Now we're on a roll!!! And it ramps-up from here...

Shot with the Sigma 300mm f/2.8 + 1.4x TC. I had the polarizer filter in and didn't realize. Pics today and the 12th were therefore not as bright as they could have been (Cheetah photo the 12th really suffers; you'll see). But resulting color contrastiness with the polarizer of these pix are quite nice (with treatment in Lightroom as well however).

Today, in this outing, we have in quantity Ostrich, Zebra, Elephant, Baboon, Numerous birds, Giraffe, some Lions, and a few other species.

...oh, and some nice 30 second exposure shots of the Milky Way with the Pentax 50mm f/1.4 at the very end; you can see the stars move the 1/8 of a degree from the Earth's rotation in 30 seconds. I must say that I have never seen the Milky Way before in my life from all the ambient light in the US. Nor was it as visible in any other camp in this manner. Tarangire was glowing these nights...

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

This was our 2nd day out. I was still using the 1.4x TC with the 300mm Sigma f/2.8 ... and still didn't realize I had the polarizing filter in. It made for some fantastic shots during the day, but was a real handicap as the sun set and we came upon the Leopard at sunset. ... no good shots of that one sadly.

This Album contains what I consider the -best- of the day. All the other 'keepers' are in all the other 070812 Albums, by animal(s).

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Antelope, Gazelle, Impala, aka 'African Venison' from our 2nd day out on Safari.

+++> Be sure to see the "Best Of" Album for 08/12/2007 in Tarangire for what I consider to be my -best- pic of these animals on this day. <+++
http://public.fotki.com/m8o/outdoor_adventures/tanzania-2007/070812--tarangire-1/

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

All forms of Avians from our 2nd day out in Tarangire National Park.

+++> Be sure to look at the "Best Of" Album for 08/12/2007 in Tarangire for what I consider to be my -best- Avian shots of this day. <+++
http://public.fotki.com/m8o/outdoor_adventures/tanzania-2007/070812--tarangire-1/

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Wildabeasts, Waterbuck, and other large beasts from our 2nd day out on Safari.

+++> Be sure to see the "Best Of" Album for 08/12/2007 in Tarangire for what I consider to be my -best- pic of these sorts of animals on this day. <+++
http://public.fotki.com/m8o/outdoor_adventures/tanzania-2007/070812--tarangire-1/

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Elephants from our 2nd day out on Safari.

+++> Be sure to see the "Best Of" Album for 08/12/2007 in Tarangire for what I consider to be my -best- pic of Elephants on this day. <+++
http://public.fotki.com/m8o/outdoor_adventures/tanzania-2007/070812--tarangire-1/

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Giraffe from our 2nd day out on Safari.

+++> Be sure to see the "Best Of" Album for 08/12/2007 in Tarangire for what I consider to be my -best- pic of Giraffe on this day. <+++
http://public.fotki.com/m8o/outdoor_adventures/tanzania-2007/070812--tarangire-1/

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

This Album contains "everything else" from our 2nd day out -- Landscape and other animals not fitting into the other categories for 8/12/2007.

+++> Be sure to see the "Best Of" Album for 08/12/2007 in Tarangire for what I consider to be my -best- landscape and other pics on this day. <+++
http://public.fotki.com/m8o/outdoor_adventures/tanzania-2007/070812--tarangire-1/

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

A lot of Primates from our 2nd day out on our Safari.

+++> Be sure to see the "Best Of" Album for 08/12/2007 in Tarangire for what I consider to be my -best- pic of Primates on this day. <+++
http://public.fotki.com/m8o/outdoor_adventures/tanzania-2007/070812--tarangire-1/

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Zebras from our 2nd day out on Safari. Ahem ... MANY Zebras...

+++> Be sure to see the "Best Of" Album for 08/12/2007 in Tarangire for what I consider to be my -best- pic of Zebras on this day. <+++
http://public.fotki.com/m8o/outdoor_adventures/tanzania-2007/070812--tarangire-1/

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Pictures to come.... Please be patient... :)

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

BEST OF... pictures covering the trip to the crater, crater panorama, and the first 1/2 day of wildlife viewing in the crater.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

All forms of Avians from our 4th day out in The Ngorongoro crater.

Wildabeasts and Zebras in the Ngorongoro Crater.

Shots with the Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2x Teleconverter when in the crater, clear UV filter not the polarizer.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Sleeping Lions and a Hunting Jackle and Hiena shots in the crater.

Shots with the Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2x Teleconverter when in the crater, clear UV filter not the polarizer.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Pictures covering the trip to the crater, crater panorama, and the first 1/2 day of wildlife viewing in the crater.

Shot with the lenses of Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 during the drive. Then the Pentax 12-24mm when nearing and of the crater. Then the Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2x Teleconverter when in the crater, clear UV filter not the polarizer.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

"African Venison" in the Ngorongoro Crater.

