When you take pictures of nature with passion, nature poses for you more passionately! - Mehmet Murat İldan

I must say, I’m at a place in my Guiding and Photographic career at the moment where I feel like I’m improving at a rapid rate. If I look at images I have taken over the last year even, I can see a dramatic difference in the final images that I’m producing now as opposed to then. I think it boils down mostly to practice and knowing the capabilities of my gear, but I’m also learning a lot more about editing software and what can be achieved with it to get the images that I envision. I think also going out into the field with purpose and knowing what I want to get out of a scene with regards to an image really helps the creative process a lot, and with this in mind I probably take fewer images now than I ever have done in the past. I hope you enjoy this week’s selection of wildlife in monochrome.

I loved this image from the moment I took it and new it had to be done in sepia. This Charleston boy walked straight towards me here and there was zero cropping done, but still at 600mm.

Cheetahs are not commonly seen here due to very high predator densities, but when they show up, wow do they perform!

The Southern Pride cubs in dappled light. Not the easiest situation to photograph, but it worked out great.

This is probably my favourite elephant image to date and one where all the right elements came together. I had a low angle, a shaded background and some very soft light on my subject, not to mention the pose from this little guy. It just speaks volumes to me.

Three elements I enjoy for my photography: birds, dead trees and moody skies.

The new “love” in my life here on the reserve, the Hlarulini female, and let’s be honest, what’s not to love?!

An incredible moment of tenderness from an animal regarded by most as a lowly, ugly scavenger. Hopefully showing off their maternal side can change those opinions.

It’s hard being a young leopard cub, especially when mom provides so much food. This again was an incredible experience in which we shared with Little Bush and her cub at the site of a kill.

I have been trying to get a shot like this of a Martial Eagle for the longest time and the opportunity has just never presented itself to me, so when this eventually happened I was absolutely overjoyed! The weather conditions weren’t perfect and I had to shoot at high ISO’s, a narrow aperture and allow for a fast shutter speed so the fine detail isn’t there, but overall an image I am very pleased with, especially in a sepia tone.

All I can say about this image is don’t be afraid of the weather. Today’s gear has been tested to withstand pretty savage conditions so a little bit of water shouldn’t hurt anything. Had I not taken out my camera here, I would’ve missed this golden opportunity to capture something different. I am so glad that I trusted my gear!

Mike Palmer (Bush Lodge Ranger)