Clock Tower Images Inc.

2012 Photo Tours

admin — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:48:56 +0000

Clock Tower photographers will be leading several photo tours in 2012. Currently we are booked to work as photography guides for three Africa-based tours hosted by the SafariWise tour company (headquartered in Swakopmund, Namibia). We are working on additional tours to Central and South America.

Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus) at Dusternbrook Guest Farm, Namibia.

Our Africa tours will run back-to-back so you can maximize your experience in Africa! Book one tour, two tours, or all three!

The first tour is our Gorillas and Chimps tour running from Sep 12 to Sep 19 (not counting international travel days). This will be a grand adventure, hiking in the Virunga Mountains in search of rare mountain gorillas. We’ll also explore some crater lakes and local culture.

Our second Africa tour visits the island nation of Madagascar. This 16-day tour (exclusive of international travel days) runs from Sep 21 to Oct 6 and will explore Madagascar’s amazing endemic flora and fauna, with visits to Baobab Alley, the window of Isalo, the limestone formations in Tsingy, the Kirindy forest, and much more.

Our third tour will take us back to Namibia and follow a similar path to our 2011 tour. This 13-day tour will run from Oct 8 to 20 (not including international travel days) We’ll explore Windhoek, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, Damaraland, and, of course, Etosha National Park and Okonjima. Check out earlier posts for photos and descriptions of these locations.

Finally, check your calendars for winter/spring 2013. We’ve got some great new tours coming, to South Africa’s Kruger and Capetown areas, to Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater, and to Chobe National Park in Botswana.

Namibia Photo Tour Part 6

admin — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:26:57 +0000

From Etosha we jumped into our SafariWise van and trundled south to Okonjima, a 20,000 hectare animal resevere and home of the AfriCat Foundation. Nestled among the Omboroko Mountains, Okonjima is a Herero word meaning “Place of the Baboons.” Strangely enough, while we saw and photographed many animals, we didn’t see a single baboon. Never-the-less, Okonjima is a place every visitor to Namibia should visit. First, but not foremost, it boasts excellent lodge facilities with modern, spacious rooms. More importantly, Okonjima offers cheetah and leopard tracking game drives where they can virtually guarantee seeing these fabulous animals up close and personal.

Leopard at Okonjima, Namibia.

How close, you might ask? Close enough that you don’t need a 500mm lens to get some great shots. Our guide tracked one leopard to a dry riverbed and we quickly spotted the animal through a thicket of trees. With some nifty navigating, we maneuvered ahead of the cat and he eventually passed within 10 meters of our open vehicle — and paid us not the slightest attention. Later we (okay, our guide) anticipated that the leopard was heading for a waterhole, so we 4-wheeled over there in time to see him spook a herd of giraffe (all except one large male which stood its ground and made sure the leopard slinked passed it, tail in a submissive position). We captured some great images of the cat at the waterhole and later relaxing on top of a small hide.

Okonjima’s main claim to fame is that it looks after and rehabilitates wayward cats through its AfriCat Foundation. Cats (especially leopards, cheetah and caracal) that are injured, trapped by farmers or abandoned by their families are brought to Okonjima. In some cases they are very young animals which have not been taught how to hunt or who their enemies are. The AfriCat foundation provides veterinary care (as needed) then helps the animals learn their roles in life. As the cats demonstrate their capabilities, they are moved into larger pens until they are eventually released into a 16,000 hectare area where they can hunt and defend themselves. If they prove capable in this area they are then released into the wild. Over the past 17 years, AfriCat has treated and released over 1000 cats!

One great component of Okonjima is their educational program. We spent one morning being introduced to several resident cheetah and caracal (for various reasons these animals are not capable of being released) and then given a tour of the veterinary and school facilities. Our guide was very knowledgable about all things feline. We finished our visit with some great evening shots of giraffe, zebra, steenbok and warthogs. Sadly, our next stop is the airport.

If you’re interested in learning more about our Namibia Photo Safaries, please don’t hesitate to contact me at (250) 889-6700, North American toll free at (800) 667-0007, or via email: mike@split-seconds.com

Cheers!

– Mike

Giraffe at Okonjima, Namibia.

Namibia Photo Tour Part 5

admin — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 19:24:41 +0000

Four posts done and I’ve yet to mention the incredible services of our primary guide, Neil MacLeod of SafariWise (based in Swakopmund). Neil is a great driver, has a thorough knowledge of Namibia and its wildlife, and has an amazing ability to spot wildlife and identify birds — even at a distance and at highway speeds! In my books, his record was spotting a 6-inch rock agama sunning itself on a tree stump, all while safely negotiating a typical Namibia gravel road at 80 km/hr.

Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris) in Etosha National Park, Namibia.

On our way into Etosha National Park Neil spotted a Kite perched on a treetop. The kite is a magnificent bird and we watched and photographed it for several minutes as it scanned the grasslands for lunch.

