BEAUTY OF WILDLIFE: Photo-Africa Photographer: Grant Marcus

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Photo-Africa Photographer: Grant Marcus

Since I was a youngster I was intrigued by nature. Straight after school I started guiding on a reserve adjacent to Kruger National Park. I also did my diploma in Nature conservation and worked in conservation for a few years and realy saw one does this job for the love of it......I realy enjoy it. I did black rhino monitoring for a few years. I was the area manager on a big reserve called Zingela, and was envolved with all aspects of conservation, game capture, chemical capture, monitoring, culling, paper work and much more. I then decided to try the tourism industry again where I am currently at a lodge in Madikwe game reserve. My love for photography flamed up here. The reason I enjoy it so much is as I always tell my guests " always expect the unexpected in the African bush". Grant Marcus

- When did you start taking photos?

About 2 years ago when a guest gave me his digital camera I took wild life photography up as a hobby and it is still growing in me every day. It is one of my greatest passions in life....... except my wife of course.

- Film or Digital?

I still have my Minolta slr 404si film camera but I prefer digital, the opportunities with digital are endless.

- What equipment are you currently using?

My equipment are the folowing - Canon 400d body, Canon 18-55mm lens, Canon 28-200mm lens, Sigma 50-500mm lens, Manfrotto monopod, Storm hardcase.

- Thoughts on Photoshop and post processing of images?

Photoshop and post processing are essential in some circumstances I believe. For wild life photography I use my canon raw processing plug in with cs2. I also use Adobe Lightroom. It is amazing what you can do to bump your image the way you want it. Especially when you want to create something different in black and white and sepia. The plug-ins for CS2 works very well.

- Favourite subject to photograph?

My favourite subject to photograph is wild life especially lions when they are active. The atmosphere you can capture is amazing. I think the intimidation factor is what gets me going especially when there is eye contact and you can capture that contact through you lens.

- Place in the world you still want to photograph?

One of the subjects I want to capture is Kilimanjaro in the back ground and a big tusker on the foreground on a clear sky day.