African Wildlife Adventure

People often ask me do you still take photographs on your days off or on holiday. The short and simple answer is yes. In April I spent a couple of weeks on holiday in South Africa and the camera gear was duly packed. The trip took in the sights and tastes of the Cape (the Nederburg Wines were excellent)  to the urban landscape that is Johannesburg and onto the bush of the Kruger Park. The game reserve and the prospect of viewing the "Big Five" was a particular highlight. As press photographer I have photographed many animals over the years. Most are domestic pets or farm animals and some, just some even cooperate with the photographers wishes! Any wild animals I have photographed have only ever been in enclosures until now.

Our Tracker on foot looking for Leopard tracks 

After our travel plans were dealt a blow by the incompetent  South African Airways check-in staff at O R Tambo Airport Johannesburg we finally made it to the beautiful Pondoro Private Game Lodge in the Balule Game Reserve part of the better known Kruger Park. After an early wake up call at 5.00am and a quick coffee we were bumping our way along a track in an open topped Toyota in the half light of dawn. The work kit had been left at home and with the low light I was soon wishing the D3 had been packed but the 400mm f2.8 wouldn't have been very practical for a holiday trip of eight flights.

 Nikon D200 Nikon 80-400mm VR lens
1/250 sec f5.6 800 ISO

 I was travelling relatively light with my old Nikon D200 with two lenses a Nikon 80-400mm F5.6 and 28-105mm F3.5, Lowepro belt pack and plenty of memory cards. Our Ranger and Tracker had picked up lion tracks and then came across leopard tracks but lost both. After morning coffee in a clearing we were off the the trail again. Looking for animals through the thick scrub was difficult especially from a moving vehicle. As we made our way down a track we caught sight of a group of young lions relaxing in an area of thick scrub. We went off road to get closer to the group. The heart was now racing, here we are in an opened topped vehicle driving towards the King of the Jungle! The small group decided to move off as we approached. Trying shoot pictures from a moving vehicle is tough enough but it was made twice as hard as the terrain was pretty rough. One of the lions hung back from the group to investigate a zebra skin in a tree from an earlier kill. This lion then proceeded to climb the tree and have a look around just feet from our position.

Another young lion peers from behind a tree. Nikon D200 Nikon 80-400mm VR lens 1/180 sec f5.3 800 ISO

Still on a high after our Lion spot we came across a herd of Elephant making their way through the bush feeding as they went, passing close to the vehicles. I wanted to show just how close you got to the animals. As the herd of elephant moved through we were joined by another four-wheel-drive from another game lodge. This vehicle went really close to the animals and you can see from the picture below the lady recoiling into her seat as the elephant passed.

Eye to eye with the elephant. Nikon D200 Nikon 80-400mm VR lens. 1/200 sec f7.1 200 ISO

After making several tightly composed frames of the elephant I swapped onto a wider lens to capture a different view of the game drive experience and was rewarded with this impressive display of an elephant ripping up a small tree.

Feeding Elephant. Nikon D200 Nikon 28-105mm 1/640 sec f9.0 200ISO

On our second morning drive a call came over the radio to our Ranger that Rhino had been spotted. Making our way to the area we soon picked up the Rhino's trail. Our Ranger decided that the group of four Rhino could be safely tracked on foot. Making our way into the bush following close to the Ranger the adrenalin was starting to pump. The pressure was really on, I had to get sharp pictures of this one of the big five but due to the amazing hearing of Rhino it could have been a one shot deal, I couldn't "hose down" this one and risk spooking them. We were fairly close but I  was still out at 400mm and hand holding, no camera support. Thankfully it was about 8.20am and there was a bit more light in the sky which helped and gave me a faster shutter speed eliminate camera shake caused by the focal length and the adrenalin pumping through my veins. What an amazing experience to be so close to these animals.

A Rhino which we tracked on foot. Nikon D200 Nikon 80-400mm VR lens 1/400 sec f5.6 400 ISO

Zebra. Nikon D200 Nikon 80-400mm VR lens 1/250 sec f5.6 200 ISO

Grazing Giraffe. Nikon D200 Nikon 80-400mm VR lens 1/1000sec f5.0 400ISO

Review of the year 2010

The one major factor that makes my job as a press photographer a varied and interesting one is the people I meet and the places I visit. I always regard it to be a privilege to capture the events of the year and look forward to seeing where the news may take me in 2011.

Here are some of the highlights, big stories and my favourite photos of 2010.

Icicles in woods near Brampton. 1/100sec f7.1 ISO200 Nikon 10.5mm fisheye

The year started with snow and freezing temperatures turning the landscape of Cumbria into a fairytale place. Icicles formed on overhanging rocks creating an ice curtain in woods near Brampton. With snow and ice coating the land it provided a playground for some winter sports that haven't normally been seen in recent winters.

Husky racing in the snow near Penith. 1/800sec f4 ISO800 Nikon 10.5mm fisheye

In the spring I had the opportunity to accompany trainee soldiers on a live firing training exercise on the ranges at Warcop. 

March was a busy month with two trips to London on two very different jobs. The first was to cover a school visit to the British Museum. The second was an all together different assignment and one which had been an ambition. I was sent to cover the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final at Wembley Stadium between Carlisle United and Southampton FC. The result went against United but a good weekend in the Capital was had never the less.