Etosha is one of the gems of all African National Parks. It covers approximately 23,000 square kilometres and is home to over 100 different types of mammals and hundreds of different bird species. With it’s well-spaced waterholes (over 50 of them) it’s a photographer’s paradise.

In one three-hour loop through a section of the park we saw and photographed elephants, giraffe, springbok (they’re everywhere) oryx, kudu, jackals, zebra and four different species of cat: lion, cheetah, caracal and African wildcat.

Etosha is also well-stocked with accommodation: everything from campsites to luxury suites. And all of them are offered at comparatively good Namibian rates. If you’re planning on coming to Etosha, reserve early as these units are often booked a year in advance.

Etosha certainly didn’t disappoint! The weather (mostly overcast) unfortunately made for less than terrific photographs. Now on to Okonjima and its AfriCat Foundation…

– Mike

African Lion at Etosha National Park,, Namibia.

Namibia Photo Tour Part 4

admin — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:18:41 +0000

Desert adapted elephants in Damaraland, Namibia.

From Swakopmund we drove about 400 km to a beautiful little place called Camp Kipwe, in the heart of Damaraland. The camp is located amongst a jumble of rocks jutting above a dry savannah. This is by far my favourite accommodation so far, elegantly designed and constructed to blend with its environment. Have I mentioned anything about the accommodation in Namibia? It’s amazing! Every place we have stayed is elegant, modern, with diligent attention to small details. There are no mouldy, stuffy, boring rooms on this tour!

From Camp Kipwe we jumped back in our truck to search for the desert-adapted elephants for which Namibia is famous. After only an hour or so, we crossed tracks with a herd of about 22 elephants and soon found them moving down a dry riverbed towards a watering hole. We spent two magical hours photographing these majestic animals as they shuffled along the sandy path.

Back at Camp Kipwe, I spent the remaining hours of light photographing a host of birds, including rosy-faced lovebirds, southern masked weavers, several types of doves, and more.

Our next destination is Namibia’s massive Etosha National Park.

– Mike

Namibia Photo Tour Part 3

admin — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:03:07 +0000

Swakopmund is an amazing little German town of about 30,000 people. It’s perched right on the Atlantic coast and the desert dunes sweep down from the east right onto the edge of town. It’s a unique place because of the perpetual fog banks which form just off the coast and often blanket the town in the early mornings. The fog provides a steady source of water which in turn feeds the plant and animal life in the desert.

Snake eyes in the desert dunes near Swakopmund, Namibia.

We spent much of our first day in Swakopmund exploring the desert with a well-informed guide. He transformed a seemingly barren dunescape into a city of life. He pointed out minuscule tracks and holes in the sides of the dunes and explained which creatures made those marks. Then, lightning quick, he’d plunge his hand into the sand and pull out a skink, or a spider or a gecko. He found us a snake that was so well hidden you couldn’t possibly see it, even when he pointed out its exact location. Only its eyes were visible! Can you spot the snake in the photo at left? I’ve enlarged it to give you a fighting chance…

Our second day was spent on the waters of Walvis Bay, about a half hour south of Swakopmund. We were joined by a flock of pelicans that few in formation around us. It really had to be seen to be believed. We cruised around a colony of cape seals and photographed dolphins leaping clear of the water. Our boat-based guide was entertaining, informative, and made liberal use of his well-stocked bar.

From here we motor north in search of desert elephants in Damaraland and Etosha National Park.

– Mike

Benguela Dolphin in Walvis Bay, Namibia.

Namibia Photo Tour Part 2

admin — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:00:28 +0000

We’re now cruising to Namibia’s coastline, having spent two days in the Namib desert, most of it in the famous area know as Sossusvelei. The drive from Windhoek to Sossusvlei took us up to 2200 meters at Spreedshoogte Pass (I may have the spelling wrong and I can’t begin to pronounce it), before dropping down into the desert and across some very hot and tortured land.

Evening at Sossusvlei

We spent the night at Sossusvlei Lodge then woke up early to try to catch sunrise over the famous Sossusvlei sand dunes. Sadly, the weather didn’t cooperate and the morning was overcast, meaning we missed the best light. None-the-less we had a few moments of bright sunshine which produced some nice images. The dead acacia trees in Dead Vlei were particularly interesting.

After a modestly disappointing day in the dunes (photographically speaking) we returned in the evening to find some wonderful light. Two ladies from the Neatherlands asked us to take their picture on one of the dunes and they leapt for joy in finding someone who would oblige in this very empty part of the world (photo at left).

Since leaving the Windhoek area we haven’t seen vast amounts of wildlife — mostly springbok and 0ryx –but we did see three klip springer, a sand snake, agama lizards and many birds, including ostrich, goshawks, kestrels, rosy-cheeked love birds, several different types of weavers, and more.

