Hi everyone! You probably will have noticed that I (Matt) have been pretty quiet for a while, so I thought it would be a good idea to give you an update about some of the things that I’ve been up to recently and also to announce the re-launching of London photo tours.

After graduating from university last summer, around the time that Will went off to Zambia, I moved to London to explore a new form of photography a little closer to home. Being surrounded by so many incredible buildings and urban environments in London, I felt inspired to try and capture some of the scenes that are so easy to take for granted in everyday life.

I’ve spent the last few months building a new portfolio website, www.mbl-photography.com and taking photographs around London to populate it, and I’ll soon be launching a new photography blog featuring video tutorials and city photography tips.

I’m also excited to announce that I am restarting London photo tours. My experience as both a wildlife and architectural photographer means that I am able to offer guidance across a breadth of photographic styles, techniques and subjects. Each tour is tailored to your individual interests and experience, and will help you learn how to take full advantage of your camera. The standard 2-hour photo tour takes place along the South Bank of the River Thames, and features some of London’s most iconic landmarks, such as the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament. Bespoke options are also available if you would rather concentrate on different subject matter. If you’re interested in booking a tour, or would like to find out more, then head over to my tours page to get in touch with me.

Whilst my current day-to-day focus is centred on architectural photography, I’ll still be taking wildlife photos in the future – I haven’t quite traded in the 600mm for a suite of tilt-shift lenses yet! If you’d like to stay updated about all of my latest projects and photographs, then you can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and 500px.

Read to the end of this post to find out how you could win an incredible Zambian safari for two worth over $12k!

Much has happened since my last South Luangwa post so a follow-up is long overdue! The dry season is now well and truly over. I will never forget 1st November, the day the rains arrived…

That day I awoke to find a veil of cloud had descended over the valley. There was a sense of anticipation as the parched earth and thirsty animals waited for the first raindrops to fall. However, there was also another cause for excitement that day; I had heard rumours that wild dogs had been spotted in the area! Ever since arriving in Zambia I had been searching for African wild dogs, a species that has always managed to evade me on previous trips. I set off in search of them, hoping that I wouldn’t be thwarted by the rain.

I found the pack after a couple of hours and enjoyed spending the rest of the morning with them. It was wonderful to watch them as they played around boisterously. After taking some shots with my long lens, I deployed BeetleCam. The dogs’ curiosity was instantly aroused and they crowded around the camera. I had always dreamed of photographing wild dogs from this perspective and the resulting shots were exactly what I had hoped for…

This was one of my last shots of the dry season… a few hours later, the heavens opened. Over the next 12 hours, 110mm of rain fell (approximately 10% of region’s annual rainfall)!

The bush camps have usually closed by the time the heavy rains arrive as the surrounding roads become completely impassable. However, this year the first deluge caught everyone off guard and as a result we were marooned in the bush for several days whilst we waited for the sodden landscape to dry out.

On the third day it was time to attempt an escape. This was easier said than done as the roads had turned into rivers of mud! Fortunately there was a four-wheel drive tractor on hand to tow me out of the boggiest areas. After several hours of battling mud we eventually made it out of the park. The next challenge was going to be cleaning my car!

Emerald Season

Over the following days and weeks, South Luangwa underwent a radical transformation; the hazy atmosphere and dusty colours of dry season were replaced with beautiful clear light and vibrant greens. Watery lagoons and lush plains appeared in areas that had been dust bowls a few weeks earlier.

Now the “Emerald Season” is here and the valley seems to be bursting with life. The herbivores are fat and healthy and baby impalas have taken over the valley. Times are also good for Luangwa’s leopards as the dense bush and tall grass afford plenty of cover for hunting. The cats stand out beautifully against the verdant backdrop.

Dazzling jewels also stud the greenery as colourful migrant birds arrive and residents flaunt their breeding plumage…

…and there are kingfishers everywhere!

River Safaris

In the last few weeks, the Luangwa River has risen enough to make river safaris possible. This has allowed me to photograph the park from a different perspective. Exploring the river by boat has also bought me face to face with some truly monstrous crocs!

Luangwa is famous for the astonishing density of hippos that it supports and the boat was forever dodging them as we cruised up and down the river.

On one occasion, we came round a corner to find a newborn baby hippo and its mother on a sandbank. We cut the engine so that we could drift past quietly. I had my lens focussed on the adorable baby when I became aware of a frantic pattering noise emanating from my right. I swung my lens round and was greeted by a terrifying sight… an angry mother hippo in full charge. We had no time to start the engine and escape. Fortunately she stopped a few metres away and we were able to beat a hasty retreat!

Win a Safari!

I have partnered with Norman Carr Safaris, Chongwe Safaris and Proflight Zambia to bring you an incredible new holiday giveaway! This is your chance to win a luxury 8-day safari for two in Zambia worth over $12k! You will start by spending 4 nights with Norman Carr Safaris in South Luangwa National Park and then fly down to Lower Zambezi National Park for 4 nights with Chongwe Safaris! Whether it’s tracking lion on foot, catching (and releasing) a tiger fish, photographing the elusive leopard, or sipping a cool gin and tonic overlooking the river, you’re guaranteed to create lasting memories as you switch off from the rest of the world.

» Click here to enter! «

Here are the results of the 2012 Travel Photo Competition. Thank you to everyone who entered and well done to the talented photographers whose images appear in the final selection below.

Thank you to Committed Photography for providing the following prizes:

• Winner: 16×24 framed print of your winning shot (estimated value of $250)
• Runners up x 2: 16×24 prints unframed (value of $50 each)

Winner

Our travel photo contest winner is Felix Hug with his atmospheric image of a balloon over temples in Myanmar. Congratulations Felix!

Balloon over Bagan by Felix Huge

Balloon over Bagan by Felix Hug

“Early morning Balloon flight over Bagan, Myanmar.”

Equipment: Canon 5DM2 DSLR

Felix Hug was born in Switzerland at the beginning of the carneval (Fasnacht) season in 1964, the 11th day of the 11th month, at almost at 11.11 am to be precise.

How much that indicated, what would become, an unconventional lifestyle is unknown, but heavily influenced by his late father (who was passionate about painting) he followed his passion for design and the arts.

In the 1980s he started a career in design and architecture, only to be interrupted when an offer to shoot hoops in a basketball team in Europe was too interesting to turn down.

Felix then began his journey as a professional basketball player, and with basketball came lots of traveling. Armed with the Konica he had inherited from his beloved father his first travel images were born.

However, it took Felix until 2003 to turn his back completely on his attempt at a traditional career in Project Management to decide that travel photography is what he loved and would be doing for a living.

Since then he has tirelessly worked on a career in travel & destination photography that has brought him worldwide recognition in the field. He has won Best Image Awards in the following competitions: The Asian Geographic Grand Prize, Singapore; The International Photography Awards, USA; American Photo, Image of the Year, USA; Travel Photographer Of The Year, GB; The New York Photography Awards, USA

In 2007 he founded together with Jamie Boyd Eyes on Asia in Singapore. Jamie brought to the team experience in production and representation, as well as experience in the modeling business. Their clients include Singapore Airlines (Silk Air), Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts and others. His images have been published in countless magazines, Including GEO, GEO Saison, PHOTOGRAPHIE, Nat Geo Traveler, Australian Traveler, Conde Nast, Travel & Leisure.

Jamie and Felix now run travel photography workshops in Singapore and travel photography Getaways the region. The aim: Inspire people through positive travel images to have an alternative view on life.

Website: www.eyesonasia.net

Runners-up

Congratulations to our runners-up, Luke Popwell and Francesco Riccardo Iacomin!

Snell’s Window with Diver by Luke Popwell

Snell’s window with Diver by Luke Popwell

“A diver inside of a bubble ring with sun flare shining through the water. Also, showing a visual representation of a Snell’s Window”

Equipment: 5d mark ii

Luke Popwell – I am a photographer in the florida keys. I shoot event and underwater photography.

Website: www.offaxisproduction.com

Toscana by Francesco Riccardo Iacomino

Toscana by Francesco Riccardo Iacomino

“A beautiful farmhouse in Tuscany, Italy, surrounded by cypress trees and the golden hills of Val d’Orcia, photographed on early morning with the very first, warm light.”

Equipment: Canon eos 550d – Canon 55-250mm IS

Francesco Riccardo Iacomino – I’m a 26 years old photographer from Modena, Italy.
I started taking pictures after a great journey in the Southwest USA when I was 18…and since then I’ve never stopped.

When I shoot I’m not trying to reproduce just what I see.
The challenge for me is to photograph what I’ll remember having seen… so strongly evocative images.

My pictures are on sale on the most important stock photo sites, like Shutterstock, Dreamstime, Istockphoto, Fotolia, etc.

Hope you’ll enjoy my work!

Website: www.francescoriccardoiacomino.com

Highly Commended Images

Our highly commended images are fantastic shots that illustrate the amazing variety of entries we received. Well done to everyone who made it onto this list!

Netting Fish by Steve Harrison

“Netting Fish, HoiAn Vietnam”

Equipment: Canon 5D Mk 2

Steve Harrison – Camera happy light chaser with gorgeous young children.

