PINHOLE PHOTOGRAPHY MEDIUM FORMAT
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For Monday Night Combat.
Fires special incendiary rounds.
c'mon, you can't expect me to go into a fight without bringing a ridiculously huge pistol with me?
Did I ever mention that I love getting comments? I don't get out much >.<
Comments and notes are very welcome.
Thought I'd give it a try. Can't think of a story right now.. maybe I'll add one later.
Credit to Beck for the rail shading and to R4mos for the rail idea. Done in PMG 0.6.
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
Obviously this is another photo of the same lioness and cub that I posted the other day. I have a lot of photos from the sequence, but they're all reasonably similar so I'll probably only post one more. In the meantime though, I couldn't resist sharing this cropped shot.
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
This is the female cheetah Kisaru, daughter of Amani, the one that they were calling 'supermum' in the Mara North Conservancy. We were actually very lucky to see her because later in the day she moved north crossing the border into Lemek. It's very rare to see a cheetah with six cubs and, even if you do, it's difficult to get a shot of them all together. In fact I never did as this photo shows as there was always one that wouldn't co-operate. In fact the only reason that these five are staying so close to mum is because they're anxiously looking towards three male lions that are heading in their direction. It was a nervy time for all concerned, but that's a story for another day. Fortunately the situation didn't develop, but that's not to say that the family didn't have an even more traumatic experience later in the morning! I shall comment on that later.
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This photo was taken very early in the morning, just before 6.30am in poor light, which unfortunately didn't allow for a greater DoF.
Giving MNC another run, this time using my own style (I had thought the style guidelines stricter than they were)
Still how this qualifies.
Compact bullpup suppressed semi-auto rifle.
cred to Worlock for the letters.
Masai Mara (MNC), Kenya
Natito's female cub Ndoto deciding that she really does need to come down the tree and follow her mother.
Masai Mara (MNC), Kenya
This is Kweli with two of her three cubs that are now just over 4 months. Kweli had her first litter early during mid 2020 when she was barely two years old. At the time she was seen with two small cubs, but sadly both were lost. In June last year she had another litter. Reports confirm that she had five cubs but one, possibly more, were killed by a buffalo. By the beginning of July she only had one and, soon after, that one was lost as well in circumstance unknown. There were originally four in this litter and I’m not sure what happened to the other, but the three we observed looked fit and healthy. At present, Kweli is proving to be a good mum in providing food and keeping the cubs safe, and hopefully by the law of averages these three may make it to adulthood.
Kweli was born mid 2018 to mother Amani (her fourth successful litter). She dispersed in October 2019 with her sister Kulete and brother Jasari. We were fortunate in seeing them that day so it was good to see her again with cubs of her own. Her sister Kulete also has two cubs that I believe were born at about the same time.
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
The incredible eye-sight, reactions and speed of a cheetah have to be seen to be believed. One minute Kisaru was happily dozing on a grass mound surrounded by her six playful cubs, and the next second she's spotted a scrub hare about 75m or so away and is up and chasing it. I wasn't expecting anything to happen and didn't even have time to pick up my camera. Fortunately though our guide had almost as quick reactions and the knowledge to know where she was likely to take the kill. Whilst this shot was always going to be my next in this series it's an appropriate image for 'World Cheetah Day'.
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
A moment after my previous shot, the eagle is now exactly in the position that I wanted to capture it - the split second before landing when the wings are back and the feet are dropped. Anticipation, positioning and camera settings are important for images like this, but you also need a bit of luck especially when you're using a slower camera like the D850 that's only capturing around 7fps.
The Greater Spotted Eagle breeds across northeast Europe and northern Asia, migrating south in winter with some birds dispersing into northeast Africa. Although I'd previously photographed the species in Tanzania they rarely get further south than the Mara.
Credit to Jake for the mags as tape idea (I think), for the handguard idea, for the drum mag idea and for the LAM, and to Beck for the shaded rails.
Done in PMG 0.6.
Not sure if this is MNC or not, still don't quite understand it fully, but got to this by accident so kept at it. Anyway:
-Brutal grip
-MPO-esque thingy
-Great big dual axe
-Copious gulleys and drainage to stop blood impairing grip
-Etc
To be honest the fact the axe has an M16 is just a bonus rather than the other way round :P.
