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Saturday, January 1, 2011 at 12:20PM
Marine Iguana, Fernandina, Galapagos Islands
Nikon D300, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, 1/2000 @ f/4, ISO 500
2011 Galapagos Islands Photography Workshop, June 3-13, 2011 on a private motor yacht. Limited to 18 travelers
Fernandina, Galapagos, Iguana in Photo of the Day Friday, December 31, 2010 at 10:33AM
Giant Tortoise, Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands. May 2010
Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR + 1.4x TC, 1/500 @ f/4, ISO 1600
Galapagos, Santa Cruz, Tortoise in Photo of the Day Thursday, December 30, 2010 at 08:03AM
Marine Iguana, Espaniola Island, Galapagos
Nikon D300, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, 1/250 @ f/5.6, ISO 640
Espaniola, Galapagos, Iguana in Photo of the Day Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at 09:39AM So as 2010 comes to a close, I thought I would write down some of the highlights and low points from 2010 as it relates to my personal life as well as my photographic life. This is a quick entry that I am writing from my iPad on the new Squarespace iPad app, so I apologize for any weird spelling mistakes.
2010 started off on a very low note for me, as I lost my mother to cancer. The 7 months leading up to late January were difficult and painful, and the 11 months since her death have been even more challenging. My mom’s passing away made me realize that I am getting older, and that many of my personal and professional goals are still hanging over my head. So here are some random thoughts on 2010 highlights, as well as 2011 and beyond goals.
Betty Biggs (1941-2010) and Christian Biggs, 2008
2010 Safari experiences
I spent about 12 weeks out on safari this year, split between Botswana, Tanzania and South Africa. 15,000 raw files and 120,000 frequent flier miles later, I think I came home with some images that I am quite happy with. I tend to ignore the processing of my raw files until many months after returning from a trip, and 2010 was no exception. I can probably say that 2010 was one of my most productive years to-date, even though I screwed up on my February Tanzania safari with my 6x24cm panorama camera. Stupid me. I didn t have any other major equipment failures or mess-ups, so that was a good thing. Some safari destinations visited: Okavango Delta (Botswana), Linyanti concession (Botswana), Serengeti National Park (Tanzania), Ngorongoro Crater (Tanzania), Tarangire National Park (Tanzania), Lake Manyara National Park (Tanzania), Tuli Block (Botswana), Mala Mala (South Africa), Exeter (Sabi Sands, South Africa), Tswalu Kalahari (South Africa), Madikwe (South Africa). Leslie joined me in South Africa this year, and this was the first time she has been on safari with me since 2004. That was the absolute highlight of my year, as Leslie got to see what I have been up to and how my running of safaris has changed in the past 6 years. Gosh, so much has happened since 2002, which is when I started my safari business. Maybe I will do a blog post on my most favorite wildlife experiences to-date.
Other workshops and trips
I spent time in Santa Fe, Moab and the Galapagos Islands, and loved every second of each of those workshops. I think 2011 will have similar workshops, and I already have the Galapagos Islands trip on the books with only 2 cabins left if you are interested in joining. The trip will be led by Randy Hanna this time around. I also found myself in Vietnam for Gura Gear related business, and I am sure I will be back in 2011.
2011 Resolutions
Love my family and show it every second of the day
This seems obvious, but we all need to tell our loved ones through actions and words that we love them and that we want them near us. With my travels, this is even more important for me to get my nose out of my computer when I am at home. My office/studio is about 1 mile from the house, so my commute is very easy. I rarely get to the office before 9am, and I am usually at home by 5:30. This allows me to spend time with Leslie, Christian and Will for breakfast, as well as dinner. I also get bathtime duty, which is a free-for-all splashfest and also filled with smiles and laughter.
Get better organized
I need better filing systems, as well as ways to manage my image archive and related backups. I think I have the technology in place, but I need to be better disciplined about how I store things and how often my backups are executed. I also need to keep the office clean, as it always look like a pit. Too many Gura Gear prototype bags, too many inkjet paper boxes, and too many other things junk the place up.
Web site
I need to update my web site, and I think I am going to re-build the site around Photoshelter and Wordpress. This is a huge item for 2011, and will take some time to get nailed down. Oh, and guragear.com also needs a refresh.
I also need to update my Photoshelter archive from scratch with new keywords. Oh, and submit more images to the Library of Congress for copyright protection.
Blog blog blog blah blah blah
Ok, more informative and helpful blog posts. I know, I know. I don t find writing blog posts or tweets to be very fulfilling and it probably shows. My apologies. I have so many things that take up my time and these types of activities need to take a front seat. 2011 will be better, and my goal is to have a meaningful blog post each week. That s 52 of them, plus any other filler type posts like my Photo of the Day type entries.