Website: www.sleepygeckohoian.com

Three Fishermen on Inle Lake by David Lazar

“Three fishermen on Inle Lake, Myanmar. The fisherman of this region have a unique rowing technique, where they stand on the stern on one leg and wrap the other leg around the oar allowing for fine paddle control.”

Equipment: Nikon D700

David Lazar – David Lazar is a travel photographer and musician from Brisbane, Australia, who loves to capture moments of life, beauty and culture through photography. He is drawn to locations which have a rich cultural background and he is especially interested in portrait and landscape photography.

Website: www.davidlazarphoto.com

Reflection by Partha Roy

“Blue Hour Reflection, Singapore”

Equipment: Olympus OMD EM-5, Samyang 8mm Fisheye Lens

Partha Roy – By profession I am an I.T engineer and working as a Software Analyst in a Bank. I have a passion towards photography from my childhood and I like to capture each and every moment of life and beauty of nature by the help of a small hole. The passion and the hobby towards photography gradually make me a photographer and I always like to spend my free time with my camera and photography. My wife knows that photography is my second wife in my life. But in spite of that she always support and appreciate my work with a big smile on her face which inspires me and give lots of motivation. I believe each life and every element and object has its own capability to create a magical moment. The moments that you want to keep forever and you want to treasure in your heart and mind. You should prepare and keep your eyes open to capture those moments. Basically I’m a picture-taker, fun-lover and fun-maker photographer who like to capture and freeze the moment of each and every aspect of life to make it unforgettable with help of my black box. I do like to take landscape, cityscape, architecture and street shots mainly.

Website: 500px.com/mypixelmagic

Thule Eskimo by Justin Lewis

“Thomas Martika Qujaukitsoq was born in Qaanaaq, Greenland. He wears a reindeer jacket his grandmother hand-stitched when he was a young man. He travels with his nine sled dogs across the sea ice during April’s midnight sun.”

Equipment: Canon 5D markII

Justin Lewis – Mendocino, California native Justin Lewis was nurtured in the raw and rustic Pacific Northwest, where he honed a keen eye for capturing images that instill wonder and inspire action. At age 16, Lewis set off on the first of many solo international photo excursions, igniting a lifelong passion for adventure and cross-cultural exploration through photography. Having traveled to over forty five countries, Justin has woven photography seamlessly into his lifestyle of exploration and conservation. After graduating from Brooks Institute of Photography Justin made San Francisco his home base and began shooting commercial and editorial assignments for clients including; Islands, Sport Diver, AsianDiver, Trans-World Surf, Scuba Diver Australasia, The Undersea Journal and Caribbean Travel & Life magazineâ’s, PADI, Body Glove, The Ritz Carlton, Stanford University, Smithsonian, and The New Yorker. Justinâ’s imagery sells world wide through Getty Images and has been seen on billboards in Time Square, Seattle and Bangkok, on the side of buses, in national ad campaigns, magazine covers, and on television.

Website: www.justinlewis.com

Kirkjufell Panorama by Christopher Waddell

“Taken during my first night in Iceland, in very strong winds. This panorama is made up of 6 vertical images (3 for the land, 3 for the sky). On the left the sun is setting and on the right I managed to capture the moon rising.”

Equipment: Canon 5D Mark III, 24-70mm 2.8L, Lee Grad ND Filters

Norway’s beauty by Matthias Stoll

“The Panorama is composed out of 4 pictures, taken after a day of rain in Alesund. The dramatic sky and the long exposure light pollution in the city combined to a breathtaking atmosphere.
The shots were taken with the following parameters:
ISO 100, 30sec exposure @ f11″

Equipment: Canon 600D + Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 VC (@35mm)

Matthias Stoll – Student of Business Administration & Engineering with an obsession to travel and a passion for photography

Askari by Mario Pereda

“A masai boy carrying a lamp at dusk. Near Masai Mara National Park (Kenya).”

Mario Pereda – Mario Pereda was born in Bilbao (Spain) in 1973. In 1996 he started his studies in the ‘Escuela Superior de Tenicos de la Imagen’ (EFTI) of Madrid, where he attended General, Professional and Master in Photography courses. Currently he works as a freelance photographer. His pictures have been published in several tour guides and press magazines like ‘Revista Osaca’ and ‘AZ. Revista del Empresario’. Moreover, he develops several personal photo projects. His work has been distinguished with more than 30 awards in several photo competitions and he has made two solo exhibitions in Madrid and Burgos.

Website: mpereda.photoshelter.com

Lesotho Cow Herder by David Lazar

“A boy from Semonkong, Lesotho, herds his cows across mountainous terrain, and past the highest waterfall in southern Africa, the Maletsunyane Falls.”

Equipment: Nikon D700

David Lazar – David Lazar is a travel photographer and musician from Brisbane, Australia, who loves to capture moments of life, beauty and culture through photography. He is drawn to locations which have a rich cultural background and he is especially interested in portrait and landscape photography.

Website: www.davidlazarphoto.com

Black Flamingos by Bhavya

“On Christmas Day 2011, I decided to meet flamingos. so I gear up my Car and Went To Khadir Island in Kutch district, about 410 kilometres (256 miles) India. Every year tens of thousands of Greater flamingos arrive to breed in the marshes of the Rann of Kutch region of Gujarat state. Its a wonderful place for birds and we can seen in image.. totally heavens for birds.
It was late Morning, Harsh opposite Light. so i decided to make this image Creative.. something Unique.
Just basic PP work (Lighting- Highlights, darken ) in Picasa.
I don’t have large telephoto lens for Birding, but Still I am Satisfied with this small lens. I believe that if we cannot reach the Subject than make subject creative, use your Imagination and than that looks more Unique.”

Equipment: Canon 550D-Tamron 70-300mm Macro

Bhavya – I am Passionate Wild life photographer

Website: www.flickr.com/photos/bhavya_joshi/

Venetian contrasts by Andre Viegas

“Small gondolas, huge cruises, that’s Venice! Italy.”

Equipment: D300s

Andre Viegas – amateur photographer from Portugal

Rainbow Falls Of Watkins Glen by Mark Papke

“Winding up the glen, the trail leads visitors through an assortment of cliffs and abutments that can best be described as natural sculptures. Each breathtaking scene after another is unique in sight and sound, and seemingly isolated from the rest of the gorge. The trail presents each scene perfectly, as if displaying landscape paintings lined up in a row. The aptly-named Glen Cathedral widens like a gothic church, with a natural pool, dubbed the Baptismal Font, facing the “cathedral’s” pulpit: a beautiful stone arch bridge and 60 ft Central Cascade. There’s no surprise that over the last hundred years or so, each segment of the glen, vista, rock feature, and waterfall has been nicknamed. Continue on to the Glen of Pools, and what many consider to be the “main attraction”: Rainbow Falls and Triple Cascade. Such a generic name does little justice to this majestic dreamscape. It has to be seen to be appreciated. “

Equipment: Nikon D7000, Nikon 17-55mm dx lens, Sijngh-ray vari-n-duo

Mark Papke – I am an amateur photographer trying to learn as many new things as possible hoping to someday maybe going beyond amateur status.

Website: mark-papke.artistwebsites.com/

Summer 2009 by Abhineet Seth

“This was shot at “Meerzapur” in Uttar Pradesh, India. I got the shot in the drought summers of 2009.”

Equipment: Fuji film fine pix s5700

Abhineet Seth – I am a free lance photographer,loves to do photography on NATURE, PLACES…etc

Congratulations once again to all the finalists!

We look forward to seeing more of your wonderful photographs in the next photo contest. To ensure you are notified when future contests open for entries, you can subscribe to my free email newsletter (or via rss).

Read to the bottom of this post to find out how you can win a luxury holiday for two to see the wildlife of the Cayman Islands!

To receive notification of future giveaways please Like my Facebook page, Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe to my newsletter.

Earlier this year I visited the Cayman Islands and spent just over a week photographing the islands’ varied wildlife. These small specks of land in the northwest Caribbean formed millions of years ago and were gradually populated by castaways. Over huge periods of time, these animals and plants evolved into a host of unique species, perhaps the most iconic being the Grand Cayman blue iguana…

Blue iguanas could be the most charismatic reptiles I’ve ever come across! Big males grow up to five-feet long and can be implausibly blue. They have evolved in a world without predatory mammals and as a result have no natural fear of man. If you approach one, it will usually regard you suspiciously with a knowing red eye and if you get too close it will give you a bout or two of vigorous head-nodding to let you know who’s boss!

Unfortunately, the blue iguanas’ nonchalance has played a significant role in the species’ downfall. The iguanas have no fear of the feral rats, cats and dogs that appeared alongside man, and as a result the young are easily picked off. Combine this with a propensity for basking on warm roads and ongoing habitat destruction, and you can see why the Grand Cayman blue iguana was once one of the most endangered creatures on Earth (a census in 2003 estimated that the total wild population was in the range of just 5 to 15 individuals).

