IMPORTANT: Please note that from April 2009 this Blog's Web address changed as a result of a switch in the blogging platform we use. It's still an integral part of the Wildlife Pictures Online website and, we hope, will continue providing entertaining and enjoyable content in the form of wildlife images, news, views and information.
For the most recent posts, links, and other resources, please visit the new Wldlife Photography Blog.
Reference Photos for Widlife Artists November 1, 2006
There are now 180 wildlife and nature images, ideal as reference material for wildlife artists, available from our sister site, Wildlife Stock Pictures. Although these images have been available for some time as ready-made Photo Packs each containing 15 pictures, customers can now make up their own packs by selecting the photographs that are most relevant to their needs.
While the images have been embraced by artists as reference and inspiration for new works, they are also suitable for web sites, digital presentations, crafts and advertising or promotional material.
Today's Picture: African Wild Dog November 1, 2006
Photo Details: Portrait of a wild dog (Lycaon pictus) taken at the Endangered Species Centre, Kapama Game Reserve, South Africa.
Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel; Lens: Canon EOS 300mm F4; Shutter Speed: 1/800; Aperture: f4; ISO: 200.
Additional Info: The African wild dog (sometimes known as painted dog or hunting dog) is classified as endangered. It's not certain how many there are left in the world, but numbers are decreasing and in 2004 the population was estimated between 3 000 and 5 500.
As is the case with many endangered species, it's the ever-growing human population and resultant habitat destruction that is the main threat to wild dogs. Their numbers have also declined because of direct persecution as they are often perceived as "problem animals".
Because wild dogs range across vast distances, often outside conservation areas, they inevitably come into conflict with people. The dogs are shot and poisoned by farmers and rural peasants, while road kills and snares also take a heavy toll.
In South Africa, the Kruger National Park supports a fluctuating population of between 200 and 400. The only other area in the country that can sustain a viable population is northern Zululand with the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park as the hub.
For more information about this fascinating animal and its complex social structure, where all pack members contribute to feeding and protection of the young, see Animal Info.org.
Tags: PhotosWild dogAfrica Wildlife
2007 Wildlife & Nature Calendars November 5, 2006
We've updated our Calendars page with a special selection of outstanding Calendars for 2007 featuring riveting images from some of the world's top photographers. Below is just one example from our selection of 30 calendars.
If you're battling to think of a suitable Christmas gift for a friend or colleague, don't forget that calendars make ideal gifts as they're inexpensive, visually appealing and will bring pleasure to the recipient for a full 12 months.
Here's a way of giving your home or office a makeover at no cost - that's if you win the $3000 art sweepstake of course. But it's free to enter and no purchase is necessary, so why not take a chance?
Take a guided tour of the Nikon D80 November 13, 2006
If you own a Nikon D80 digital SLR - or are contemplating buying one - you'll want to have a look at a new "Guided Tour" published by Adorama. The tour, part of the Adorama Imaging Resource Center (AIRC), takes users through all those confusing buttons and menu features and is designed to help owners unlock the full potential of their new cameras.
The guides are amply illustrated, and designed to be read while actually holding and using the camera. "This way," says AIRC editor Mason Resnick, "the information will be retained better so the user will remember to use it in appropriate situations while taking pictures."
In addition to describing the camera's features in detail, the Guided Tour offers useful tips to help users get the most benefit out of those features. "The Guided Tours go far beyond what's in the instruction manual," says Resnick.
The Nikon D80 is the ninth in the ongoing Guided Tour series. Other tours include the Canon EOS 30D and Rebel XTi, Olympus Evolt E-330, Sony A100 Alpha, and Pentax K100D. Find out more from the Adorama Imaging Resource Center
Today's Picture: Blue Wildebeest November 13, 2006
Photo Details: Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) cautiously approaches water's edge before bending to drink, Mkuzi Game Reserve, South Africa.
Camera: Canon EOS 350D; Lens: Canon 100-400 IS Zoom; Focal Length: 170mm; Shutter speed: 1/250; Aperture: f7.1; ISO: 400
Additional Info:The blue wildebeest, with its characteristic dark grey coat and stripe-like marks running down its body, is a typical grazer that prefers short grass where possible. When water and grazing are available year round, wildebeest are sedentary but in seasonally variable habitats they migrate in their thousands. The mass migrations that occur across the grass plains of the Serengeti and Masai Mara are the ultimate example of this movement.
Tags: PhotosWildebeestAfrica Wildlife
Photo Details: Portrait of a wild dog (Lycaon pictus) taken at the Endangered Species Centre, Kapama Game Reserve, South Africa.
