Three photography articles have been added to the main site. You can view these and other photography articles from the Photo Info category.

Two of the new articles hinge around digital photography while the third offers some basic tips that apply to all forms of photography.

If you're considering buying a digital camera, you've probably come across the term "megapixels". To help you understand this better - and avoid being duped by slick salespeople - you should read "How Many Megapixels Do You Need?"

A question that often bothers those new to digital photography is what to do with all their digital images. "Make the Most of Your Digital Images" offers advice and tips on producing prints and slideshows from digital photos.

Photo Details: African Rock Python (Python sebae) with its victim, a sub-adult grey male duiker, Nagle Dam and Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Photograph by Rob Markham.
Camera: Minolta DiMAGE X20; Shutter Speed: 1/60; Aperture: f3.7; ISO: 100

Additional Info:
Rob Markham, a former game ranger and experienced conservationist who took the photograph, says the python was around 4m (12 ft) long. It was first spotted mid-afternoon and by about 8pm that night had swallowed the duiker.

The python is Africa's largest snake and can grow to a length of 5m (15-16ft) or more. Pythons eat a wide variety of warm-blooded animals, ranging from game birds and domestic fowls to small antelope and monkeys. Because of its jaw structure, a python can swallow prey substantially larger than its head.

Photo Details: Elephant cows (Loxodonta africana) with their ears spread, Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia.
Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel; Lens: Canon 100-400 IS zoom; Focal Length: 100mm; Shutter Speed: 1/800; Aperture: f5.6; ISO: 400

Sometimes too many choices can be daunting, so I've put together a selection of 24 calendars to whet your appetite, including mammals, birds, and sea creatures.

For the next three days Art.com are offering a saving of 20% on virtually all fine art prints, posters, and calendars. The promotion ends on Tuesday, December 13.

If you prefer something that will definitely still be cherished by an animal-lover after the calendar year has ended, then a finely crafted 14k gold or sterling silver wildlife pendant could be the answer.

Photo Details: Young zebra foal (Equus burchelli), Kruger National Park, South Africa.
Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel; Lens: Canon 300mm F4; Focal Length: 300mm; Shutter Speed: 1/800; Aperture: f4; ISO: 200

Photo Details: As it's summer in South Africa and we're fast approaching our longest day (summer solstice in the southern hemisphere), it seems appropriate to feature a typical African sunrise, taken in the acacia thornveld of Weenen Nature Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal.

On December 21, the sun's rays will be directly overhead along the Tropic of Capricorn (the latitude line at 23.5° south, passing through Brazil, South Africa, and Australia).

Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel; Lens: Canon 100-400 IS Zoom; Focal Length: 340mm; Shutter Speed: 1/800; Aperture: f10; ISO: 400

Provided you successfully catch your camera as it spirals down, you could find unusual and unexpected results. Of course, if you miss it, chances are you'll be picking up pieces of plastic and silicon entrails instead of marvelling over your impressionistic masterpiece.

Older cameras evidently work better because of the slight time lag after pressing the shutter, as this means the image capture only begins after the camera has left your hand.

To check out what's possible - and it's quite amazing - visit Camera Toss (The Blog) - "a showcase photo-blog for the 'best of' camera tossing and general musings on this form of extreme kinetic photography".

If these rankings are an accurate reflection of camera purchases, then Canon executives must be smiling as Canon occupy six of the top 10 positions, with the Canon Powershot A520 leading the way.

Photo Details: Comb duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos), also known as Knob-billed duck, Mkhuze Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

The comb or knob on the bill of male ducks varies in size, being largest in breeding season. Strange what attracts the opposite sex!

Comb duck are widely distributed across Africa, Madagascar and southern Asia. They are normally seen in small groups, often on the banks of rivers and pans or near marshes.

The males (drakes) are twice the size of females, and their dark dorsal surfaces are glossed with metallic-violet, purple, bronze and green.

Camera: Canon EOS 350D; Lens: Canon 100-400 IS Zoom; Focal Length: 260mm; Shutter Speed: 1/200; Aperture: f9; ISO: 400