Sunday Nature Stills – 04/07/2019

These are Giant Clams that I photographed on the Great Barrier Reef. These Giant Clams live in warm shallow waters in the south pacific. They can grow quite large (several feet), but most of these are less than a foot across. They are filter feeders and are open most of the day. They close very quickly if startled or if a shadow moves over them.

One of the most interesting things about these clams is that each one is a different color and pattern. Some are bright colored, others have intricate patterns, and some are relatively plain.

Sunday Nature Stills – 03/31/2019

These are Black Backed Jackal that I photographed in the Serengeti of East Africa. I expected Jackals to be relatively large based on Egyptian depictions of them in art. The first time I saw one of these little guys in the wild I was surprised by how small it was. These particular Black Backed Jackals are a little smaller than a North American coyote. They have an interesting personality, though. Unlike a coyote, they are more confident and actively prowl during the day.

Sunday Nature Stills – 02/24/2019

I think I could sit and watch wild Hippopotamus all day (my wife, however, would rather spend her time watching other animals as hippo behavior does not impress her).  They are super interesting to watch and photograph. Hippos are fairly dangerous animals and are typically nocturnal, but they are still surprisingly active during the day.  It is fascinating to watch the social structure of a group/raft of hippos.  They can be extremely aggressive to each other as they fight for position in a small space of an otherwise open river area.

I took this photograph along the Grumeti River in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.

Sunday Nature Stills – 02/17/2019

I’ve been experimenting more with taking photographs simultaneously over and under water.  I like that there is a hidden world just under the surface of the water.  Although underwater images are often very interesting on their own, I find that an underwater scene can sometimes lack context and scale.  I like to see what is under the surface and at the same time see the overall environment.