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from 0:27 to 0:32 is just unbelievable. The fox floats through the air and slides into the snow like a hot knife into butter. The grace and beauty is just mesmerizing,

The Falcon – SOOC, originally uploaded by Exploring Earth.

There are somethings you can’t fake in a studio. For all those who doubt the moon landing, try and fake this!
According to Exploring Earth (the photographer)

” I Was crouched and he flew right over my head with this snake!! I was walking into the baylands to test out the 70-300mm and I spot this falcon on the ground. I creep up to within about 20 feet and start clickin off shots. He’s just kinda sittin there lookin at me. As I move in closer he takes off so I pan frantically through the viewfinder and start snapping shots and OMG this is what he had in his talon! ”

This optical monster provides a whopping 1700mm f/4. Weighing in at a 256 kg, its safe to say that this lens is not for hand holding. This one of a kind was reportedly built for a wealthy Qatari to be used for antelope photography. And I thought my camera equipment spending was getting a little out of control .

The title picture you see is one taken by Stephen Oachs and was the Viewer’s Choice Winner in National Geographic’s 2008 International Photography Contest. Unlike the Snow Leopard photo by Steve Winters in one of my earlier entries, this one wasn’t taken in the middle of the surreal Karakorum wilderness, but at a private reserve in Montana. So I decide to go to the all knowing Google and start searching for Snow Leopards in Montana. Suprisingly, there aren’t too many of them there. I soon found myself viewing Animals of Montana A private reserve, a veritable playground for any wildlife photographer. A place where animals of your choice can have a “photo session” with you. Yes you now have the ability to play the nagging and high strung photographer to an animal who is also a model, just don’t put them in any dresses please. The long list of redcarpet stars includes Grizzly Bears, Black Bears, Mountain Lions, Siberian Tigers, African Lions, Bobcats, Snow Leopards, Lynxes, Siberian Lynxes, Gray Wolves, Raccoons, Badgers, Pine Martins, Skunks, Red Foxes, Minks, Porcupines and Cross Foxes. If you’re Camera trigger finger isn’t twitching by now, then you aren’t a wildlife photographer (Either that or you are Art Wolfe and you can safely say been there done to most of my photographic dreams). Read more…

Lions of the Masai Mara, photographed using a remote camera. Just love their inquisitive expressions on camera. Can’t wait to try that with my new Mumford Time Machine .

Click to view the original article »

Blue Jay, originally uploaded by BFocused.

Don’t let spring showers give you a reason to stay in. This was taken shortly after such a shower at central park. I have never seen so many varieties of birds there as I did after the rain. I guess the free worm buffet sign is a big crowd pleaser. Its a magical atmosphere with the rain causing the color saturation and the thinning of the crowds

Planet Earth is the best documentary I have ever seen. The cinematography is just breathtaking. It also served as a great inspiration for my wildlife photography. When I heard about “Earth”, by Disney Nature Films, with the same creative team as Planet Earth, I was ecstatic. I don’t know how the narration of James Earl Jones will compare to David Attenborough, but I will find out tonight.
update: Ok “Earth” was not what I expected. I went in expecting footage inspired by Planet Earth, newer, better, cooler. But what I saw was Planet Earth itself. Almost the entire “Earth” movie is a collection of clips from Planet Earth with an updated soundtrack and narration. Seeing the footage on the big screen was amazing, but I was understandably disappointed.

Bear Jump

click link below for the trailers

Update: Lots of recycled footage from Planet Earth (about 90%). David Attenborough in my opinion was better than James Earl, but that might be because this movie’s narration was catered more towards kids. In anycase, the footage like always was breathtaking and well worth it.

Read more…

Bears just went on my list of pets to get. After seeing Christian the Lion, Howard the Duck and now this, makes me think that all animals were meant to be pets. Then one day your fillet mignon eating, wine drinking chimp turns all ape $#@$. With a guilty conscience i post these pictures. Enjoy the pics and please refrain from making these magnificent animals your pets or worse, family.

read more about the chimp and his midlife crises

Now where did I keep my head, originally uploaded by BFocused.

You can find nature in the most unexpected places. You don’t need to go on a safari to get that wow wildlife shot. You can create your own little world just by how you frame something.

This picture was taken on a nice spring evening in central park. Crowded and touristy, but that’s not what this photo says. This is a photo of how I wished it to be