Ben Wilhelmi

Tanzania, wildlife aerials

 

As usual, no drone was used! Just me and the aircraft. And no passengers. this was just before landing in Msembe, Ruaha NP.

 

Whereas in the Katavi NP, I got those buffalos splashing in the flooded Katasunga plain.

 

 

and further these zebras and topis (damalisques en français)

 

Finally some hippos in a colorful pond.

 

In the Mikumi NP, a giraffe was unfazed by my take off.

 

Elephants and hippos in the Great Ruaha river, Ruaha NP. When that river is fully flowing, the sand banks will disappear.

 

Msembe airstrip again, some visitors….

 

Wildebeest (gnous en français) somewhere in the Serengeti one early morning.

aerial photography, Tanzania

 

 

 zebras and giraffes at the pond.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

wildlife in Tanzania, aerial photography

 

flamingoes on lake Natron.

same picture but seriously cropped when by luck I spotted this pied avocet lost in the middle of the flock. ( une avocette élégante en français)

 

gazelles and topis (damalisques en Fr.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

wildebeests ( des gnous en Fr.)

 

ostriches…males in black and white, females in brownish outfit.

wildlife from the air, photography

 

It’s not always easy to get pictures of animals at lower altitudes while zooming quickly overhead and holding the airplane controls at the same time . But it’s highly rewarding when it works.

 

Easier when keeping a few hundred meters above.

Flamingoes nesting on lake Natron.

 

Wildebeests and zebras.

 

More flamingoes in Arusha NP.

 

Zebras on a lake Natron delta. And wildebeests a bit further.

 

A lone wildebeest, a bit lost.

 

2 days ago a giraffe enjoying a fast shrinking water pond in the Ngorongoro area.

 

Scared Cape elands on the run (my secret location in case bloody hunters read this blog), these are the biggest antelopes.

 

Zebras again on Natron.

photography with Kodachrome film, Tanzania

 

Kodachrome was the best film ever since 1935, most color pictures in the old National Geographic magazines were shot with that film, until Kodak stopped the production in 2009. Since the developing process is unique and special and expensive, Kodachrome users had to finish their supplies by 2010. Here are some pictures shot with that legendary film with an equally legendary Leica M6.

lake Natron.

 

Some shots while on duty with Flying Medical Service.

Pupil with special green eyes.

 

 

Volcano Lengai.

 

These giraffes in lake Manyara were shots with a Nikon FM2 and an old 300mm.

reticulated giraffes, Aberdares, Kenya

 

Next night stop after Nairobi was in a small town, Nyeri, wedged between Mount Kenya and the Aberdares nat’l park. We’ve noticed a different spelling, Aberdare… we stayed in the Aberdare Country Club, quite a posh and ancient countryside hotel which managed to keep a  very colonial architecture and style. Golf, some peacocks, a large beautiful garden, a swimming pool…but the main thing to visit is a large animal sanctuary. Too bad the rain was a daily annoyance but we took a walking trip and didn’t regret since we saw a type of giraffe we don’t see in Tanzania, the reticulated giraffe.

they look just curious at other walkers, not really concerned.

 

And below is the common giraffe we get in Tanzania, the Masai giraffe. The pattern is quite different.