoy! http://web.mac.com/wolfwoodhome btw - I'd love some critique - here, on other forum, or via eMail. We do have some plans for these photos so your input will definately be valuable to me!
Thanks for letting me come play in YOUR sandbox. I think its gonna be FUN here!!!
Wolfie
We've recently returned from fullfilling a life long dream - a trip to Africa. Since I was a little girl - watching Born Free and Daktari - I've told anyone who would listen that "I'm going to Africa when I'm 50!" Why 50? I can't say. And when you're little kid - 50 and "dead" are pretty much synonymous. But there you have it.
Yup, I hit the milestone in May and we left on July 21st for 2 weeks in the Kenyan bush at 3 very different Safari Camps in Southwestern Kenya - Amboseli NP, Lewa Conservancy, and the Masai Mara. All 3 camps are privately owned & operated and all are on land rented from the Massi villages. EcoTourism is an important element to the Kenyan Government and these 3 camps are exceptional examples!
After 17 hrs of travel, we arrived in Nairobi, were picked up at the airport by a representative of the tour outfitter we worked with and taken to the Fairview Hotel. Perhaps the safest hotel in this city, as it sits across the street from the Israeli Embassy (which has several "Friendly Checkpoints" near its entrance). Ater dinner and some wonderful music (!!!!) we finally CRASHED - and were then picked up the following morning and driven 4 (dusty) hours through Nairobi, out onto the savannah, and to our first camp - Porini - near Amboseli National Park and in the shadow of Mt. Kilamanjaro. (We only saw a snow-capped shoulder because, as the locals will tell you, "She is a very shy lady"). 3 incredible days at this rustic bush camp (with wonderful accomodations, terrific food, amazing people, AND the Southern Cross!) were followed by a flight in a small bush plane to Lewa Safari Camp in the Lewa Conservancy. This is a rhino conservancy and is part of an international organization which raises funds for the conservancy and the magnificant work they do. However, that also means that the camp part of the Conservancy has many more resources than the other camps we visited. Lewa had on-demand water and electricity and, in fact, landscaped grounds with gardeners and watering systems. We spent as much time as possible out on game drives, photographing Mt. Kenya, having indepth discussions with our amazing (!) Guides about the Masai culture and absorbing everything we possibly could. The land was quite different here with many more hills and different animals. 3 days here and we were off, again by bush plane to an absolute jewel of a camp - Kicheche Safari Camp - on the Masai Mara. The Mara is the same ecosystem as the Serengetti BUT - the Serengetti is in Tanzania and the Mara is in Kenya. This very camp is where The Animal Planet's TV Show "Big Cat Diary" is produced and we met many of the very cats who are followed on the show. This is also were Paradise Crossing is - the site of many, many programs about the Great Migration (National Geographic among them). Although the Migration was late this year, we did see the very beginning. INCREDIBLE!!! We were at Kicheche for 5 glorious nights and will, most certainly return.
What started as the "Trip of a Lifetime", quickly became a journey that has only just begun. What a magical place with incredible people and simply amazing wildlife. We went with no expectation other than to see and learn what Africa decided we needed to be shown and taught. We returned with the knowledge that Africa is, indeed, one of the world's finest teachers!!
So here I am - an photogrpher on a photography site writing a lot of words. Seems a bit odd but, as I understand it - that's what you like. Now for the other part. I haven't yet figured out how to post individual photos so include here the link to my new iMac web site, including a slide show with about 365 of the 5000 photos we've kept (you ALL know what that means about how much fun I had with my Nikon D200....purchased last August JUST for this adventure!!!). We also have 5 hrs of video but I'll leave that for another day.
Here's the link - hope you enjoy! http://web.mac.com/wolfwoodhome btw - I'd love some critique - here, on other forum, or via eMail. We do have some plans for these photos so your input will definately be valuable to me!
Thanks for letting me come play in YOUR sandbox. I think its gonna be FUN here!!!
Wolfie
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Gallery of mine...caution, it's under CONSTANT construction! | Photo Journal
In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary. ~Aaron Rose
welcome to Dgrin.com!
looks like you had a good time! your photos are telling for your trip. Africa is certainly on my to do list (as are a lot of places
a little critique/tip: it could be my monitor but some of your photos seem a bit 'bland'. to illustrate this ive taken a screenshot of one of your photos, i hope you dont mind.
original:
after curves and little saturation:
now the photo is a bit smashed up because i used a screenshot, so the dynamic range was very small but you can see where i;m going.. using the original image should produce a nicer result
i've simply created a little more pop by adjusting the curves in photoshop cs like this:
it took me less then a minute to make this photo pop a bit more. it may be worth considering to do to the rest of the bland photos. You can PM me if you want to know more or you could ask here and get the real pro's to answer your questions
if you really want to get into this you could read some of the tutorials (on the menu on top)
http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/2292454/1
http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/1865354
* edit: i've just calibrated my monitor; it was a bit too light so now the example photo is a bit too dark :P
There's an over-sharpened look to some in addition to Chrissiebeez comments, but nothing that couldn't be redone.
Looks like the trip of a lifetime
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And the curves....I know of them...but not what to do with them - yet. Thanks for the links and for taking the time to show me the possibilities. I will be reading ALL of the tutorials (curves and otherwise). btw - these were all worked on my new Mac with only iPhoto. My PC (with PS) gave up the ghost before the trip and then I gave up on it, at least for now. Besides, that was a really good "excuse" for a MAC...next comes PS for Apple.
[is this Forum the wrong place for this?]
a bit, this forum is more about the story behind the photos and not so much about the post processing etc. hence the suggestion to open a new thread.
making the curves more like an S shape (upping the line in the light area and pulling down the line in the dark section) creates more contrast and makes your photos pop more, thats the idea behind it. You have some beautifull pictures there and i think the contrast will really get them to shine.
Good luck and you can always PM me if you need help.
Regarding pumping up the color, and brightness in your photos... As a Mac user, before you start adjusting the color in your photos, poke around the boards here for more information on monitor calibration, and color space. (I, too, use a Mac)
Thanks for posting your photos, what an awesome experience you had!
Nikon D300
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8
Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6
Nikon 50mm f/1.8D
[SIZE=-3]Mary Beth Glasmann Photography[/SIZE]
Journeys isn't about the post processing as much as it's about the trips
you've taken and the tales you tell.
If you like, I can move this elsewhere but I'd really like to hear more about
the trip.
Carry on...
Ian
You have some excellent expression shots!
very nice to see.
The people were as important a part of the journey as the animals were. The Masai are a wonderful people and no story of a safari (our's, anyway) would be complete without mention of them. Geesh - we could have gone out there with just about anyone (Yikes! From the looks of some of the vehicles out there....some of the folks did jut that
(btw - got the lighting figured out...I think. WOW!! What a difference...thanks for the tips!!! Check out the photos now if you have the patience)