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This Week At Angama #100

The photographic blog series that showcases weekly visual stories from the Maasai Mara celebrates its 100th edition
A leopard doses happily on a warm afternoon in the Mara - Adam Bannister
A leopard doses happily on a warm afternoon in the Mara - Adam Bannister

It is hard to believe that ‘This Week At Angama’ started 100 weeks ago.

This Friday blog was launched to celebrate, through beautiful photography, the year-round diversity of this remarkable reserve. We also hoped that by publishing a weekly review, our guests could follow in real-time what was happening to their favourite characters in the Mara Triangle. With this honesty in mind, we held fast to only showing images taken within seven days of publication. For 99 weeks we religiously stuck to this and it is only in this centenary edition that we break this rule.

We have shared almost 3 000 photographs in this blog series. To date, eight photographers have contributed and we believe we have curated an extraordinary archive of Mara Triangle imagery that proves that, regardless of when you come to the Mara, you have the opportunity of experiencing great wildlife viewing.

To celebrate our 100th edition, we decided to select our ‘Top 35’ photographs. Not always the most technically beautiful, but the most memorable showcasing the immense diversity of the reserve.

I allowed myself a maximum of one shot from each week. This was a tough task as some weeks contained spectacular shots. From the best 99, my next challenge was to reduce this down to 35. I am proud of our collection and hope that you enjoy this celebratory edition of This Week At Angama 100.

Hot air balloons float over the Mara Triangle – Adam Bannister
Hot air balloons float over the Mara Triangle – Adam Bannister
The view looking down from a hot air balloon – Adam Bannister
The view looking down from a hot air balloon – Adam Bannister

Hot air ballooning is an integral part of the Mara landscape. There can be few more beautiful ways to experience the ecosystem than to float above it. Looking directly down on the Mara River from a balloon allows you to get a better understanding of the river and the riverine forests that line this meandering watercourse, the life-blood of the reserve.

Hot air balloons and elephants at sunrise – Adam Bannister
Hot air balloons and elephants at sunrise – Adam Bannister f 11.0, 1/200, ISO 160

Taken in the early morning of mid-July 2018, this image has become somewhat of an iconic photograph and I can proudly say that it is mounted on a number of billboards in Nairobi, alerting its citizens to the natural beauty of the Mara that sits on their doorstep.

A panning shot of a white stork - Adam Bannister
A panning shot of a white stork - Adam Bannister
A saddle billed stork ready for take-off – Adam Bannister
A saddle billed stork ready for take-off – Adam Bannister

One of the joys of photography is that it allows self-expression and creativity. By slowing the shutter speed of the camera and panning I was able to show movement of this white stork. The low angle of the second images gives a shallow depth of field, when combined with the symmetry of the subject, it becomes a memorable image.

A Bee eater on the hunt – Adam Bannister
A Bee eater on the hunt – Adam Bannister f 4.5, 1/2500, ISO 320, +0.33
A pair of lesser striped swallows – Tyler Davis
A pair of lesser striped swallows – Tyler Davis f 5.6, 1/2500, ISO 400, -0.33

The first image above is a magical moment captured between bee and bee-eater. The bird had made a couple of unsuccessful attempts to catch this bee, each time pulling out of the chase. It was clear that the bee was just too big. Eventually the bee flew directly at the bird and the matter was settled. The above photograph of a pair of lesser striped swallows captured by Tyler is one of the most memorable bird images from this series. Rich colours, a very shallow depth of field and fantastic composition make for a simple shot of a bird which is normally flying so high and so fast, that we don’t often get to appreciate its details and elegance.

Storks in flight – Adam Bannister
Storks in flight – Adam Bannister f 5.0, 1/8000, ISO 400, +0.67
Storks after the burn – Adam Bannister
Storks after the burn – Adam Bannister f 8.0, 1/500, ISO 200, -0.33

The concept of ‘migration’ in the Mara is usually associated with zebra and wildebeest. I hope that this image highlights that there are many bird species that also use the Mara as a migratory route.

Fire is a terrifying yet natural part of the landscape. Each year the Mara Triangle management lights controlled fires to burn off moribund vegetation to promote new growth. It is at this stage when birds congregate to feed on insects and rodents fleeing the burning grass. It is a tremendous sight. By positioning myself between the fire and the feeding storks I was able to capture the heat resulting in an image that looks like an oil painting.

Migrating wildebeest weave through the Mara Triangle – Adam Bannister
Migrating wildebeest weave through the Mara Triangle – Adam Bannister f 8.0, 1/800, ISO 200
Wildebeest arriving by the thousand – Adam Bannister
Wildebeest arriving by the thousand – Adam Bannister f 4.0, 1/800, ISO 250

The Great Migration is without a doubt one of the most dramatic events in the natural world. Approximately 1.5 million animals disperse across the landscape, prompted by rains and encouraged by the prospect of greener pastures. As much as we all love the thrilling river crossings and frenzies of crocodiles and dust, for me it is the groupings of animals which is most appealing. In these images, I love how the wildebeest move in single-file across the golden plains.

There is a sense of urgency in the second photograph as thousands of wildebeest pour down the slopes towards the Mara River (out of frame in the foreground). The dust exacerbates the movement and the golden light creates a wonderful image. Contrary to what we are often told, that crossings only happen in the heat of the day, there are times when the animals also cross in the early cooler hours.

Marabou stork landing amidst the herds – Graham Wood
Marabou stork landing amidst the herds – Graham Wood f5.6 ISO 280 1/1000

Scavengers such as this marabou stork thrive during the migration. This species is nicknamed the ‘undertaker’ of the bird world. This photograph by Graham Wood is tremendous as it suggests that death is descending on the mayhem of the herd. 

Wildebeest on the move – Adam Bannister
Wildebeest on the move – Adam Bannister f 22.0, 1/30, ISO100, double exposure in camera

After taking what feels like thousands of pictures of wildebeest running, you start to look for creative ways to show a familiar scene. I started working on a technique called ‘double exposure panning’ which involves taking two very slow photos, moving with the animals and combining these ‘in-camera’. The sepia conversion in the post-processing gives the above image above a timeless feel.

Wildebeest in black and white – Adam Bannister
Wildebeest in black and white – Adam Bannister f 5.6, 1/400, ISO 250, -0.33