However, the outlook for the iguanas is positive; the Blue Iguana Recovery Program is an inspirational conservation initiative. The program is centered around an ambitious captive breeding program which ensures genetic diversity is maintained and that young iguanas are raised in safety until they are large enough to deal with rats and cats. The program is also working to ensure that adequate iguana habitat is protected, so that the young iguanas can be released back into the wild. The Program is now only a few years away from reaching its initial target of 1,000 iguanas living in the wild. If you would like to find out more about the iguanas and the conservation efforts, I thoroughly recommend The Little Blue Book written by Fred Burton, founder and director of the Recovery Program.

In addition to the iguanas, I found myself photographing many other interesting creatures during my time on the islands. High on the intinerary for many tourists is a trip to “Stingray City”. This is a shallow sandbar where southern stingrays congregate. In the past, fishermen used to clean their catch here and this is what initially encouraged the stingrays to congregate. Now the tourists have taken over, feeding the stingrays chunks of chopped-up squid by hand. On jumping into the water, I was instantly mobbed by a dozen gigantic stingrays… it was a bizarre experience!

The Cayman Islands also make for a good birding destination. The islands attract many nesting seabirds and are a stop-off point for birds migrating between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The islands are also home to several interesting permanent residents including two unique sub-species of Cuban Amazon parrot. Photographing these parrots proved to be rather infuriating! On Grand Cayman they are not hard to see as they often fly overhead or sit on top of high trees squawking noisily. However, finding one low enough for a good shot took some perseverance and certainly tested my patience! Eventually I managed to get the shot above on the Mastic Trail, a beautiful forest walk that cuts straight through the wild heart of Grand Cayman Island.

No visit to Grand Cayman is complete without a stop at the beautiful Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park. Here I enjoyed wandering down peaceful walkways shaded by palms, keeping an eye-out for the resident iguanas and focusing my macro lens on rare Grand Cayman Ghost Orchids.

Having explored Grand Cayman, I moved on to the two “Sister Islands” – first a night on Cayman Brac and then a couple of nights on Little Cayman.

Cayman Brac is very different from the other two islands; its spine consists of a prominent limestone bluff which runs the length of the island and terminates in some impressive 43m-high cliffs on the East coast. Naturally, these cliffs made a tempting target for my only sunrise on the island. On top of the cliffs is a colony of brown boobies. Much to my delight, I found a couple of nesting pairs and enjoyed photographing the big, fluffy, white chicks!

Little Cayman is the quietest of the three islands – it has a population of just 150 people. Here another iguana can be found, the Sister Isles Rock Iguana. On this island, iguanas rule – they outnumber humans by more than 10 to 1! The island is also home to a large breeding colony of red-footed boobies. Piratical frigatebirds patrol the coastline between the colony and the open ocean, waiting to steal food from the boobies as they return to their nests. Watching the wheeling antics of these birds as they engaged in aerial battles provided me with a good excuse to spend a few moments sitting on the beach!

To see more photographs of the islands’ wildlife, please check out my Cayman Islands gallery.

Win a Luxury Wildlife Holiday for Two in the Cayman Islands!

I have partnered with the Cayman Islands, Wildlife Worldwide and responsibletravel.com to bring you another awesome holiday giveaway! This is your chance to win an amazing 7-day trip for two to experience the wildlife of the Cayman Islands for yourself!

Here’s what’s included in the prize:

• International flights from London
• 7 nights accommodation – 5 nights on Grand Cayman and 2 nights Little Cayman
• Domestic flights to and from Little Cayman
• 5-day car hire on Grand Cayman
• Visit to the Botanic Park
• Guided Mastic Trail walk
• Your choice of a kayak tour or visit to Stingray City

The competition deadline is 28th February 2013. Please note that this giveaway is open to participants worldwide but only flights from London are included (therefore, if you live outside the UK, you will need to make your own arrangements for getting to London or the Cayman Islands).

» Click here to register for this giveaway »

To receive notification of future giveaways please Like my Facebook page, Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe to my newsletter.

Here are the results of my 2012 Wildlife Photo Competition. Thank you to everyone who entered and well done to the talented photographers whose images appear in the final selection below.

Thank you to Committed Photography for providing the following prizes:

• Winner: 16×24 framed print of your winning shot (estimated value of $250)
• Runners up x 2: 16×24 prints unframed (value of $50 each)

Winner

Our wildlife photo contest winner is Chris Minihane with his atmospheric image of a rhino in Kenya. Congratulations Chris!

The Rhino by Chris Minihane

The Rhino by Chris Minihane

“A lone rhino stands on the dusty shores of Lake Naivasha at dusk, Kenya.”

Equipment: Nikon D300 12MM lens

Chris Minihane originally hails from the Bay Area in California, eventually spending 14 years in North and East Africa photographing the Maasai in Kenya and delving wholeheartedly into photojournalism for the United Nations.
An award-winning photographer, Chris is represented by Getty, Alamy and National Geographic and has been exhibited nationally and internationally in galleries and juried exhibits in Paris, New York, London, Washington DC, Hong Kong, Sydney, San Francisco and more.
Chris’ work has graced the pages of several books and magazines and most recently was awarded a coveted honor for outstanding achievement in high dynamic range photography.

Website: chrisminihanephotography.wordpress.com

Runners-up

Congratulations to our runners-up, Mark Bridger and Paul Cowell!

Dusk by Mark Bridger

Dusk by Mark Bridger

“A wild barn owl hunting over the Norfolk Marshes at dusk.”

Equipment: Canon 1Dmk4 Canon 500f4 IS L + 1.4TC

Mark Bridger – I am 43 years old and live in the UK. I have been taking mainly wildlife photos for about three years now, I love to photograph all animals from the smallest of bugs to the largest of beasts.

Website: www.bridgephotography.co.uk

Breaking a Ball by Paul Cowell

Breaking a Ball by Paul Cowell

“White tip reef shark breaking into a sardine ball – South Africa”

Equipment: Canon Eos 5D mk 1

Paul Cowell – Keen amateur photographer and scuba diver

Website: www.flickr.com/photos/paulcowell/

Highly Commended Images

Our highly commended images are fantastic shots that illustrate the amazing variety of entries we received. Well done to everyone who made it onto this list!

Deep Drink and a Blue Sky by Mike Dexter

“Cloud and water are rare commodities in the dry season on Mashatu Game Reserve. An elephant quenches its thirst at a small waterhole while cloud overhead provides a seldom seen backdrop in this part of the world.”

Equipment: Canon 7D, Canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS

Mike Dexter – I’m a professional wildlife photographer based in Botswana. For the last year much of my photography has been from an underground hide just meters from a very productive waterhole in the dry and remote north eastern corner of the country.

Website: www.mikedexter.com

Snorting Hippo by Kurt Jay Bertels

“When hippos want to protect their water form perceived intruders, they put on a great display, usually culminating in the classic yawn. I wanted to show a different stage of the display, and captured the start of the display – the snort that precedes the yawn.”

Kurt Jay Bertels – I started photography at the age of 9, and have focused mainly on wildlife. I have spent the last 8 years working in the game parks of Africa, and now lead photographic safaris throughout the world.

Website: www.50safaris.com

Night Butterfly by Arseniy

“Young butterfly”

Equipment: Nikon D3s + Nikkor 105 2,8 VR

Arseniy – Student, make photos since 2006.

Hoopoe by Giovanni Frescura

“Canon 1D Mark IV
Canon 300 f.2.8, iso 800, 1/2500, f.3.2″

Giovanni Frescura – Wildlife, silent, nature ..what more could you want?

Chameleon Lunch by Simone Sbaraglia

“Panther Chameleon in the Andasibe rainforest of Madagascar”

Equipment: Nikon D300, Nikon 70-200 VR

Simone Sbaraglia – Simone Sbaraglia is a professional nature and wildlife photographer based in Rome. His work aims at highlighting the beauty, harmony and uniqueness of our planet, in the hope that it can be preserved for the future generations.

Website: www.simonesbaraglia.com

Maldina and her Spiderlings by Olivier Roland

“A 15mm female Amaurobius spider protecting her recently hatched spiderlings.”

Equipment: Pentax K5 with a reversed 50mm lens on extension tubes

Olivier Roland – I am a belgian graphic designer and photographer, I take photos of everything but the spiders are my favourite subjects, it’s probably their bad reputation that made me want to look into it, for finally realizing how ridiculous and disproportionate is the phobia they can generate in us.

Website: www.riprod.net

Stormy Romance by Kurt Jay Bertels

“Mating lions have been photographed over and over again, so when I found a mating pair, I went for something a little different. I used a polecam, and hours of patiently edging close enough until the lions filled the frame, and changed the angle on a ‘tired shot’, which gave a great new perspective.”

Kurt Jay Bertels – I started photography at the age of 9, and have focused mainly on wildlife. I have spent the last 8 years working in the game parks of Africa, and now lead photographic safaris throughout the world.

Website: www.50safaris.com

Blesbok Silhouette by Phil Perry

“Group of Blesbok silhouetted against the Malolotja mountains.”