Shots with the Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2x Teleconverter when in the crater, clear UV filter not the polarizer.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Various forms of Avians in the Ngorongoro Crater.

Shots with the Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2x Teleconverter when in the crater, clear UV filter not the polarizer.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Wildabeast & Waterbucks (and maybe some others) in the Ngorongoro Crater.

Shots with the Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2x Teleconverter when in the crater, clear UV filter not the polarizer.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Tanzania's version of "Ham" [!] ....in the Ngorongoro Crater.

Shots with the Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2x Teleconverter when in the crater, clear UV filter not the polarizer.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Started seeing Hyenas in the Ngorongoro Crater. More seen in the Serengeti. Some were feeling quite [ahem] frisky.

Shots with the Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2x Teleconverter when in the crater, clear UV filter not the polarizer.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

*** PRINTS FROM THIS ALBUM , NOT THE OTHER WITH THE SAME(ish) NAME ****

Into and Out of the Dustbowl.

The Decent and Acent in-to and out-of Ngorongoro Crater.

Taken with the K10D and DA 12-24mm lens.

Lions feeding on the plain in the Ngorongoro Crater.

Shots with the Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2x Teleconverter when in the crater, clear UV filter not the polarizer.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Misc scenery in the Ngorongoro Crater.... and an Elephant w/the longest tusk I've seen.

Shots with the Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2x Teleconverter when in the crater, clear UV filter not the polarizer.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Ostrich in the Ngorongoro Crater.

Shots with the Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2x Teleconverter when in the crater, clear UV filter not the polarizer.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Hippos lounging in the Ngorongoro Crater.

Shots with the Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2x Teleconverter when in the crater, clear UV filter not the polarizer.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Pictures to come.... Please be patient... :)

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

.
. They are known as "Topi".
.

.
. Various Avians ... My 1st sight of Marabou Storks. And what's with that one bird with the piercing red eyes!!!
.

The first lion we saw in the Serengeti, and a lone cheetah in the weeds.

Leezardz we came across on a rocky outcropping at the southern gateway to the Serengeti.

An old ex-King of the jungle. Was kicked out of his pride by strong young male lions. Found laying @ the roadside licking his wounds, of which there were many! Lioness-less, and probably won't be able to hunt for himself, so will probably soon starve. One instance of irony woven into the laws of the jungle in its rawest form...

Snaps taken with the K10D (of course) and Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2x TC, UV filter.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

.
. Travel from Ngorongoro to the Serengeti thru Oldupai [aka Olduvai] Gorge.
.

The magnificent cats of the Serengeti!

Snaps taken with the K10D (of course) and Sigma 300mm f/2.8 with 2x TC, UV filter.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

.
. Giraffe joisting for standings.
.

Pictures to come.... Please be patient... :)

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Pictures to come.... Please be patient... :)

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Birds Birds Bird... at the KIA Airport Lodge.

On our way home. A few shots on the way out. Then we were given a day-room at the Kili airport. Loads of birds flying around our heads, acclimated to all the people. It was overcast, misty and drizzling very lightly. Plus Sun was low on the horizon behind the clouds. Most shots were EV12; birds on the final page were at EV10 or EV11 inside the tree canopy. Had to shoot wide open (sometimes a fraction of a stop down on f/3.2). These buggers were -fast-, so focus is questionable on some of them (and some motion blurred shots included for the fun of it).

o No TC used, using the Sigma 300mm f/2.8 lens.
o All handheld (well, on the 3rd page some of the last were resting on a wood railing).
o Bird shots in the beginning weren't sharp until I increased shutter speed, using TAv mode with aperture at f/2.8 or f/3.2, mandating ISO640 or higher.
o Used Lightroom for final image treatment.

Many bird pics are Crops. If you'd like uncropped for printing to get more color of the back-ground, contact me. But realize then the bird will print 'smaller', if a tad sharper, on the photopaper too.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Some photos while walking around Amsterdam.

All shot with the Pentax 50mm f/1.4 lens.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 6 hours for Amsterdam's time.

A very nice lodge in Arusha, Kigongoni Lodge.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Some misc and mostly un-remarkable / un-memorable pictures from the Arusha Kigongoni Lodge to Tarangire Kikoti Lodge. ...in other words, you can pretty much skip this album... ;) (or jump to the 2nd or 3rd page immediately for some animals.)

o First 8 pictures taken with the Pentax 12-24mm f/4
o The next set of shots from the Land Rover while driving and the Shop were with the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8
o all the rest (from the elephants on) were taken with the Sigma 300mm f/2.8, no TC (yet), with polarizer filter, from the lodge's overlook plaza.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 7 hours for Tanzania's time.

Some more photos while walking around Amsterdam, this time on our way back.

All shot with the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8.

Dates of pictures are marked relative to EST, off by 6 hours for Amsterdam's time.