From Sossusvlei we will now head to Swakopomund for two days of play on the water and in the desert. More updates to follow (if possible).

Namibia Photo Tour Part 1

admin — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 17:17:35 +0000

Greetings from Namibia! We’re three days into our 12 day tour and so far the experience has been fantastic! We landed in Windhoek (Namibia’s capital) Monday morning following a 10-hour overnight flight from Frankfurt, Germany and transferred quickly to a place about 30 km out of Windhoek called Dusternbrook Guest Farm.

Leopard at Dunsternbrook Guest Farm, Namibia.

Dusternbrook Guest Farm, the first and oldest guest farm in Namibia, encompasses over 10,000 hectares dedicated to Namibian wildlife, especially leopard, cheetah, oryx, and giraffe. We settled in comfortably and snagged a midday siesta, then headed out in an open jeep to see the farm’s star attractions: leopards and cheetah (one British study indicates a population of 18 leopards on the farm).

The viewing was spectacular and the photo to the left was just one of hundreds.

We drove for three hours up and down the farm’s rocky terrain sighting many of the area’s free range animals. We photographed wildebeest, kudu, eland, giraffe, oryx, baboon, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, mountain zebra, mongoose, warthogs and a host of colourful birds.

Our second day at Dusternbrook was similar — out photographing birds in the morning, followed by an excellent breakfast, a lazy midday, then a second game drive.

From Dusternbrook we will spend a day exploring Windhoek, then move down to Sossusvlei, home to Namibia’s famous sand dunes. Internet access permitting, we will post additional updates.

– Mike

Photo Scavenger Hunt Winner!

admin — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:13:55 +0000

Winner Byron Crossley with Clock Tower's Mike Byrne

Congratulations to everyone who participated in our 2011 Photo Scavenger Hunt!

There were many amazing photographs submitted in every category and the most popular photograph of all was of an ant on a thumbnail. If I have the story right, the ant was removed from its wayward path across a restaurant table (presumably hoping to share a fine lunch) and suddenly became the subject for photo challenge #2. The ant was a star performer and hunt participant Byron Crossley captured it perfectly. His photograph earned more votes (32) than any other photo in any category, easily topping the second most popular photo (23 votes), which was Matt Ferguson’s self-portrait (sleeping on a bench with the Robbie Burns statue in the distance behind him). Byron also won photo challenge #8 (slow shutter speed of falling water) which made him the clear overall winner of the Apple iPad 2.

For most of the challenges the competition was very close, with many of them won by just one vote. Photo challenge 3 (the silhouette) was a four-way tie right up to the last vote. The challenge was won by participant PSH035 but honourable mentions must be sent to participants PSH156, PSH117 and PSH124.

One last note, several people have asked for electronic copies of my presentation notes. I hope to make these available by next week.

Cheers!

–Mike

Photo Scavenger Hunt — UPDATE

admin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:09:33 +0000

Over the past weekend Split-Seconds Photography held its first ever Photo Scavenger Hunt. Attendance at the event was fabulous, with 75 people attending on Saturday and 86 on Sunday! Both days produced great photographs and now participants will have the chance to vote for their favourites. If you were a participant at the event and did NOT register online (i.e. you showed up at the James Bay Community Centre and signed in there) please send us your email address so you can be included in the voting.

Scavenger Hunt photo submitted by Ashleigh Ritchie.

The next step is for everyone to verify that all their photos have been uploaded. If we have missed anyone’s photos, or if anyone feels their photos may have been unfairly disqualified, we need to hear from you before 6:00 pm Tuesday Oct 4, 2011. We are more than happy to undo any mistakes we may have made and we will consider any reasonable discussions about an image’s right to qualify.

To view the photos, you will need a password, which will be emailed to the group. Once you have the password, you can view the photos by clicking here.

Voting will begin at 6:00pm Oct 4, 2011 and continue for one week. Awards receipients will be announced Thursday Oct 13, 2011.

Cheers and good luck!

–Mike

Photo Scavenger Hunt

admin — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:56:04 +0000

Split-Seconds Photography is pleased to announce it’s first ever Photo Scavenger Hunt! To be held Saturday Oct 1, 2011 and Sunday Oct 2, 2011, the photo scavenger hunt will encourage photographers of all levels to stretch their skills and learn new tricks to capture 10 great photographs in answer to 10 photo challenges. Prizes such as free One-Day Bear Photography Tours will be awarded to category winners. Our overall winner will receive an Apple iPad2 (courtesy of Byte Computers).

Scavenger Hunt photo submitted by Theo Kwantes

Winners are selected by the scavenger hunt group, with each participant allowed one vote.

If you want a great day of learning, laughter and photography, please check out our Scavenger Hunt details by clicking here.

To purchase a Groupon for the event, click here. Groupon cost is just $69 for one person or $99 for two.

Cheers!

– Mike