craigelsonphotography

My House. Gol Kopjes, Serengeti NP, Tanzania. Seeing images like this - of lions on rocks, gazing out across the vast Serengeti, surveying their kingdoms - from photographers like who led our trip was THE reason I journeyed to Tanzania this past month. Everything else was a bonus (and happily there were many!). Somehow I foolishly thought there would be countless opportunities to make good “lion king on kopje” images but it turns out that the old problem of lions sleeping most of the time is very much a governing factor. That said, as always with wildlife photography, if you have patience, are prepared to wait sometimes for hours, then you’ll usually be rewarded. At least that’s what I tell myself. I have several other “lion-scape” images I am working on but this one was first to the editing finish line. Sony a1 II • 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II

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Cheetah Family in Repose. Namiri Plains, Serengeti NP, Tanzania. We found this cheetah mother and her two 4-5 month old cubs early morning in exactly this position with this ethereal backlight - and they gave us several equally amazing poses and head angles to capture the family dynamic. Then the two cubs began to play and for the next 90 minutes we were treated to one of the best cheetah sightings I’ve ever witnessed. Walking, running, chasing, through the grassland, up on kopjes, under a magnificent tree, by the water,,,more and more just continued to unfold even as we remained alone observing. Just our two vehicles on safari with for nearly the whole time. That is a big part of the magic here in the Serengeti in March. Sony a1 II • 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS
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Morning Patrol. Gol Kopjes, Serengeti NP, Tanzania. One of the two Gol Kopje males out for a morning stroll, the other out of the frame trailing behind. These males are currently holding down two prides (!) and were just coming from some interaction with their Semetu family, making their way back to one of their favorite late morning resting spots atop one of the Gol kopjes. As you can see around the eyes, holding down two prides is not for the faint of heart nor without its physical challenges. Sony a1 II • 70-200 f/2.8 GM OSS II

Caracal on the Move. Namiri Plains, Serengeti NP, Tanzania. You didn’t think I was done with caracal things after waiting my whole life to see one, did you?! Color and B&W renderings here of the same female I posted yesterday in portrait, this time on the move through the tall grasses where she had stashed her young cub (nope, never saw it) as sunset approached. The sheer beauty of her face and the defining feature of the ears have nothing on the strength, power, and agility you can see in her body through this pose, the rear legs in particular. It is said these cats can leap 10 feet vertically from a standing start! Sony a1 II • 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS

Karakoram Sunset Light. Khandi, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Two panoramic views of the late August sunset light in the Karakoram range from my trip there earlier this year with friends .baig and . It’s hard to put into words what it is like to be in this place and exploring the majesty of these mountains with a drone. We were able to see more geography, more breathtaking vistas, in a single evening flying than could be accomplished in months on the ground…literally, no joke. It is another world up there at 20,000+ feet, seeing the jagged peaks that stretch up to the ceiling of the world. DJI Mavic 4 Pro • Manual Stitched Panoramas