Equipment: Canon EOS 40D + Canon 100-400mm @ 100mm

Phil Perry – A lifelong naturalist, I have taken wildlife photographs for many years. I currently live in Swaziland in Southern Africa.

Website: www.pperrywildlifephotos.org.sz

Skimming a Wave by Bill Klipp

“The seas of the Southern Ocean suddenly flattened and became smooth as glass. I positioned myself on the side of the ship to photograph the Petrels and other sea bids as they glided alongside us. After an hour plus and hundreds of shots this one of a Pintado Petrel’s wing tip skimming the surface was my favorite.”

Equipment: Nikon D300 with nikkor 70-200mm f2.8

Bill Klipp – Hi my name is Bill Klipp and after spending what felt like a life time in the Financial Services Industry my wife Linda and I were able to retire and turn our life long interests into a passions and obsessions. Our intense interest in the natural world couples well with our passion for photography and our love of exotic travel. Our hope is to create compelling images to promote an appreciation of the Natural World to help safeguard the biodiversity of the planet and the integrity of its natural ecosystems.
As you wander through our online photo galleries you will quickly see that we focus on Nature and Travel images. Our website highlights some of our favorite images taken over the last several years. Our photo galleries will take you to places like Namibia and other Southern African countries, Cuba, the Amazon, The Galapagos Islands, East Africa, The Baja, Machu Pichu, Brazil’s Pantanal, Alaska, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe the Arctic and Antarctica as well as local images from near our homes in Key West Florida and Discovery Bay California.

Website: www.wkimages.net

Whale Sharks Passing by Steve De Neef

“Two whale sharks pass by in the Visayan region of the Philippines. This area is an important place for migrating whale sharks as in the right season, food is abundant. “

Equipment: Canon 5D markIII, Canon 16-35mm f2.8, Nauticam Housing

Steve De Neef – I’m an aspiring underwater/documentary photographer trying to share the beauty of our blue planet. Currently I’m working around Asia as a freelance photographer.

Website: www.stevedeneef.com

Congratulations once again to all the finalists!

We look forward to seeing more of your wonderful wildlife photographs in next year’s wildlife photo contest. To ensure you are notified when future contests open for entries, you can subscribe to my free email newsletter (or via rss).

Enter the current photo contest: Travel Photo Competition

Since moving to Zambia I have been fortunate to meet some generous and visionary people in the safari industry. In particular, I have started working closely with the team behind Safarious, a new social network for those with a sense of adventure, and The Bushcamp Company, a luxury safari operator based in South Luangwa National Park. I have teamed up with these companies to bring to you a truly awesome opportunity… the chance to win a week’s luxury safari for two worth over $10,500! Read on to find out more…

Safarious

Safarious is a social network aimed at both curious adventurers and serious wilderness professionals. It is a place where you can share the natural world, explore exotic locations and connect with like minded individuals. The community is committed to sustainable use and discovery of the world’s wild places. The best way to get a feel for the site is to sign up and start exploring. You can also share your own experiences by publishing journals and uploading photos and videos. You can check out my Safarious profile here.

The Prize

We have an incredible prize for you: a 7-day safari for two courtesy of The Bushcamp Company with a total value exceeding US $10,500! The Bushcamp Company operates Mfuwe Lodge and also six small luxury bushcamps in a remote region of South Luangwa National Park. As part of the prize, you will be able to pick a combination of these camps to stay in! You will find yourself immersed in a remote, unspoilt African wilderness and have the opportunity to see some stunning wildlife (many of my photographs were taken in the area around these camps). All internal flights and transfers within Zambia are included in the prize. To find out more, visit The Bushcamp Company’s website or like their facebook page.

How to Enter

To enter this giveaway, all you need to do is:

1) Join Safarious through this sign-up page, and complete your profile by entering your name, a brief bio and uploading a profile picture. Make sure you also click on the email verification link in the welcome email.

2) Please then click here and enter your details so that I can track your entry. I will pick a winner at random from those who have entered their details.

Terms and Conditions

• The deadline for entering is 24th November 2012.
• Winner will be selected at random in a blind draw and will be notified by email by 30th November 2012. The winner will also be announced in an update to this post.
• The prize is non-transferable, non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for cash or any other alternative. The prize cannot be sold, auctioned or given away (i.e. one of the people that attends the safari must be the person drawn).
• At least one of the attendees of the safari must be aged 18 or over.
• The prize-winners choice of dates and camps is subject to availability.
• The prize for two people must be booked together. If the winner does not choose an accompanying travel partner then the other place will be forfeited.
• The prize includes internal flights from Lusaka (the capital of Zambia) to Mfuwe. You will be responsible for getting to Lusaka. There are direct flights to Lusaka from Johannesburg, London and several other convenient international hubs.
• The prize includes meals while staying with the Bushcamp Company. The prize-winner will be responsible for drinks and other costs of a personal nature such as travel insurance.
• The prize must be claimed within one year of the winner being notified.
• Once the prize is booked and confirmed, any costs incurred due to alterations or cancellations made by the prize winner will be at the prize winner’s expense.
• It is the responsibility of the prize winner to ascertain if a Zambian visa is required for travel and if so, it is their responsibility to obtain and pay for it.
• This giveaway is not open to relatives or employees of Will Burrard-Lucas, The Bushcamp Company or Safarious.

Future Giveaways

I have a number of other giveaways lined-up. If you would like to be notified when these are launched, please subscribe to my free email newsletter.

So this is my first proper post from Africa! I have been in Zambia for two months and I’ve been keeping myself busy! August was taken up with buying a capable 4×4 and moving into our new house in Katete. Once set-up I was then able to get on with the important task of photographing some wildlife!

In September I was able to make several trips up to South Luangwa National Park, courtesy of two of Zambia’s leading safari operators – The Bushcamp Company and Norman Carr Safaris. My aim for this year is to document the changing face of the park through the seasons. September is the height of the dry season. Animals are forced to congregate near the permanent water sources such as the Luangwa River and the few remaining waterholes. As a result, the pickings for the predators are plentiful.

The Luangwa Valley is well known as one of the best places in Africa to see the elusive leopard and it wasn’t long before it had lived up to its reputation; on my first visit to the park, I came across a mother with two 9-month-old cubs in daylight. This was the first time I’d had the opportunity to photograph a leopard with BeetleCam so I immediately deployed it.

The leopard cubs responded rather like the lion cubs from previous encounters – they were bold and inquisitive. Fortunately, they were slightly more respectful than their lion counterparts and I was spared the sight of my BeetleCam being carried off into the bush or up a tree!

On my next visit to the park, I headed further north. There I found some incredible old ebony groves. The towering black trunks, green canopy and carpet of fallen leaves reminded me of an enchanted forest rather than a habitat I expected to find in Africa. By a stroke of good fortune, I came across a pride of lions in one such grove and used BeetleCam to take the image above of a lioness in this unusual habitat.

Next, I ventured further into the interior of the park, to a camp on the seasonal Luwi River. Here there is a permanent lagoon, which is the only source of water for many miles. This lagoon is stuffed full of crocodiles and hippos. During the day, the crocs haul themselves out of the water to bask in the sun. I decided to try and get a BeetleCam perspective of a croc emerging from the water. This turned out to be more difficult than expected… the crocs were very wary of BeetleCam and refused to come anywhere near it. Eventually, after several days of perseverance, I managed to the shot I wanted using a camouflaged remote camera.

September is the month that thousands of carmine bee-eaters arrive in the valley to start building their nests in the banks of the Luangwa River. They form large, vibrant colonies, which add a dazzling splash of colour to the muted tones of the dry season.

Over the final weekend of the month, I headed down to a remote camp on the banks of the Kapamba River. Here the local pride of lions consists of two lionesses and five large cubs. At this time of year herds of buffalo, puku and impala have no choice but to congregate near the river and the lions take full advantage of the situation. In one afternoon I watched them take down two impala in the space of a minute. It all happened less than 50m away and it wasn’t long before BeetleCam was on the scene, inching towards five ravenous cubs and the rapidly disappearing antelope.

September flew by and was full of excitement and photographic opportunities. I have really been enjoying the freedom that comes from having my own vehicle and exploring the vast African wilderness on my own. It is also very refreshing to have the luxury of time to really become familiar with an area and its wildlife.

As September progressed, the days grew hotter and hotter, a trend that will continue through October until the first rains bring some relief at the end of the month. After the first downpour, the valley will change completely, almost overnight; the air will clear, dramatic skies start building up overhead and everything will turn green. The impalas will all give birth in the space of a few days and migratory birds will start to arrive from far and wide. I can’t wait to document the transition into wet-season. If you would like to follow my year in Zambia, please subscribe to my email newsletter. I am also regularly posting my latest photos on Facebook, if you would like to receive my updates, please “like” my page.

The final competition in our 2012 photo contest series is now open for entries! The theme is “Travel”. We are looking for striking, original and beautiful travel photographs that reveal the wonders of our planet. You are not limited to any subject matter in particular; travel photography can portray many things including an area’s people, cultures, customs, history or landscape. For some inspiration, check out the results of previous years’ contests: 2009, 2010 & 2011. The deadline for this contest is 31st December 2012.

