by David Clarke | Aug 21, 2012 | All, Kenya, Wildlife
After a sunny morning and lunch by a water hole, the clouds gathered and the heavens opened in Buffalo Springs Game Reserve in northern Kenya. It was Friday 13th!
This young Zebra looked suitably bedraggled as he followed his mother, who was oblivious of the weather and content to continue munching.
Note the perfect alignment of several of the stripes on the necks of the two zebras.
Canon 1DMkII with Canon 300mm f2.8L IS lens and Canon 1.4x extender. ISO 400, 420mm 1/500 at f5.6
by David Clarke | Aug 19, 2012 | All, Places
Bratislava isn’t a very big city, but it is home to a number of breweries, including Budweiser, and hence now suffers from being a Ryan destination for lager louts on a weekend’s boozing and stag nighting, and loutesses on hen weekends. This can’t give the Brits much of a reputation around town. There is, however, quite a quaint and historic city centre. On a sunny day, there are street cafes among the old buildings and plenty of activity. Near the main square, which is surprisingly small for the main square of a capital city, you come across a number of odd statues including this one of a paparazzo of 100 years ago peering around a corner with a rather modern long lens.
by David Clarke | Aug 17, 2012 | All, Birds, Hong Kong
This flamingo was posing in perfect flamingo fashion in the Hong Kong Botanical and Zoological gardens. The S-shape formed by its head and neck is reminiscent of the sort of heading you see in children’s alphabet books.
Taken in pre-digital days with a Canon EOS3 and Canon 300mm f2.8L IS lens using Fuji Provia transparency film and also in pre-bird flu days – since then the fencing in the park has ruined getting good shots of the inhabitants.
by David Clarke | Aug 15, 2012 | All, Italy, Places
This interesting sculpture can be found in Siena on the way into the town after leaving the piazza in front of the church of San Francesco.
It is a modern work – 1995 – but it is connected with one of the ancient contrade of Siena: the Bruco (caterpillar). This contrada has always been associated with the silk trade and on the sculpture can be seen a rose hanging by a thread on which there us a crowned caterpillar – the symbol of this contrade. The Bruco contrade is part of the huge spectacle of the Palio every year in the Campo di Siena. It is one of only four ‘Nobil’ contrade, having been given this title back in the 14C.
The small image on the right shows the sculpture in relation to the surrounding buildings, as well as the flag of the Bruco contrada.
by David Clarke | Aug 13, 2012 | All, Kenya, Wildlife
This pair was part of a group of five lion cubs relaxing in the fading light after sunset in the Loisaba game park in Kenya. Their mother, Pussy Galore, whom the ranger had located by way of her radio collar, was standing by to protect her offspring in case anything or anyone wandered too close. We were happy to keep our distance and admire these beauties through the binoculars and telephoto lenses.