And this one actually does have some benefits to being viewed in lightbox.
Enjoy :).
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
This photo is of a lioness from the Cheli & Peacock Pride moving her four young cubs across the plain to a new location in order to protect them from the encroaching Serian Pride. Interestingly, both prides are controlled by the same males - the four 'Offbeat Boys', but that doesn't stop conflicts when members of the prides come in contact with each other. This mother was playing safe.
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
I wasn't going to post any of the shots from this particular sighting as they're not great because of the poor light, but this was our only encounter on this trip with arguably the most famous female cheetah in the Mara.
Her name is Amani, and even if she’s not the most famous or well known, she’s certainly the most successful in terms of being a mother as she’s now raised nine youngsters to independency from four litters between 2012 - 2018. Of particular note is Imani - the mother of Selenkei - from her first litter, the sisters Busara and Kisaru who were born in March 2016 - the latter being the current ‘supermum’ with six cubs, and the three subadults - one male and two females, recently named Jasiri, Kweli and Kulete - who dispersed at the end of October.
It wasn’t obvious at the time, but we later found out that Amani was pregnant when this photo was taken, so with any luck she should be giving birth again any time soon.
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
Whilst most baby animals can be considered cute, they often need to develop before they start looking like their parents. Not so with baby Giraffes as they’re around 2m tall when they’re born and look just like miniature versions of the grown ups. I don’t know the exact age of this little one, but it still had the remains of its umbilical cord so was only a few days old at most - possibly just a day or two. The smallest and cutest Giraffe that I’ve ever seen.
Missouri North Central 4485 is an old GP7 rebuild, originally out shopped from EMD in La Grange in May of 1953 as the Chicago & Northwestern 1658. In the 1980s, CNW rebuilt the unit and most noticeably chopping the high nose and reclassing it a GP7R to designate the improvements. This unit seems to have been working on this shortline since sometime in the mid 1990's, earning it's keep. I am unsure if it is still used to this day.
Chillicothe, MO.
04-19-23
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
Here are three photos of the famous female called Amani, who is the most successful Cheetah mother in the Mara having raised nine youngsters to independency from four litters between 2012 - 2018. Of particular note is Imani – the mother of Selenkei - from her first litter, the sisters Busara and Kisaru who were born in March 2016 – the latter being the current ‘supermum’ with six cubs – and the three, as yet unnamed, subadults – one male and two females - who dispersed at the end of October. If I include Kisaru’s cubs, we saw and photographed eleven of Amani’s descendants during the course of our stay.
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
Interestingly, we didn't see a single 'Tommy' when we were in the reserve due to the waist-high grass, but as soon as we crossed into the conservancy we encountered this herd of around fifty animals. This species relies on short grass, so as soon as the conditions became unfavourable in the southern areas of the Mara they started to move north. As far as I understand they are resident species, not nomadic like the majority of the Wildebeest, Topi, Hartebeest, Zebra etc, so how they know which direction to move in situations like this is a mystery to me!
It was worth the freezing temperatures for light like this. Incidentally, I flew on 9M-MNC to Kuala Lumpur from LHR in 2014.
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
Kisaru's cubs were born sometime in July, so were between 3-4 months old when we saw them at the end of October. All six were healthy and full of mischief. It's very rare for a Cheetah to successfully raise more than three cubs to independency, but now (mid February 2020) as I post these images, I'm delighted to report that mum and all six youngsters are still reported to be doing well.
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
I had mixed views about posting this image, but in a way it follows on from my previous photos of the female Topi and her newborn calf - although this was on a different day.
On this particular morning we'd spent the first hour of the day with two lionesses and their five cubs who are part of the Cheli Core Pride in Mara North Conservancy. As we were driving towards the pride at about 6.20am we passed a lone female Topi who was slowly moving away from the area where the lions were settled. All very sensible, except that the Topi didn't seem to be in any rush to reach the plain and the relative safety of being with the herd. Our guide thought that this was strange behaviour until he noticed that she'd already started to give birth. Looking through the binoculars we could see two small hoofs protruding from her rear end. Topi have the ability to stall a birth and that's exactly what this female had done.