We have some fantastic prizes on offer including the chance to win a Canon EOS 60D Digital SLR camera (more info).

Prizes

The Canon EOS 60D is designed for photographers who want to take their skills to the next level, offering high performance, a series of creative features, a Vari-angle LCD screen and enhanced ergonomics, this camera empowers photography enthusiasts to capture outstanding stills and Full High Definition (HD) video for unique, creative results. The EOS 60D has an incredible feature set including an 18 MP APS-C CMOS sensor, a Vari-angle 7.7cm 3:2 ratio LCD, Full HD movies, ISO 100-6400 (H:12800), 5.3fps shooting for up to 58 JPEGs, 9-point cross type AF System and more!

We also have the following additional prizes kindly donated by Committed Photography:

• Winner: 16×24 framed print of your winning shot (estimated value of $250)
• Runners up x 2: 16×24 prints unframed (value of $50 each)

Committed Photography is an easy way for semi-pro and pro photographers to promote and sell their work. You receive unlimited uploads, full control on pricing your work, and an 80% commission on sales. Click here for more information and to create your free account.

Rules

• The contest theme is Travel.
• This competition is open to participants worldwide.
• There is no entry fee.
• You must be the photographer and owner of the copyright for any image entered.
• Entrants can submit a maximum of three images to this contest.
• Please keep digital manipulation such as cloning and compositing to a minimum; your photograph should faithfully represent the scene as you saw it. HDR images and stitched panoramas are allowed.
• Submitted images should be 1024 pixels along the long edge and less than 800kb in size.
• Please do not include a border.
• A subtle watermark may be included but it must not detract from the image.
• You will retain copyright of your entries at all times and will always be credited alongside your picture.
• By entering this competition, you grant us a non-exclusive license to display your photograph in connection with this contest. Photographers will always be credited alongside their image.
• We may allow other websites to display a selection of the winning/highly commended images in order to publicise the results of this contest. Photographers will always be credited alongside their image.
• Under no-circumstance will we use submitted images for commercial gain unless it has been agreed on a case by case basis with the photographer.
• Please note that entries are kept private (i.e. you cannot browse the other submissions).
• The deadline for entry is 31st December 2012.
• Winners will be announced by 1st January 2013.

» Click here to Enter this Contest «

To receive notification when the winners are announced, and to find out about future contests, please subscribe to our free newsletter. You can either subscribe by email or via RSS.

I have some exciting news… I am moving to Zambia!

I am going to be spending the next year travelling around Zambia and some of the neighbouring countries. I am looking forward to getting stuck in to some serious, in-depth photography projects!

While I’m away I will be updating my blog with my latest adventures. You can subscribe to my newsletter to receive my posts via email. I will also be keeping a video journal which you can subscribe to on YouTube.

Join me in Africa!

While I’m in Africa, I will be available to hire as a freelance photography guide. If you would like to experience remote Africa, improve your photography and return home with some fantastic photographs, then please get in touch. Together we can design a trip that is 100% bespoke and private.

My wife, Nat, is a doctor and is going to be spending the year working in a remote rural hospital. For more insights into our life in Africa, please subscribe to Nat’s blog.

Finally, remember you can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Google+ for updates from the field!

Here are the results of our 2012 Landscape Photo Competition. Thank you to everyone who entered and well done to the talented photographers whose images appear in the final selection below.

A big thank you to Committed Photography for providing the following prizes:

• Winner: 16×24 framed print of your winning shot (estimated value of $250)
• Runners up x 2: 16×24 prints unframed (value of $50 each)

Winner

Our landscape photo contest winner is Lijah Hanley. His incredible image of flowers in front of a stormy sky at sunset almost seemed too good to be real! On investigation we confirmed that the image really is representative of the scene that was in front of the photographer. In order to get all of the elements sharp and correctly exposed, the final image is made up of an exposure blend of two bracketed shots taken from exactly the same spot in quick succession. It is an excellent example of using modern digital techniques to capture a challenging scene. Congratulations Lijah!

Zeus by Lijah Hanley

Zeus by Lijah Hanley

“Balsamroot and lupine flowers watch as violent skies unleash their wrath over the Columbia Hills in Washington state.”

Equipment: Canon 5d Mark 2, Canon 17-40mm

Lijah Hanley – Hi, I’m Lijah Hanley and I am 16 years old. My work was recognized by National Geographic in 2009 and they gave me the amazing opportunity to travel to Peru and the Amazon Jungle with National Geographic photographers Bruce Dale and Amy Toensing. My eyes were opened to a whole new world of opportunities in the world of photography and it’s been my obsession ever since. I hope you enjoy my photos from what I hope to be the beginning of a life-long adventure.

Website: lijahhanley.com

Runners-up

Congratulations to our runners-up, Alamsyah Rauf and Florian Breuer!

Old Bridge by Alamsyah Rauf

Old Bridge by Alamsyah Rauf

“Taken in Indonesia, an old pier that was destroyed”

Equipment: Canon 5d mark 2

Alamsyah Rauf – I am freelance photographer

Quiver Trees by Night by Florian Breuer

Quiver Trees by Night by Florian Breuer

“The warm glow of the distant lights of Keetmanshoop contrasts with the cool of the night sky as the Milky Way arches gracefully over a grove of quiver trees. These trees are actually giant aloes, and grow amongst dolerite boulders in hot and dry conditions. Panoramic stitch of 6 exposures, each at 30s, f/2.8, ISO 3200″

Equipment: Canon 40D, Tokina 11-16mm, Nodal Ninja 3 panoramic head

Florian Breuer – Born in 1977, I am a Mathematician, teaching at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
I have been taking pictures (mostly snapshots of my many travels) since I was a teenager, but have only started photographing more seriously since 2

The third competition in our 2012 photo contest series is now open for entries! The theme is “Wildlife”. We are looking for striking, original and beautiful wildlife photographs that reveal the character or behaviour of the subject. Photographs of animals in captivity are eligible for entry but the circumstances must be disclosed in the caption. Photos of pets and domesticated animals may not be entered. For some inspiration, check out the results previous years’ contests: 2009, 2010 & 2011. The deadline for this contest is 30th September 2012.

We have some fantastic prizes on offer including the chance to win a Canon EOS 60D Digital SLR camera (more info).

Prizes

The Canon EOS 60D is designed for photographers who want to take their skills to the next level, offering high performance, a series of creative features, a Vari-angle LCD screen and enhanced ergonomics, this camera empowers photography enthusiasts to capture outstanding stills and Full High Definition (HD) video for unique, creative results. The EOS 60D has an incredible feature set including an 18 MP APS-C CMOS sensor, a Vari-angle 7.7cm 3:2 ratio LCD, Full HD movies, ISO 100-6400 (H:12800), 5.3fps shooting for up to 58 JPEGs, 9-point cross type AF System and more!

We also have the following additional prizes kindly donated by Committed Photography:

• Winner: 16×24 framed print of your winning shot (estimated value of $250)
• Runners up x 2: 16×24 prints unframed (value of $50 each)

Rules

• The contest theme is Wildlife. Photographs of animals in captivity are eligible for entry but the circumstances must be disclosed in the caption. Photos of pets and domesticated animals may not be entered.
• This competition is open to participants worldwide.
• There is no entry fee.
• You must be the photographer and owner of the copyright for any image entered.
• Entrants can submit a maximum of three images to this contest.
• Please keep digital manipulation such as cloning and compositing to a minimum; your photograph should faithfully represent the scene as you saw it. HDR images and stitched panoramas are allowed.
• Submitted images should be 1024 pixels along the long edge and less than 800kb in size.
• Please do not include a border.
• A subtle watermark may be included but it must not detract from the image.
• You will retain copyright of your entries at all times and will always be credited alongside your picture.
• By entering this competition, you grant us a non-exclusive license to display your photograph in connection with this contest. Photographers will always be credited alongside their image.
• We may allow other websites to display a selection of the winning/highly commended images in order to publicise the results of this contest. Photographers will always be credited
  Add a Comment

Here are the results of our 2012 Pet Photo Competition. Thank you to everyone who entered and well done to the talented photographers whose images appear in the final selection below.

A big thank you to Committed Photography for providing the following prizes:

• Winner: 16×24 framed print of your winning shot (estimated value of $250)
• Runners up x 2: 16×24 prints unframed (value of $50 each)

Winner

Our pet photo contest winner is Donfer Lu, congratulations!

Fly me out of the City by Donfer Lu

“In Taiwan Taipei city, the pressures of life are too heavy. This photo show a French Bulldog hope she fly like her Pigeon friends “

Equipment: Nikon

Donfer Lu – I am a pet photographer from Taiwan. and I have 4 dog girls, I love them. They are the sweetest babies in the world.

Website: dtouchphotography.blogspot.com

Runners-up

Congratulations to our runners-up, Hanne Grønnestad and Heather Buckley!

