2017-01-17: WPC Ambience

It may seem a little strange to post photos from a Masai Mara wildebeest river crossing for a post on ambience, but honestly, the ambience was a very integral part of the experience for me. When you are watching a nature program, they presenters do an excellent job of making a river crossing seem like an amazing spectacle – which is absolutely is!!!  They also do an amazing job at making it seem like a secluded experience, which it absolutely is not!

We left our camp at 6am for a 2+ hour drive to the potential crossing point, in the hopes of getting a good parking spot to watch the action.  On route we passed wildebeest in the thousands, if not tens of thousands, some marching the direction we were headed, and others, heading in the direction we had come from.

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Wildebeest as far as the eye can see.

I had never anticipated being the only person there, but I also didn’t expect to find quite so many other people there.  But, the atmosphere was a lot of fun.  I spent time chatting with my guides and with the people in the vehicle next to us while waiting to see if possibly the wildebeest might make a move.  They were certainly taking there time, and a good number of people gave up as the afternoon wore on.

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The view from our vehicle at the crossing point.  Land cruisers, jeeps, minibuses and land rovers, packed in like sardines and even double parked, all in an attempt to see the action.

When the gazelles approached the water and the crocodiles practically licked their lips, we collectively tried to will the little antelope back from their gruesome fate.

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People in the vehicles were saying things like “Don’t go in the water, it isn’t safe!”  If only they would have listened.
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I saw five gazelle attempt to cross the river, and only two made it out.   

And when at 3:15 the wildebeest started crashing through the water, those that were left were all uttering the same things “amazing”, “mind-blowing”, “unbelievable”.

The atmosphere surrounding that stretch of river on that day in late September, really made the experience that much more special.

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A surge of wildebeest crossing the Mara River in the Masai Mara, Kenya.  There were plenty more vehicles on the opposite bank!

 

WPC: Ambience

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2016-01-6: Feel Good Friday

I’ve had an amazing week of wildlife viewing so far, and I am really looking forward to sharing that on my What I’ve seen this week post on Sunday.  But for today, I thought I would share one of my artistic impressions with you, since it has been a while since I’ve done so.

This was created using the Topaz Simplify plug in for Photoshop.

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Zebra in the Masai Mara, September 2016.

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and

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2017-01-05: WPC Resilient

The mountain gorillas, despite living in conflict zones and being subjected to poaching and diseases, are still around, and in some areas, thriving.  Spending time with them is a beautiful experience.  I would definitely define them as being resilient.  Let’s hope their numbers will increase, and we will be able to share our world with these magnificent creatures for many, many years to come.

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A gorilla infant makes eye contact from the safety of the group.

Please visit:
www.jennifersawickyphotography.com for wildlife, landscape and nature inspired artwork.

and

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WPC: Resilient

2017-01-02: Monochrome Monday

This first monochrome Monday of the year is from my amazing gorilla trekking experience.  I have some ideas for future posts about the gorillas, so watch this space in the coming weeks!

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A pile-up of juvenile gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda.

This image might be perfect for your walls!  You can find this available for print sales here.

 

Please visit:
www.jennifersawickyphotography.com for wildlife, landscape and nature inspired artwork.

and

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2016 Year in Review #3

The third most popular post of the year was a response to a topic from Cee’s Fun Foto website, Black and White Close Ups.  Of course, I featured my favourite animal, the elephant. 2016-06-04: CBWC-Close Ups

I spent a lot of time in Kenya amongst elephants and managed to get a good number of close up shots that I liked.  I hope you enjoy this one as well.

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Please visit:
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and

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2016-12-29: WPC Path

The end of the year is a great time to reflect on the path that has been travelled over the year, and the ones that you hope to travel on in the coming year.  2016 has been an interesting, and really good year.  The photos below encompass some of my thoughts about the various paths that I am on.

There are times when the path is clear; you know where you are going and the way is easily defined.  If you have to retrace your steps for some reason, it’s easy to get back where you started.

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Sand Forest, Phinda Game Reserve, South Africa. 

 

On some days, the path might seem barren and you feel all alone, but you never know what might pop up ahead.

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A saddle billed stork takes to the road.  Amboseli National Park, Kenya.

 

Sometimes others will doubt that you are on a path at all; they will question your direction and your vision.  But you know exactly where you are going.

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An elephant heads towards the river for an early morning drink.  Ishasha Sector, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda.

 

Sometimes you need to create your own path.  You can’t see where you are headed, and if you try to turn around, the way is just as obscured.  Going on intuition is the only way forward.

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A leopard moving through the tall grasses, Ishasha Sector, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda.

 

Sometimes the only thing to do is take a break, rest, and return to the path later on.  This is especially true when you have no idea what you are doing, or where you are going!

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Silverback Makara rests on one of the game trails in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest, Uganda.

 

Please visit:
www.jennifersawickyphotography.com for wildlife, landscape and nature inspired artwork.

and

https://shopvida.com/collections/voices/jennifer-sawicky for textiles inspired by my photography.

WPC Path

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