Anyway, we drove on and had an enjoyable hour with the lion cubs who were play-fighting with each other while the two adults looked on.
Another vehicle drove up at 7.20am so we decided to move on and drive across the plain. As soon as we came out in the open we saw a Topi had just given birth. It was almost certainly the one we'd seen earlier as the herds were a fair way off. We drove over and I took my first photo at 7.27am. Just two minutes later and the mother was already leading the still very wobbly calf away. They reached the edge of the herd and I took a few more shots, the last one being at 7.35am. Our guide then informed us that he could see that one of the lionesses had sat up and was looking in our direction. She must have been half a mile away, but there was no doubt that she had her eye on an easy meal. The Topi mother spotted the danger and immediately tried to move further away, but the early birth and the presence of a newborn on the plain had also attracted the attention of a jackal. The jackal was trying to get to the baby so the mother had to keep chasing it off. The jackal didn't give up, so precious time was lost as the two of them ran round in circles. The baby was also running around because it was being chased by the jackal and with all the commotion it was obvious that this little one wasn't going to survive. The lioness was now on the move, slowly walking towards us. She wasn't in a hurry, because she knew that even if the jackal got hold of the calf she'd be able to get it. The minutes ticked by and the jackal was still running rings around the mother looking for an opening.
Well the inevitable happened as the lioness started to run. She caught the baby and that was it. She picked it up and started heading back to the pride. It was quite upsetting and, because we'd almost been there at the birth, I was reluctant to take a photo. I took a couple of quick shots as she was walking back. The time here is 7.55am. The baby had been in the world for no more than 45 minutes! And, what makes it more sad, is that a Topi only gives birth once a year to a single calf that she would have been carrying for eight months.
About half an hour later, our guide received a call from the other vehicle that had stayed with the pride. They said that the lioness took the calf back for the cubs. The other lioness wanted a share, but this lioness fought her off. This was a meal for the cubs and this is the 'circle of life' that goes on 24/7 across Africa, and indeed with all nature whether it's a spider eating a fly, a bear eating a salmon, or a carnivore eating its prey species.
Masai Mara (MNC), Kenya
There are only three or four resident prides in Mara North Conservancy. I believe this is currently the smallest but, in saying that, there are four experienced adult lionesses, one sub-adult male and seven cubs. They are a breakaway group known as the Acacia (Cheli Core) Pride. This is the only photo where I managed to get all the cubs in frame. I'm guessing that these two lionesses are their mothers, as the other two and the sub-adult male were laying alone out of shot. The pride males are the Offbeat Boys who spend their time between this pride and the larger Serian (Cheli Breakaway) Pride.
Masai Mara (MNC), Kenya
Female leopard (Natito), having just come down the tree she decides to go back up to retrieve her kill, which she then takes into undergrowth for her and her female cub (Ndoto).
Vehicles from GMPTE's coaching unit were regulars on NX duties in the 1980s, in all their various guises. The least numerous was Warburton's Travel, from the Tottington-based operator whose business was acquired in 1975, albeit without their small fleet of lightweight coaches. I can't remember when the name was discontinued - was it at de-regulation time, or did it linger on beyond then ? This is a 12-metre PSU5 Leopard chassis (with 5 full-size side windows), as opposed to the 11-metre PSU3 behind it, with a half-size window at the rear.
It always annoyed Alan Warburton, the owner of Viking Coaches at Heywood, that GMT continued to use the name, as he wanted it for his fleet, but couldn't use anything similar as he was so close to Bury. But then he couldn't have used the name anyway if Warburton's had carried on themselves !
Chorlton Street, Manchester, 23/2/85
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
The Olive Baboon is omnivorous and is able to find nutrition in any habitat. In this environment it can locate all sorts of food in the dry grass including seeds and various insects. I watched this large male for a good half an hour and during the whole of that time he was in deep concentration, never once lifting his head to check what was going on around him.
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
It was really lovely to watch this little cheetah cub gently licking its mother's face. Kisaru laid there with her eyes closed for a good ten minutes whilst the cub diligently went about its business. After mum had had her wash she reciprocated with a tongue lick that just about wiped the whole of the little one's face in a single swipe! The daily life of the predators and all the other animals is tough and tragic at times, but there are always some moments of tenderness like this. Experiencing these interactions gives you a better understanding of how these creatures survive and makes you appreciate the wonder of nature.