Let’s Dance To Joy Division by Hanne Grønnestad

Let’s Dance To Joy Division by Hanne Grønnestad

“Photo is taken by Mr. Selftimer, and the models are myself and my rabbit, Pelle. “

Equipment: Canon 450D

Hanne Grønnestad – I am a 19 year old girl from Kopervik, a small town in Western Norway. Presently, I am a senior high school student where I study natural sciences. After graduation I plan to study photography in Norway for a year.
In my spare time I like to photograph, mostly portraits, landscapes and animals. When I am not busy photographing, I like to be in activity and do sports such as running, swimming, climbing and playing tennis.
Furthermore, whenever I have time and money I like to travel to see new exciting places, often where there is an opportunity for good photography locations.
My photography interest started when I was fifteen years old, and received my reflex camera. I started from basics, taking pictures of flowers for example. I developed my knowledge through self -study and with help from friends who volunteered as models. I like when the pictures tell a story, and explain more than meets the eye.

Website: Flickr

Filby at the Park by Heather Buckley

Filby at the Park by Heather Buckley

“Shadow Play”

Equipment: panasonic GH2

Heather Buckley – Been taking pictures for quite a few years now, do not take pictures commercially but just for the love of it.

Website: www.heatherbuckley.co.uk

Highly Commended Images

Our highly commended images are fantastic shots that illustrate the amaz

The second competition in our 2012 photo contest series is now open for entries! The theme is “Landscapes”. We are looking for striking, original and beautiful landscape photographs taken anywhere in the world. For some inspiration, checkout the results of last year’s Landscape Photo Contest. The deadline for this contest is 30th June 2012.

We have some fantastic prizes on offer including the chance to win a Canon EOS 60D Digital SLR camera (more info).

Prizes

The Canon EOS 60D is designed for photographers who want to take their skills to the next level, offering high performance, a series of creative features, a Vari-angle LCD screen and enhanced ergonomics, this camera empowers photography enthusiasts to capture outstanding stills and Full High Definition (HD) video for unique, creative results. The EOS 60D has an incredible feature set including an 18 MP APS-C CMOS sensor, a Vari-angle 7.7cm 3:2 ratio LCD, Full HD movies, ISO 100-6400 (H:12800), 5.3fps shooting for up to 58 JPEGs, 9-point cross type AF System and more!

We also have the following additional prizes kindly donated by Committed Photography:

• Winner: 16×24 framed print of your winning shot (estimated value of $250)
• Runners up x 2: 16×24 prints unframed (value of $50 each)

Rules

• The contest theme is Landscapes.
• This competition is open to participants worldwide.
• There is no entry fee.
• You must be the photographer and owner of the copyright for any image entered.
• Entrants can submit a maximum of three images to this contest.
• Please keep digital manipulation such as cloning and compositing to a minimum; your photograph should faithfully represent the scene as you saw it. HDR images and stitched panoramas are allowed.
• Submitted images should be 1024 pixels along the long edge and less than 800kb in size.
• Please do not include a border.
• A subtle watermark may be included but it must not detract from the image.
• You will retain copyright of your entries at all times and will always be credited alongside your picture.
• By entering this competition, you grant us a non-exclusive license to display your photograph in connection with this contest. Photographers will always be credited alongside their image.
• We may allow other websites to display a selection of the winning/highly commended images in order to publicise the results of this contest. Photographers will always be credited alongside their image.
• Under no-circumstance will we use submitted images for commercial gain unless it has been agreed on a case by case basis with the photographer.
• Please note that entries are kept private (i.e. you cannot browse the other submissions).
• The deadline for entry is 30th June 2012.
• Winners will be announced by 31st July 2012.

» Click here to Enter this Contest «

In 2009 we embarked on a project to take close-up, wide-angle photographs of African animals. To accomplish this we created BeetleCam, a small remote control buggy with a DSLR camera mounted on top. Filled with trepidation, we boarded a plane bound for Tanzania. We had little idea what to expect… would BeetleCam survive?

It was a trip of mixed fortunes; BeetleCam took some fantastic photographs of elephants and buffalo but early on it was mauled and our camera destroyed by a lion. BeetleCam limped on with a replacement camera but we steered well clear of lions thereafter.

On returning home our BeetleCam images were a big hit; they were splashed all over the Internet, appeared in print around the world and BeetleCam even made some TV appearances. However, we didn’t feel entirely satisfied… just imagine what we could get with a lion-proof BeetleCam!

Well, last summer we returned to Africa. Our targets? The legendary lions of Kenya’s Masai Mara!

We had with us two BeetleCams. The first was an armoured version of the original BeetleCam, equipped with a Canon 550D. The second was a more advanced model, boasting a live video feed, HD movie recording and a Canon 1Ds MK III. We imaginatively named the more advanced buggy “BeetleCam Mark II”.

On the morning of our first day in Kenya, we were understandably nervous as we tentatively deployed BeetleCam and trundled it towards one of the largest males lions I have ever seen. The buggy looked tiny and insignificant as it approached the ferocious-looking beast. We had visions of the lion’s huge paw shattering the diminutive vehicle with a single swipe.

We edged the buggy forward and the lion considered it sedately. We inched closer and closer until it was within touching distance. Our nervousness turned to elation as we snapped away. Perhaps these cats weren’t so bad after all! Maybe we had just been unlucky in Tanzania? We retrieved the camera and gawked in awe at the incredible lion portraits that we had captured.

Day two continued much the same way as day one, with BeetleCam tentatively edging around huge docile lions, taking photographs that we never dreamed would be possible. It was going so well we that forgot the le

If the video does not appear below, watch it on Vimeo: BeetleCam is Back Teaser

BeetleCam is a remote control buggy with a DSLR camera mounted on top. I created the first BeetleCam in 2009 in order to take close-up, wide-angle photographs of dangerous African animals. You can find out more about the initial project in The Adventures of BeetleCam.

We will soon be releasing the next project instalment in which BeetleCam takes on the lions of the Masai Mara! As you can see from the teaser video, it was an eventful trip! We managed to get some incredible photographs and video footage which we will soon be publishing on Burrard-Lucas.com. If you would like to be notified when this happens, please subscribe to our free email newsletter. You can also subscribe via RSS or follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.

Here are the results of our 2011 Travel Photo Competition. This was another strong year so the task of judging the entries was not easy! Thank you to everyone who entered and well done to the talented photographers whose images appear in the final selection below.

Winner

Our travel photo contest winner is Pansiri Pikunkaew, congratulations Pansiri!

Loi Kra Tong Festival in Thailand by Pansiri Pikunkaew

“Buddhist novice light the lanterns in Wat Pan Tao Chiang mai province thailand.”

Equipment: Canon EOS 7D

Runners-up

Congratulations to our runners-up, Chan Kwok Hung and Becky Kagan Schott!

Buffalo Race by Chan Kwok Hung

“This photo was taken in West Sumatra of Indonesia, farmers will held the buffalo race at the muddy rice fields and usually before the farming season, they believe will be lucky if their buffalo win the race. The event is the time for celebration for the rice farming folks in this farming community but no any prize, the jockey ride a pair of buffalo while holding their tail,they will bite the cow’s tail if they want the cow run faster!”

Equipment: Canon 1D MarkIII ,Canon 100-400

Chan Kwok Hung – I want to convey the good side and dark side of our living world. People’s expressions and emotions appeal to me – they are an important part of the picture.

Dolphin Dance by Becky Kagan Schott

“There is nothing more amazing than having an interaction with a wild animal! This pod of wild dolphins became interested in our group and twirled, played and danced with freedivers!”

Equipment: Nikon D700, 14-24mm lens, Aquatica housing

Becky Kagan Schott – Becky is a professional underwater videographer, photographer, 3D cameraman and technical diver. Her work has been Emmy Nominated and she’s worked on documentaries for National Geographic, Discovery Science, and currently works with leading edge underwater video technology at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. With them she’s documented famous wrecks including the USS Monitor, the U-869, and the 2010 Titanic Expedition. As a cameraman her projects have taken her all over the globe documenting historic wrecks in Truk Lagoon, Japan, and the Great Lakes. She’s also shot stunning video of marine life including Humpback whales, Wild Dolphins and Great White Sharks-cageless. She has 17 years of dive experience logging thousands of hours underwater. Becky is a NAUI Instructor, and holds certifications in Cave diving, Trimix, and several Rebreathers. She has always been attracted to water, but her curiosity about what lay beneath the waves became an obsession from a young age, she always knew documenting the underwater world is what she wanted to do. Becky and her husband David live in Philadelphia and own Liquid Productions, LLC, a video production company specializing in High Definition video, 3D video, and digital still photography both above and below the surfa

The first competition in our 2012 photo contest series is now open for entries! The theme is “Pets”. We are looking for striking and original photographs of your beloved dogs, cats and other pets. For some inspiration, checkout the results of last year’s Pet Photo Contest. The deadline for this contest is 31st March 2012.

We have some fantastic prizes on offer including the chance to win a Canon EOS 60D Digital SLR camera (more info).