Gary Madine scores Carlisle's only goal. 1/800 sec f3.2 ISO400 Nikon 70-200mm

April and May saw the General Election with many political big hitters visiting Carlisle to try and win votes in what was seen as an important seat by the two main political parties. David Cameron made a flying night time visit to Carlisle Fire Station aboard his battle bus with the worlds media in tow during the final days of campaigning. Gordon Brown also visited Carlisle on the eve of polling day and gave his last speech on English soil as Prime Minister before heading off to his constituency in Fife.

Conservative candidate Rory Stewart (centre left) chats to farmers at Longtown Auction Mart.

Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah visit Carlisle and haulier Eddie Stobart 

  On a hot summers day in June one of the largest and most tragic stories of the year if not of recent times broke on my patch. Taxi driver Derrick Bird drove around the Whitehaven area shooting dead twelve people and leaving several others injured with gun shot wounds. Bird killed himself as armed police closed in on him in a remote part of the Western Lake District. I was dispatched to Whitehaven as the aftermath unfolded and the area tried to come to terms with the tragedy.

Taxi drivers look at floral tributes left for fellow taxi driver Darren Rewcastle shot dead by Derrick Bird. The boarded up shop window was broken when Bird discharged his shot gun.

Two woman look at floral tributes on Duke Street, Whitehaven, one of the women is clearly upset and wipes her eyes.

Ian Mackey Chief Constable of Cumbria Police speaks to the worlds media during a press conference in Whitehaven

Paul Wilson was wounded in the face when fellow taxi driver Derrick Bird fired a gun at him in the street in Whitehaven

In July an open air theatre spectacular came to Carlisle Castle. The German theatre company told the story of the ill fated ocean liner RMS Titanic using fire and thousands of litres of water.

August and September saw more bad news for Cumbria with the bodies of two soldiers killed in action in Afghanistan repatriated for burial. The town of Aspatria came to a standstill to honour Sergeant David "Bob" Monkhouse of the Royal Dragoon Guards.

Military funeral at St Kentigerns Church, Aspatria.

Military funeral at Carlisle Cathedral.

The military funeral of Carlisle soldier Sapper Darren Foster of 21st Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers was held at Carlisle Cathedral. 

Duke of Lancaster's Regiment Drum head service.

October brought better news with many local soldiers from the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment returning home from an operational tour in Afghanistan. The troops returned to Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire where a drum head service of remembrance and medal parade took place.

The shadows of soldiers cast on the Catterick parade ground

Also in October I covered a quirky story about a farmers daughter who was so close to the herd of cattle she looked after, the cows allow her to ride on their backs. 

Alice Nixon sits and stands on the backs of her cattle.

November was taken up with the many sporting events. The football season was in full swing and it was the National Hunt Season at Carlisle Racecourse. I like to position a remote camera close to the fence to try and capture the horses jumping the fences from a different perspective.

Weird Al jumps the second to last.

December and the run up to Christmas and the end of the year was much like the start of the year, in the deep freeze. Several weeks of snow and freezing temperatures were making most of the headlines. The snow and ice caused travel disruption and sporting events were casualties to the weather. The ground staff at Brunton Park home of Carlisle United went the extra mile to clear the pitch of snow to enable the cup match with Tamworth to go ahead.

Clearing snow from the pitch.

A horse looks over a gate as ice and snow cover the land.

Ice in the River Eden, Carlisle.

Prince William

I am sure that I am not the only one who wishes to extend sincere congratulations to Prince William and Kate Middleton on their engagement to be married. Last year I was lucky to be granted a Royal Rota pass to photograph Prince William as he visited Cumbria. As patron of the Mountain Rescue he climbed Helvellyn with members of a couple of the local Mountain Rescue Teams. Over the years I have photographed many Royals including Prince William's father, Prince Charles and his grandmother the Queen. As most press photographers who work on the rota will know it can involve a lot of hanging around waiting for the arrival, opening something or shaking hands with dignitaries and the odd walkabout. Having said that I enjoy photographing the Royal family every time they visit Cumbria.

   The morning of the visit it was pouring with rain and water was running down the path to Red Tarn like a river. The press had to leave for the tarn an hour ahead of the Royal party. Luckily we hadn't been at Red Tarn long and the rain stopped. The sun even came out just as Prince William strode into view. This was a different kind of royal visit to the kind of one I had shot previously. Normally even on the rota it is all very formal and you have a few moments to get the shots and then move onto the next photo op position. This time it was very different the Prince was very relaxed and I was impressed at how he quite happily chatted, laughed and joked with the Mountain Rescue Teams and us the press. This was the first time I had photographed him and I had wondered in light of how his mother Princess Diana had been hounded by the paparazzi just what he thought of photographers today. It was a pleasure to photograph him and I reckon that the monarchy is in safe hands with William. I know that as news photographers we want to get the shot but I hope that William and Kate are afforded the privacy they deserve and once again well done William and Kate.

Agri Expo 2010 in Carlisle

Stuart Walker Photography has again had the pleasure of capturing Agri Expo 2010. Agri Expo is fast becoming the premier livestock event on the calendar, the show just gets bigger a better with entries from all over the UK making their way to Borderway Mart, Carlisle.
See below a few highlights from the day.

Supreme Champion, Alejandro from M J Alford, Fox Hill, Farm, Cullompton, Devon. Led by Michael Alford

Adam Henson from BBC Countryfile

Adam Henson from BBC Countryfile takes over as auctioneer in the charity auction

Stuart Walker Photography Launches New Website

Welcome to Stuart Walker Photography. Stuart Walker is an award winning professional Press, Photographer based in Carlisle, Cumbria.