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
I accompanied my previous two lion photos with a bit of information regarding the current status of male lion coalitions in the Mara and how lionesses have to protect their cubs. Whilst I'm sure that I'll be posting a few more lion photos from this trip, I though I'd finish this mini series with a simple image of a beautiful cub in golden early morning light.
You'd think he/she hadn't a care in the world but, as I previously noted, it's a tough life being a lion, whether you're a strong male, lioness, subadult or cub. It may surprise you to learn that statistically "as many as 80% of cubs will die before the age of two years". That's a hard fact to consider, knowing that on average only two of every ten cubs you see and photograph on safari will survive. Obviously the death rate varies country to country and area to area across Africa, but the wider Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is near the top of the list simply because of numbers and competition. There are many reasons for cub mortality, and it's not just survival of the fittest. Being healthy and strong helps, but cubs need a bit of luck on their side.
This particular youngster is in a breakaway group of the Offbeat Pride together with his mother, another lioness and four other cubs of two different age sets. All five of these cubs were sired by the previous pride males who have now moved into another area of the conservancy where they've taken over the Cheli Pride. The core Offbeat Pride has two new males, which is why this group has broken away. If the new males encounter these females, this little cub could be just another statistic!
Addendum : During a return trip in February 2020 I found out that this youngster was actually from the Cheli Core Pride and not the Offbeat Pride. Although the make up of the pride and the situation with the current pride males is a little different, it doesn't alter the general position in respect of 'the statistics of survival' so I've left the wording of the final paragraph as it was when posted.
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
Interestingly, these mongeese (or mongooses if you prefer) were sharing a burrow complex with a family of Black-backed Jackals. It was rather amusing to observe as they'd scurry in through one entrance as a jackal pup would stick its head out of another to check what was going on. Clearly they had an arrangement that worked though as both families were coming and going, taking little interest what the other was doing. The only difference being that the jackals were quiet as they slipped in and out, whereas the mongeese would arrive like a bunch of lads coming home from a night out. Whilst the formal collective noun for a group of mongeese is a 'business' I think that a 'commotion' or 'disturbance' would be just as appropriate.
Masai Mara (MNC), Kenya
A full two days after Osidai had found the hippo (previous shot) the Serian (Cheli Breakaway) pride finally arrived. However, by this time it was rather smelly (understatement), covered in flies and not very appealing. When we were there the pride females didn’t go anywhere near it. The youngsters though, including this near subadult, gave it some attention, but more as an object to climb on rather something to eat! The pride together with Osidai, and one of his brothers Saruni who had also turned up, stayed with it the rest of the day, but during the night they left it to the scavengers. We passed the site the following afternoon and all that was left was the skull. Apparently, it had attracted over thirty hyaenas and a hundred or so vultures!
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
As we get ready to head back to the Mara for our first Africa trip of the year, I thought that I'd close off our October 2019 visit with a final set of images of the female cheetah Kisaru - the 'supermum' who's currently raising six cubs.
My patience was rewarded - 27 finally departed, so I could get a shot of 28 !
One from the main Charterplan coaching unit of GMPTE, based at the old North Western depot at Charles Street, Stockport, 28 was one of a pair of PSU3 Leopards in these colours that were new in 1980. Both were withdrawn at the end of 1985, but remained in the north west with their new operators. 28 found a home with GL Travel at Winsford, and later Roger Hill at Congleton, so would still have been making appearances here on NX duplicates. After a few years in the West Midlands, it returned to Manchester for a year in 1998, with Ashall's Coaches, but returned to the West Midlands for its final couple of years.
Chorlton Street, Manchester, 23/2/85
MNC Edition CS-45a submachinegun. Chambered for .45 ACP, shown loaded with soft-tipped semi-explosive rounds
for maximum stopping power. Mounts an upgraded CS red dot optical sight.
Thought I'd give that bold MNC style a try. I'd really like feedback on this one, guys :)
Credits:
Davidman's letters
Worlock's letters
Stirling's leaves
Various parts by Woitek
and Shockwave's creative advice
(if I missed any, let me know)