Lazy Canine

by Morkel Erasmus

The African Wild Dog is highly endangered, and any chance to see them in the wild is a bonus. Imagine my excitement at being able to photograph a pack of them, lying on my belly in a sandy riverbed! This is one species that is hard to portray well in photos as they don't stand that tall, and shooting from a safari vehicle just doesn't do them justice as the angle diminishes their formidable presence. I tried to convey the very low shooting angle I had here by including a lot of out-of-focus foreground as the Alpha Male got up to do a lazy stretch. Moments after this frame was captured he started bearing directly down on us and lay down a mere 7 meters from our position. An unforgettable moment!

Equipment: Nikon D3s, Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II, Nikkor 1.4x teleconverter

Morkel Erasmus

I have always been amazed by the natural beauty in the landscape, wildlife and bird-life of Southern Africa. Picking up a camera has just enhanced that appreciation and pushed me to further explore the wild places left in my native homeland. Join me on my website/blog, on Facebook and on 500px as I share my experiences with you! An Industrial Engineer by profession, and an accomplished artist across many genres, from music to poetry, I have always enjoyed whatever allows me to express my creativity to the fullest. Photography turned out to be the perfect 'marriage' between my engineering brain and artistic soul. Showing off God's glorious creation is something I enjoy immensely.

Website: www.morkelerasmus.com

Lazy Canine by Morkel Erasmus was photo of the day on Tuesday, 24th July 2012. It is tagged safari, wild dogs. You can leave a comment below.

15 Comments

Ruben Vicente

24th July 2012 at 8:39 am

Many congrats on another award buddy! Great moment =)

Elsie

24th July 2012 at 9:09 am

There’s something about this photo that I love <3

Pauline Jones

24th July 2012 at 9:34 am

I saw these in a zoo in Tunisia; beautiful creatures; I hope they survive in the wild, it would be a great pity to lose them.

deb

24th July 2012 at 9:53 am

great shot. Thanks!

reza

24th July 2012 at 11:19 am

good shot!
congratulate!

Pamela Fontaine

24th July 2012 at 2:05 pm

Fantastic shot and great backstory… thanks for sharing.

Laurie

24th July 2012 at 2:32 pm

A great photo! Thank you for sharing it and your experience.

Psalms:23

24th July 2012 at 5:03 pm

Congratulations! love the coat on him. Great shot of him stretching.

:*)

Jacqueline Deely

24th July 2012 at 7:37 pm

Such as awesome shot! I saw African Wild Dogs or Painted Dogs which I think is more appropriate in Botswana last year. Such an amazing experience. We even got to follow a pack on the hunt after Kudu and hear their beautiful haunting call. I will never forget it and hope to go back next year to relive the experience!