2010 Review in News Tuesday, December 28, 2010 at 04:42PM
Marine Iguana on Cliffs, Espaniola Island, Galapagos
Nikon D700, 24-70mm f/2.8, 1/160 @ f/8, ISO 800
Espaniola, Galapagos, Iguana in Photo of the Day Tuesday, December 28, 2010 at 03:16PM At the end of my 2010 Predators of the Sabi Sands safari, I took some time to go and visit a property that I have wanted to visit for quite some time. The property is called Tswalu Kalahari, and is in the Kalahari Desert in the Northern Cape of South Africa. Tswalu is a very large reserve, made up of more than 106,000 hectares, with excellent wildlife for the wildlife photographer and nature lover. Tswalu’s habitat and wildlife are quite amazing: a semi-arid environment of red earth and sand dunes, wide open skies, 230+ species of birds, 90 species of mammals and some of the most breathtaking scenery as a backdrop. Let’s go over some of the mammal species: sable antelope, roan antelope, giraffe, black rhino, Kalahari desert lion (awesome manes!), meerkat, brown hyaena, aardwolf, aardvark, ground squirrel, and tons more to keep one’s attention.
Background and Accommodations
The name Kalahari derives from the Tswana word “Kgala” which means “great thirst”. But the southern Kalahari, where Tswalu is located, is really a “green desert” as the Korannaberg Mountains attract precious rainfall in the summer months. The Kalahari has been the ancestral home of the San people, or Bushmen, for thousands of years. As hunter-gatherers, the Bushmen survived by tracking and hunting wild game with bows and arrow, gathering berries or desert melons and storing scarce water in the blown-out shells of ostrich eggs. The San culture and beliefs are rich and rooted in this land.
Tswalu is located in the southern area of the Kalahari Desert, on the South African side of the border
Historically the area has been both ranch land and hunting land. In 1999 Nicky Oppenheimer purchased Tswalu, extended the amount of land, and began restoring the land back to its original state. Tswalu has two different accommodation options: The Motse and Tarkuni. The Motse is the main location, which means “village” in Tswana, and consists of just eight spacious and secluded suites. Tarkuni is the Oppenheimer’s private home, and can accommodate up to 10 guests. I stayed at The Motse during my visit, and did take the opportunity to visit Tarkuni during some down time. Both are excellent and very comfortable, and I would love to stay at Tarkuni if I bring a handful of travelers with me, due to the more private setting. Regarding The Motse, 2 of their suites have 2 rooms, and myself and one of my guests used one of these rooms during our stay. The 2-bedroom suites have 2 bathrooms and a common area, and would work well for a small family of 2 to 4 people. It should be said that Tswalu is a member of the Relais & Châteaux collection of worldwide properties, which means you know you will receive excellent service, dining and accommodations. Tswalu has their own private airplane, a Pilatus PC-12, which only takes about 90 minutes of flight time to get to and from Johannesburg, and they also have service in and out of Capetown. There are other planes available, depending on need and availability.
The lounge are at Motse
Wildlife Wildlife Wildlife
Well, I am an African wildlife photographer, and I am driven primarily by photography than anything else. Tswalu’s wildlife is not what I would call a ‘big five’ experience, and is more appropriate for people who have been on safari before or who would like to experience species that are not easily seen in other places. I went to Tswalu to photograph meerkats, desert adapted Kalahari lions, black rhino and sable antelope. I did come away with wonderful images and experiences with all of these species, as well as with some other things that I did not expect. Here are just some wildlife experiences we encountered:
Big Boy, my nickname for one of their magnificent Kalahari desert adapted male lions
Meerkat sunning himself in the morning light
Additional Information and Wrap-up
I visited in mid November, and based on what I know about the area I should plan on coming back during some of the warm(er) months. I am not sure that I will visit during the wintertime, as would like to have the big, puffy clouds on the horizon to contrast the red sand on the ground, and that needs to happen when the days are warm.
My experience at Tswalu was extraordinary, and one of the best combinations of service, dining, accommodations, wildlife and overall experience that I have ever experienced in Africa. This says quite a bit about how I feel about Tswalu, and how much I desire to return in future years.
Sunset over the Kalahari Desert, Tswalu
Setting up for dinner-under-the-stars in the Boma
A crash of five white rhinos, who took a few seconds to stop while I took a photograph. We drove next to them for a few minutes, watching them run parallel to our vehicle. What a blast.
Yawning lioness in the late afternoon light
Meerkats, all sunning themselves in the morning light
Tuesday, December 21, 2010 at 08:59AM Are you still looking for that unique gift for your spouse who loves photography and nature? I have 1 room (2 spots or 1 person who wants his/her own room) left on my March 3-14, 2011 Tanzania Luxury Lodge-Based Photo Safari. We can get you signed up and mail you a beautifully wrapped safari gift to place under the Christmas tree on Saturday. All you need to do is get signed up no later than Thursday by noon, and we will take care of the rest. My email address is info@andybiggs.com, so drop me a line.
March 3-14, 2011 Tanzania Luxury Lodge-Based Photographic Safari with host Andy Biggs
If this coming March doesn’t work with your schedule, take a look at other photographic safaris in 2011.
Zebras In A Row
Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Friday, December 10, 2010 at 01:27PM I was on Great Day Houston KHOU TV this morning, and host Deborah Duncan and I chatted about my holiday camera recommendations, as well as fixes to common photo problems when photographing people. Click on the photo below to visit khou.com to see the interview.
Host Deborah Duncan and myself on the set