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Sea water floods the Ground Zero construction site, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, in New York. Sandy continued on its path Monday, as the storm forced the shutdown of mass transit, schools and financial markets, sending coastal residents fleeing, and threatening a dangerous mix of high winds and soaking rain.
AP Photo / John Minchillo
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It's a heartless world. :(
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Police patrolling along the Three Gorges Dam, a gigantic hydropower project on the Yangtze River. Due to torrential rains along the upper parts of the Yangtze River, China's longest, the Three Gorges Dam experienced its largest flood peak this year today with a peak flow of 70,000 cubic meters of water per second.
24th July, 2012 - Yichang, China
Xiao Yijiu / Xinhua / Zuma Press
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While he stands knee deep in the waterhole his eyes are closed as he dozes off. Now and again this giant will swish his tail or fill his trunk to spray his massive frame with the cool grey liquid. He is big – 4 meters tall and over 4 ton in weight, he is the “Godfather” as I affectionately call this giant elephant. It‚s two in the afternoon and the heat is relentless; over 30 degrees Celsius and no shade.
It’s been the same routine for weeks now. The Godfather and his two shadow bulls arrives early afternoon and commandeer the waterhole. This is the only water for 20 sq kms and the animals have travelled all day to drink this life saving water. But this “Trinity” will not give way or tolerate any other animal to drink in their presence.
A multitude of animals,springbok,gemsbok,zebra,ostrich,giraffe,even lion have waited hours for the elephants departure so that they may quench their thirst. From a photographer‚s point of view watching this action is like manna from the heavens‚ as there are attempted lion kills, sporadic jostles between herd males vying for dominance and occasional visits from black rhino that appear like spectres as the sun fades below the horizon.
When the elephants do eventually leave my heart skips a beat as I prepare for the shot that has eluded me for so long. In my mind’s eye I have visualized this scene many times. But in order for this to happen I need them to walk towards me. But each day I groan inwardly and at another missed opportunity as the trinity head off to dust bath in the opposite direction .
Today however will be different as that morning I had seen the three bulls feeding from a camel thorn tree away from their usual feeding place. Soon it will be time for them to depart. I leave, anticipating their route, and wait silently for them to come in to view. I have checked and rechecked my equipment and decided upon the camera and lens combination. I now relax and control my breathing as they come in to view.
The next ten minutes are a bliss of forgetfulness as I zone in to the task at hand; only one moment stands out.
He stands still before me in all his magnificence, raising his trunk filled with the red Kalahari dust. In one fluid movement he sprays his forehead and for one brief moment he is covered in the magic of dust and light.
Peter Delaney
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Elephant wins.
A wild (life) challenger appears:
The Kalahari is a land of extremes: summer temperatures soar whilst winter nights plummet to well below freezing, a parched dusty landscape that can be transformed overnight to a sea of green rolling dunes. The silence can be deafening for those of us whose lives are consumed by everyday noise. For the inhabitants of the Kalahari, life is a constant struggle; their survival hangs by a single thread - the arrival of the rains. If they are late this can seal the fate of those who have struggled through a long hard winter. It’s October. For the visitor this is prime viewing time, as the scarce vegetation and water means animals congregate close to the man made waterholes. Birders await the arrival of migrants such as Abdim’s Stork, Yellow-billed Kite, Booted Eagle and Common Swift from their long journeys. But the rains are late, the air is thick with dust and the wind blows sand that bits at the faces of the ungulates making their way to a nearby waterhole. As the dust swirls settle down and the wind drops an eerie sensation descends around the waterhole. Soon it is apparent why - the place is littered with carcasses of once magnificent Eland - patches of skin, horns and pieces of bones from their huge frames lay scattered. At first they circle, in ones and twos, within minutes the sky is full. Their descent is almost silent, landing on the beautiful Camel thorns. Their powerful necks move in arcs as they scan their surroundings. On the ground they begin hissing and squawking noisily; chaos ensues as they fight for best feeding position. They climb over each other, pecking, biting and clawing their way through the mayhem; fights breaking out as they vie for dominance at the carcass. This is the way of the White-backed Vulture. I reposition myself, it’s close to midday and the light is harsh - not ideal, but that doesn’t matter I have been waiting a long time to capture images of these magnificent raptors these vultures of the Kalahari. In my minds eye I have the images I want to create. I click away pausing now and again to get a better angle. In the view finder I am composing and recomposing over and over again. Watching and waiting for a particularly aggressive vulture to attack. Then he arrives. Walking across my viewfinder he defines magnificence, he demands respect. He towers above the white-backs. They part like the Sea of Galilee as he moves towards the carcass. The Lappet-faced Vulture has arrived. All action halts. Even the jackals pause to look at the latest arrival, assesses the situation, then trot off. The Lappet-face starts chewing and pulling at the carcass, and the free-for-all starts again, but the White-backed Vulture are careful to keep their distance. Every now and again the Lappet-faced reminds them with a hiss or a vicious bite of the pecking order at the carcass. In truth these two rivals have different preferences at the carcass the White-backed Vulture favours the softer parts whilst the Lappet-faced Vulture is inclined to go for the skin, tendons and ligaments - the parts that most other vultures are not equipped to deal with. Skirmishes start breaking out once again amongst the White-backed scavengers. It is difficult to photograph as the fighting vultures kick up so much dust. They are totally engulfed. Now and again I can see a head, a wing, a claw, as feathers and dirt fly in all directions. I click away with more hope more than certainty. When the dust
settles the carcass is bare. Some vultures fly to nearby trees but their takeoff is laboured due to full crops. Those who have over indulged and are too heavy to fly simply walk to the shade of the nearest tree. I sit up and take my eye away from the view finder. I count over 60 White-backed Vulture, 2 Lappet-faced Vulture, a pair of Bateleur, Tawny Eagle and even a Lanner Falcon. The demise of the Eland has become a bounty for so many of these raptors and it has been a privilege to witness and record this interaction. .Peter Delaney
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^^ Contrast the austerity of the project and the humans that are meant to inhabit the place.
Makes for photo gold, that's for sure: good find spotter. -
I hear you Tom. Maybe he didn't know how to use the ligatures in Lubalin's (2nd) best typeface. I love Lubalin Graph, I'm a sucker for a hot slab serif.
Almost had to neg you there - there's no such thing as a hot slab serif.
If you ever find yourself tempted to use UC Avant Garde for anything, remember to recite this to yourself first:
"The only thing that looks good in Avant Garde is Avant Garde."
Anything that happens after you have brought upon yourself*.*but if you do proceed there is a handy alternative: "TBNT". In typography, tight but not touching; in everyday life, thanks but no thanks. With AG, both apply.
spotter
golgol
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O'Shane-
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I think we broke the consumeconsume website. It's still down this morning. I'm a bit gutted because I wanted to finish the last 50 pages!