Prizes

The Canon EOS 60D is designed for photographers who want to take their skills to the next level, offering high performance, a series of creative features, a Vari-angle LCD screen and enhanced ergonomics, this camera empowers photography enthusiasts to capture outstanding stills and Full High Definition (HD) video for unique, creative results. The EOS 60D has an incredible feature set including an 18 MP APS-C CMOS sensor, a Vari-angle 7.7cm 3:2 ratio LCD, Full HD movies, ISO 100-6400 (H:12800), 5.3fps shooting for up to 58 JPEGs, 9-point cross type AF System and more!

We also have the following additional prizes from Amazon.com:

• Winner: $100 Amazon Gift Voucher
• Runners up x 2: $25 Amazon Gift Voucher

Rules

• The contest theme is Pets.
• This competition is open to participants worldwide.
• There is no entry fee.
• You must be the photographer and owner of the copyright for any image entered.
• Entrants can submit a maximum of three images to this contest.
• Please keep digital manipulation such as cloning and compositing to a minimum; your photograph should faithfully represent the scene as you saw it. HDR images and stitched panoramas are allowed.
• Submitted images should be 1024 pixels along the long edge and less than 800kb in size.
• Please do not include a border.
• A subtle watermark may be included but it must not detract from the image.
• You will retain copyright of your entries at all times and will always be credited alongside your picture.
• By entering this competition, you grant us a non-exclusive license to display your photograph in connection with this contest. Photographers will always be credited alongside their image.
• We may allow other websites to display a selection of the winning/highly commended images in order to publicise the results of this contest. Photographers will always be credited alongside their image.
• Under no-circumstance will we use submitted images for commercial gain unless it has been agreed on a case by case basis with the photographer.
• Please note that entries are kept private (i.e. you cannot browse the other submissions).
• The deadline for entry is 31st March 2012.

» Click here to Enter this Contest «

To receive notification when the winners are announced, and to find out about future contests, please subscribe to our free newsletter. You can either subscribe by email or via RSS.

Happy holidays everyone! It is hard to believe another year is almost over!

2011 flew by and was an eventful year for Burrard-Lucas Photography. For me there were some truly memorable and humbling experiences such as coming face to face with a wild giant panda in China and being confronted by the legendary Komodo dragon in Indonesia. In this post I have provided a summary of some year’s most significant developments and a brief teaser for things to come in 2012.

Community

2011 saw the emergence of a new social network, Google+. I tested out the platform early on and quickly discovered it was great for sharing photos! The network has become very popular and it is now an essential venue for me. If you would like to receive the latest Burrard-Lucas news and images then please “Circle” me on Google+.

The year also saw our community on Facebook go from strength to strength. If you would like to view our latest work on Facebook, please “Like” our page.

Twitter continues to be my favorite venue for networking and sharing ideas… follow @willbl to connect with me and join the conversation!

Finally, our photo contest series continues to thrive, with the standard of photography better than ever. Our Pet, Landscape and Wildlife contest attracted some stunning entries. Our Travel photo contest is still open, so enter now for a chance to win our grand prize for 2011, a Canon EOS 60D! We will be running another contest series next year so subscribe to our newsletter if you would like to find out when each contest opens for entries.

Competitions

We were honored to be recognized in three major competitions in 2011. Perhaps the achievement we were most proud of was receiving our first award for video; our short film “Migration” won the Moving Image Award in the Sony World Photography Awards. The awards ceremony was a red carpet event at the Odeon, Leicester Square in London. It was a fantastic experience and we are looking forward to further experimenting with video in the future.

We also had three highly commended images in the Nature’s Best Winland Smith Rice International Awards; Orangutan Fountain,

The third competition in our 2011 photo contest series is now open for entries. The theme is “wildlife”. We are looking for original and striking photographs of wild animals; it helps if you can capture the creature’s character or an interesting aspect of their behaviour in your shots. Photographs of animals in captivity are eligible for entry but the circumstances must be disclosed in the caption. Photos of pets and domesticated animals may not be entered. The deadline for this contest is 15th October 2011.

We have some fantastic prizes on offer including the chance to win the new Canon EOS 60D Digital SLR camera (more info).

Prizes

The new Canon EOS 60D is designed for photographers who want to take their skills to the next level, offering high performance, a series of creative features, a Vari-angle LCD screen and enhanced ergonomics, this camera empowers photography enthusiasts to capture outstanding stills and Full High Definition (HD) video for unique, creative results. The EOS 60D has an incredible feature set including an 18 MP APS-C CMOS sensor, a Vari-angle 7.7cm 3:2 ratio LCD, Full HD movies, ISO 100-6400 (H:12800), 5.3fps shooting for up to 58 JPEGs, 9-point cross type AF System and more!

We also have the following additional prizes from Amazon.com:

• Winner: $100 Amazon Gift Voucher
• Runners up x 2: $25 Amazon Gift Voucher

Rules

• The contest theme is Wildlife.
• This competition is open to participants worldwide.
• There is no entry fee.
• You must be the photographer and owner of the copyright for any image entered.
• Entrants can submit a maximum of three images to this contest.
• Please keep digital manipulation such as cloning and compositing to a minimum; your photograph should faithfully represent the scene as you saw it.
• Submitted images should be 1024 pixels along the long edge and less than 800kb in size.
• Please do not include a border.
• A subtle watermark may be included but it must not detract from the image.
• You will retain copyright of your entries at all times and will always be credited alongside your picture.
• By entering this competition, you grant us a non-exclusive license to display your photograph in connection with this contest. Photographers will always be credited alongside their image.
• We may allow other websites to display a selection of the winning/highly commended images in order to publicise the results of this contest. Photographers will always be credited alongside their image.
• Under no-circumstance will we use submitted images for commercial gain unless it has been agreed on a case by case basis with the photographer.
• Please note that entries are kept private (i.e. you cannot browse the other submissions).
• The deadline for entry is 15th October 2011.

» Click here to Enter this Contest «

To receive notification when the winners are announced, and to find out about future contests, please subscribe to our free newsletter. You can either subscribe by email or via RSS.

Here are the results of our 2011 Landscape Photo Competition. With around 6,500 entries, judging this contest was another difficult task! The standard of images entered was better than ever and we enjoyed exploring the world through your pictures. Thank you to everyone who entered and congratulations to all of the fantastic photographers who have made it into the final selection below.

Winner

Our Landscape Photo Contest Winner is Terry Dolle, well done! His photograph shows the spectacular winter ice formations at Niagara Falls and transports the viewer to a surreal and other-worldly place. The people at the bottom of the shot provide a sense scale and the spray from the waterfall adds an ethereal quality. Congratulations to Terry for capturing a very interesting, original and striking landscape photograph.

Beached Ice Whale by Terry Dolle

“When the winter ice melts at the base of Niagara Falls some absolutely stunning formations are created. Here the ice resembles a beached whale. At the bottom-center of the photo are people wearing red raincoats.”

Equipment: Canon 40D

Terry Dolle – Photo Locations: Canada, USA, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Portugal, UK, Greece, Germany, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam and China.
Guest Speaker for one class, Niagara School of Imaging, Brock University, St. Catharines ON Canada, “How to Make a Living as a Nature Photographer” Aug 2010.

Website: www.agoginc.com

Runners-up

Congratulations to our runners-up, Krzysztof Browko and Chan Kwok Hun. Krzysztof Browko’s striking image of six green trees in a golden field is beautifully composed with lovely colours and wonderful light. Chan Kwok Hun’s photograph transports us to an exotic, faraway place. The placement of the fishermen and the splash of the net as it hits the water complete the image perfectly.

Six… by Krzysztof Browko

“Agricultural areas, fields, South Moravia”

Equipment: canon 5d+canon 100-400

Krzysztof Browko – I’m 38 and I live in Opole although I come from completely different part of Poland. I make my living as an IT specialist. Photography is my passion which helps me not only to break from daily routine but also to stop and notice things that we sometimes miss in everyday life.

Website: browko-photography.pl

YingXi by Chan Kwok Hun

“Taken in YingXi of China, a fisherman fish in afternoon.”

Equipment: Canon 1D Mark3

Chan Kwok Hung – I want to convey the good side and dark side of our living world. People’s expressions and emotions appeal to me and they are an important part of the picture.

Highly Commended Images

Our highly commended images are fantastic shots that illustrate the amazing variety of entries we received. Congratulations to everyone who made it onto this list!

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By: Matt, on 9/20/2011
Blog: Burrard-Lucas Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Few places feel as remote and wild as the Australian island of Tasmania; mile upon mile of sandy beaches and jagged rocks stretch for as far as the eye can see, whilst ancient forests full of giant ferns cover much of the interior. The island is frequently battered by stormy seas and howling winds from the Southern Ocean and as a result Tasmanian weather is unpredictable at best! As you look out over the vast ocean, without another human being in sight, it really does feel like you’re standing on a distant corner of the Earth.

At the end of last year, Will and I visited the north-west coast of Tasmania. The landscape was full of scrubby bushes and grassland, which on first inspection, didn’t seem like a very hospitable environment for wildlife. However, as night drew closer the area was teeming with animals including wallabies, wombats and of course Tasmanian devils – it was the devils that we had come to photograph.

