Making Tracks, a photo from Caprivi, North

Photographer's Note

This shot was taken late one evening on a game drive in the Mamili National Park. Pictured here you can see the flooded marshlands, home to amongst others, Hippo. The tracks through the reeds are hippo paths, these are where the animals leave the water at night to graze. Throughout the day they remain almost totally submerged in order to protect their very sensitive skins.

The title "Making Tracks' is essentially to link the hippo tracks and the great strides Namibia is making in animal conservation. The following is a report which was published in the local press two weeks ago:

FORTY-TWO per cent of Namibia’s land is under conservation management. This makes Namibia one of the countries with the largest conservation area.
At independence in 1990, only 13 per cent of the land area in Namibia was under conservation management.
Namibia’s 42 per cent is no mean feat considering that Belize has 36 per cent, Zambia 35 per cent, Botswana 30 per cent and South Africa 12 per cent under conservation.
The areas under conservation include national parks and protected areas, communal conservancies and freehold conservancies.
There are currently 71 gazetted communal conservancies in Namibia, covering over 18 per cent of the country. There are also 19 freehold conservancies, formed by commercial farmers grouping together as conservancy associations.
Namibia is also the only country where the elephant population grew by a third between 1995 and 2008.
Translocated black rhinos are expanding their range as Namibia is leading Africa in moving black rhino out of national parks into the safety of communal conservancies. The country also has the largest population of wild cheetah and the largest annual game count in the world takes place in Namibia.
It is also the only country in Africa with expanding free-roaming giraffe and lion populations.
The ranges and numbers of lion populations from the Caprivi wetlands, where the black-maned lions prey on the African buffalo, to the Skeleton Coast where documented numbers have risen from just 25 in 1995 to well over a hundred today, make Namibia one of the greatest African wildlife recovery stories ever told.
There are 42 established joint-venture lodges and campsites, which makes Namibia a world leader in developing a tourism product that contributes to conservation and community development.
The first four conservancies were formed in 1998 after legislation made it possible for communities to have the same rights over wildlife as commercial farmers, who were allowed to hunt on their farms.
For the first time, rural communities could generate income from conservancies through trophy hunting.
Conservancies are meant to protect wildlife and its habitat, so having rights over wild animals does not mean unlimited hunting.
Game guards from the community are employed by the conservancy to patrol and deter poachers. The guards also assist the Ministry of Environment and Tourism with the monitoring of the annual game counts. The ministry also sets the quotas for hunting to allow the wildlife populations to grow.
Conservancies have rights over tourism operators and investors who want to open lodges and the two parties enter into a joint partnership with the conservancy for the benefit of all. The conservancy shares in the income from the lodge and also benefits from job opportunities created from the joint ventures.

http://www.namibian.com.na

This photograph is copyright of Rosemary Walden - © Rosemary Walden 2012. All rights reserved.
Any redistribution or reproduction of the image in any form is prohibited.
You may not, except with my express written permission, copy, reproduce, download, distribute or exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.

csabagaba, dip, timecapturer, bayno, tyro, Cricri, jlbrthnn, Robert1969, mvdisco, macjake, tatadalou heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

csabagaba (7018) 2012-06-11 6:04

Hi Rosemary! You know ... this can be any number of hippo in the swamp, I will not go away here :-) The photo is very nice, exceptional technique, beautiful colors, the abundance of information. I would rather abide, as a "rat city" :-)

yquem46 (38752) 2012-06-11 6:09

hello Rosemary
Strong contrast and accentuation of colors, green and silver, to match the mood of the scene
Well thought and done
Cheers
patrick

CanmoreKevin (2111) 2012-06-11 6:14

Rosemary,
Wonderful contrast and details. Very nicely composed.
Kevin

sacimar (38173) 2012-06-11 6:16

Hello Rosemary,

I like the image mood, the dark tones and colors create an interesting atmosphere, the perspective is excellent, it's a beautiful nature picture,

Best regards,

Sergio

fotoguy22 (4795) 2012-06-11 6:17

When I first saw the thumbnail I thought I was looking at a photo of the Florida everglades.

Beautiful sky and I really like the highlights in the grass.

Greetings from Florida.............Greg

m00n (2259) 2012-06-11 6:24

Hi Rosemary,
I love the moodiness of this picture, not to believe that this is Africa. The beautiful green plantlife and composition is excellent.
Regards Monika

ps.thank you for your kind words...

npecanhuk (79329) 2012-06-11 7:23

Hello Rosemary!
Very beautiful and pleasant-looking picture!
That sky is wonderful!
Colors, management of light, sharpness, vertical format, chosen pov and composition are all excellent!
TFS - congrats,
Cheers,
Neyvan

dkmurphys (79209) 2012-06-11 7:24

Hi Rosemary,
Splendid natural scene. I like the way you've composed the image, very picturesque.

Daniel

cornejo (61504) 2012-06-11 10:51

Hi Rosemary, very good and nice shot of this lovely view of the spectacular nature of the place, a nice picture very well composed, with good technique and quality, very good and nice job very well done, congratulations for all that friend of mine. Tfs.
Good night and happy start to the week.
Best regards and best wishes.
Angel.

dip (21408) 2012-06-11 11:05

Hello Rosemary,
a wonderful scenery,very well captured with excellent management of light,good clarity and depth of field,
thanks for sharing,
Dimitris.

coolravi19 (549) 2012-06-11 11:34

Hi Rosemary

An awesome shot ....perfect exposure .This place is very interesting & your POV is just perfect ...Their is a very interesting symmetry between marsh land & sky to lead your eyes in the picture .

I just love the color saturation & exposure of this pic .Great job done.