At one time, Tasmanian devils used to live all over mainland Australia until they became extinct there around 3,000 years ago. Since this time, Tasmania has remained the only stronghold for these ferocious little marsupials. Tassie devils are about the size of a small dog, with a stocky build and an incredibly strong bite. In fact, it has the strongest bite for its weight of any living mammal! The unusual name stems from the horrendous screeching sounds that they make at night.

For Tasmanian devils, one of the main causes of population decline is vehicle collisions. Driving at night in Tasmania is a stressful and slow experience – animals constantly hop out in front of your car without warning, startled by the headlights. Unfortunately devils are drawn towards the roads, where they feed on the dead animals that litter the tarmac. As a result, the devils often end up getting hit themselves.

One man who lives in north-west Tasmania is trying to give the devils in his area a helping hand. Geoff

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By: Will, on 10/17/2011
Blog: Burrard-Lucas Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Competitions, Add a tag

The fourth and final competition in our 2011 photo contest series is now open for entries. The theme is “travel”. We are looking for interesting and striking travel photographs. You are not limited to any subject matter in particular; travel photography can portray many things including an area’s people, cultures, customs, history or landscape. For some inspiration, checkout our travel galleries. The deadline for this contest is 31st December 2011.

We have some fantastic prizes on offer including the chance to win the new Canon EOS 60D Digital SLR camera (more info).

Prizes

The new Canon EOS 60D is designed for photographers who want to take their skills to the next level, offering high performance, a series of creative features, a Vari-angle LCD screen and enhanced ergonomics, this camera empowers photography enthusiasts to capture outstanding stills and Full High Definition (HD) video for unique, creative results. The EOS 60D has an incredible feature set including an 18 MP APS-C CMOS sensor, a Vari-angle 7.7cm 3:2 ratio LCD, Full HD movies, ISO 100-6400 (H:12800), 5.3fps shooting for up to 58 JPEGs, 9-point cross type AF System and more!

We also have the following additional prizes from Amazon.com:

• Winner: $100 Amazon Gift Voucher
• Runners up x 2: $25 Amazon Gift Voucher

Rules

• The contest theme is Travel.
• This competition is open to participants worldwide.
• There is no entry fee.
• You must be the photographer and owner of the copyright for any image entered.
• Entrants can submit a maximum of three images to this contest.
• Please keep digital manipulation such as cloning and compositing to a minimum; your photograph should faithfully represent the scene as you saw it. HDR images and stitched panoramas are allowed.
• Submitted images should be 1024 pixels along the long edge and less than 800kb in size.
• Please do not include a border.
• A subtle watermark may be included but it must not detract from the image.
• You will retain copyright of your entries at all times and will always be credited alongside your picture.
• By entering this competition, you grant us a non-exclusive license to display your photograph in connection with this contest. Photographers will always be credited alongside their image.
• We may allow other websites to display a selection of the winning/highly commended images in order to publicise the results of this contest. Photographers will always be credited alongside their image.
• Under no-circumstance will we use submitted images for commercial gain unless it has been agreed on a case by case basis with the photographer.
• Please note that entries are kept private (i.e. you cannot browse the other submissions).
• The deadline for entry is 31st December 2011.

» Click here to Enter this Contest «

To receive notification when the winners are announced, and to find out about future contests, please subscribe to our free newsletter. You can either subscribe by email or via RSS.

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By: Will, on 10/23/2011
Blog: Burrard-Lucas Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Earlier this year I spent eight days tracking Giant Pandas in the Qinling Mountains of Central China. This is one of the few remaining places where Giant Pandas exist in the wild. Due to habitat loss and human encroachment, pandas have been pushed into extremely remote and inaccessible parts of China.

I was well aware that finding a wild panda in these thickly forested areas was not going to be easy… in the past, people have spent weeks searching for them without success. I therefore adopted the attitude that I would enjoy the spectacular trekking and it would be a bonus if I glimpsed a panda!

I soon discovered that wild panda tracking is exceedingly hard work; scrambling up ridge after ridge, fighting through bamboo thickets and boulder-hopping across rivers. I was soon covered in scratches and aching all over! I was led by an expert local tracker who would promptly declare “no panda here” every time we reached a new valley. He explained that he was looking for signs such as fresh droppings or recently chewed bamboo stems. He was also listening out for the unmistakable crunching sounds made by a panda eating bamboo.

One day started with a grueling climb up a brutal incline to the top of a ridge. The gradient was so steep, and the earth underfoot so slippery, that the only way to climb was to grab hold of branches and haul myself (and my 15kgs of camera gear) upwards! As I approached the top of the ridge, my heart skipped a beat as I heard a snap come from the thick bamboo forest below… there could be no doubt that a panda was down there somewhere.

The tracker and I approached the noisy panda but it heard us and careered down the slope at an incredible speed. I returned to the ridge dejected – despite being less than 10 metres away, all I had seen was thrashing bamboo stems rippling down the mountain. Then to my shock and amazement we saw a white head and two black ears just 20 metres down the other side of the ridge; there was a second panda sitting there, chomping on bamboo! I felt a tremendous rush of emotion… relief that the effort I had gone to reach this remote part of China had not been in vain; privileged that this iconic and endangered animal was sitting in front of me; and awe at the beauty of it.

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24. New Pantanal & Madagascar Photo Tours for 2012

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By: Will, on 11/3/2011
Blog: Burrard-Lucas Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I am excited to announce that I will be leading two incredible photo tours in 2012… in July I will be taking a group to the Pantanal in Brazil and in October-November I will be taking a group around Madagascar (see below for an overview of each trip). To run the tours, I have partnered with Steppes Discovery, a fantastic UK travel company that prides itself on organising ethical wildlife holidays.

Both trips have been specifically designed with photographers in mind and all levels of photographic ability are welcome. If you are looking to improve your photographic skills, I will be on hand to provide expert tuition and give you helpful hints and tips. If you are already a proficient photographer, this is your chance to travel with a group of like-minded people, and of course to take some fantastic photographs. During the trips I will try to impart as much of my knowledge as possible… I will be happy to critique images and discuss anything from gear to photographic techniques and online marketing to Photoshop.

The Pantanal: Monday 2nd July – Tuesday 10th July 2012

£2,995 per person in twin share accommodation.

The Pantanal is a vast wetland area, most of which lies in Brazil. It is the world’s largest wetland and a renowned wildlife hotspot. The landscape is open and this makes it possible to see creatures that are usually very hard to find in the dense rainforest that covers much of South America – this includes animals such as jaguars, giant anteaters and tapirs. Everywhere you look you will also find caimans which provide a wealth of photographic opportunities. Finally, the Pantanal is famed for its incredible diversity of bird species.

I have been to the Pantanal three times and I have seen and photographed many of the unique species that can be found there. I now invite you to join my Pantanal photo tour so that you can experience and explore this unique ecosystem for yourself.

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25. Wildlife Photo Competition Results

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By: Will, on 11/9/2011
Blog: Burrard-Lucas Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Here are the results of our 2011 Wildlife Photo Competition. This was another strong year so the task of judging the entries was not easy! Thank you to everyone who entered and congratulations to the talented photographers whose images appear in the final selection below.

Winner

Our wildlife photo contest winner is Arun Kumar from India, congratulations! Arun’s photograph of a red-whiskered bulbul feeding berries to its chicks has it all; it is sharp, vibrant and well composed, it shows interesting behaviour and it’s cute! Well done Arun!

Red-whiskered Bulbul Family by Arun Kumar N.K.

“Red-whiskered bulbul feeding young ones with white fruit.”
Location: Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Equipment: Canon 40D with Canon 300mm f/2.8 lens

Arun Kumar N.K. – Hobby photographer who loves nature, animals, insects. I started photography in the year 2001. I use a Canon 40D with 300mm 2.8 lens.

Website: arunswildlife.com

Runners-up

Congratulations to our runners-up, Fabien Michenet and Alamsyah Rauf. Fabien’s image of a young humpback whale is spectacular; it really illustrates the power and playfulness of these ocean giants. Alamsyah’s image of ants working together to reach a flower is a fascinating example of team work in the insect world.

Humpback Whale Diving by Fabien Michenet

“I observed this young whale, probably just a few weeks old, for quite some time. My presence in the water seemed to be an interesting distraction.
It was as though the calf wanted to play and show-off its agility (all the while being careful not to harm me despite being just a baby and rather imposing).
He did a few acrobatic movements, including this dive under the surface of the ocean that I photographed here.”
Location: Tahiti – French Polynesia

Equipment: Canon EOS 5d mk2 – 15mm Fisheye – Ikelite Housing

Cooperation by Alamsyah Rauf

“Ants photographed in my garden”
Location: Indonesia

Equipment: Canon 5D mark 2

Alamsyah Rauf – I am a freelance photographer.

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Highly Commended Images

Our highly commended images are fantastic shots that illustrate the amazing variety of entries we received. Congratulations to everyone who made it onto this list!

Red Deer at Dawn by Andrew Whitmarsh

“I went to Richmond Park early one weekend to take photos of the red deer rut. Unusually warm weather led to amazing conditions, with the light of the rising sun scattered by

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