TFS
Regards
Ravi

GREGG (7888) 2012-06-11 12:05

HI,
good light and composition
I like the post processing
brightened blades of grass bring the viewer into the frame,
Greg

cargus (14004) 2012-06-11 12:54

Spectaculaire composition, de belles couleurs, bien encadré et rendu, image bien fait.!!
Cordialement
Adrian

emka (158962) 2012-06-11 13:13

Hi Rosemary,

amazing photo from Caprivi. marvelous colours of sky and its reflection in hippo track. did you see hippo there? Stunning depth and sharpness.

Warm regrads MAlgo

Nicou (193814) 2012-06-12 1:09

Hello

fantastique compo et immensité quel ciel lourd et gris, superbe avec les belle souleurs en fond ce plan d'eau quelle vue et iamge quel ensemble de rêve.

bravo et amitié

Nicou

karacabeylis (1471) 2012-06-12 3:52

yes i agree. a spectacular depth!

timecapturer (49288) 2012-06-12 3:57

Hello Rosemary
an idyllic shot and composition. The atmosphere and light here is just so captivaing as is the amazing fg detailing. Executed so perfectly and a real gem of a presentation. Love it!

Regards - Brian.

maria-v1981 (10966) 2012-06-12 5:42

Hello Rosemary,
Lovely endless view i love the excellent pov which leads the eye to the view. Excellent elemments and the light management is perfect.
Enjoy the evening,
Tfs,
Maria

bayno (18348) 2012-06-12 9:28

Ciao Rosemary,
very nice shot, I like everything, the vertical cut the perfect exposure, management of light, the cloudy sky but the light can filter and turn the blades of grass, the place is beautiful and wild as you explain well-in your notes...FANTASTIC...
good evening...
Valter

tyro (30513) 2012-06-12 15:50

Hello Rosemary,

You have given us a very interesting note and your quoted article tells a lovely and very encouraging story of which Namibia must rightly be proud. I am reminded of my visit to Madagascar eleven years ago and was appalled by the deforestation as well as what appeared to be an almost total disregard for one of the most precious ecologies on Earth: and the problem there is still, as far as I know, continuing.

As with so many good photographs, it is the lighting which really makes this one: especially the patches of bright light on the foreground grasses and the lovely light in the sky just at the horizon. Your composition is excellent too and I like both the reflections on the water and the dark broody sky overhead.

Perfect exposure, lovely colours and contrasts and spot-on exposure and sharpness.

Fabulous!

Kindest Regards,

John.

MJR (3360) 2012-06-13 3:47

Rosemary

This looks like a complex problem for lighting, which you seem to have brought under control ! The bright green blades of 'grass' to the fore intriguing but completely effective.

The idea of these tracks being hippo paths is an enchanting one, if actually hard for one from the temperates to imagine !

Nevertheless, hippo tracks they are, and your comprehensive note tells a lovely story too, one of success, not another of man messing up - again !

kind regards
Martin

Cricri (176) 2012-06-13 5:46

Hi Rosemary
Un paysage sauvage attirant vers la ligne horizon lumineuse, le ciel dramatique, le format et la réalisation excellente
Belle journée
cricri

jlbrthnn (76043) 2012-06-13 8:14

Hello Rosemary,
The atmosphere in this time of day is effectively translated into an image. The light and colors are amazing. Sharpness and depth are excellent. An interesting note. Bravo.
Have a nice day.
Cordially
Joël

gezimania (6288) 2012-06-14 1:10

Hi Rosemary

Vertiacal cadrage is the best choice for such a place to express the depth.. And also light control is perfect too

Greetings ;)

Selnur

ACL1978 (7511) 2012-06-16 14:17

There's a great deal to take in in this shot, but I find myself particularly taken by the horizon - a few hints of golden light under the clouds, and the silhouettes of distant trees, give a great backdrop to the rest of the image, both above and below it. The reeds at FG draw the viewer into the scene well, and the clouds are great - multi-colored and multi-textured. Really interesting and beautiful shot.

Andrew

Robert1969 (7160) 2012-06-18 11:53

Hello Rosemary,

The great point of view, the vertical
position and the great composition
creates a lots of depth and make the
picture also calmness. The light
management is also great. I'm ready?..
No! The little light on the forground.
That makes the different between a
great picture and a excellent picture.
It is a nice extra, it gives a little
bit dreamy effect and this is dangerous,
there may be between the grass a Hippo
or a Crocodile lying (or a Robert :-)).

In short: it goes to my favorites.

Friendly regards,
Robert

mvdisco (17798) 2012-06-19 17:52

Hi Rosemary,
Beautiful landscape in the Mamili National Park in Namibie,
great sunset with lovely sky well presented in Vertical composition,
Beautiful contrast and light with great tone of colors ,
Nicely done.
Michel

macjake (98544) 2012-06-21 6:25

Hi Rosemary
I should take note of dipping into the water to protect my skin too! I got a bad sunburn yesterday for golfing for a few hours! ouch!! :)

love the atmosphere, the combinations of color and monochrome, the greenery, just the whole package!
looks great!
cheers
craig

tatadalou (7459) 2012-07-01 14:52

Hi Rosemary,
I do love the light in this picture, you managed it very well. The metallic tones of the water, the "expressive" sky, and the dark atmosphere that reigns in your photo make it really nice.
Regards,
Delphine

zanzi (13690) 2012-07-08 13:58

Bonsoir Rosemary
I am a bit behind and I am trying to catch up.
From your recently posted picture, this one caught my attention. The light is stunning. Not only in the sky but also on the grass.
And the area is so beautiful.
Bravo
Chris

jmdias (116635) 2012-11-30 15:40

rosemary

amazing the effects of light here. I liked the texture of the sky and the open route between the water.nice job. full of beauty. I hope to know this area next year.

hugs

jorge