photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Thirty Two: On Safari -- expressing the essence of nature > Impala herd, Chichele Hill, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, 2006
previous | next
11-JAN-2006

Impala herd, Chichele Hill, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, 2006

Impalas are part of the Luangwa landscape. Chichele Hill is rocky high ground, and during the wet season animals frequently congregate there. Our tented camp at Puku Ridge, one of two camps I stayed at while in Zambia, was not far away, and I saw them grazing here every morning and evening as we passed by on our game drives. The concept of an integrated landscape of animal, vegetable and mineral subjects fascinated me, and I worked on it every day while at the Puku Ridge location. It was the randomness of this image that made it work for me. The boulders have fallen in place over the centuries; the lush blanket of green plants comes and goes with the seasons, while the herd of impala searches for sustenance. Most graze, but some are in motion, while others cast a watchful eye. (Watchfulness is important – a pride of lions makes its home in the same area.) This image offers a blanket of black, tans, and green – the colors of nature itself.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30
1/30s f/3.7 at 76.8mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
share
Phil Douglis24-Aug-2006 06:39
I didn't know Phillistine was a country, Ceci. But I do now. Thanks for seeing the beauty in this random image, which upon closer inspection really is not as random as it looks. As Kal says, what begins as looking haphazard really is full of a randomness which suggests order. It does have a mirage like effect when you look at it. It did in real life as well.
Guest 24-Aug-2006 06:11
This is like a mirage, Phil, with the Tommies seemingly scattered among the rocks and vegetation haphazardly. You so seldom see these diminuitive gazelles other than broadside, it's a like a bouquet of flowers to view them foreshortened and rump first. Even with their red coats against the green, they blend into the scene. This picture is so balanced and graceful, and a delight to find on my first Safari to Phillisstine.
Phil Douglis05-Feb-2006 04:26
Thanks, Celia. Harmony is indeed the theme here. You hit it on the head.
Cecilia Lim04-Feb-2006 23:15
Integration! That's another great theme about the essence of nature! This image is what I call in my mind an animal landscape, where the animals integrate with their environment to become the landscape themselves. Although the scattered boulders and impalas look chaotic at first, these two elements appear to echo each other and infact look like they belong together, illustrating that there is infact a sense of order and place here. Even the black stripes on the impala accent the black boulders and their tan colour picks up on the occasional brown in the plants and the brown rock there. There is individuality and something different in each impala, rock and plant, but they all seem to come together in this place. There is a total sense of harmony here and I think you expressed that extremely well here Phil!
Phil Douglis02-Feb-2006 21:53
Organized chaos it is, Mo. And so is yours.
monique jansen02-Feb-2006 09:07
I agree with Jen here, it is all about "apparent" randomness, or organised chaos, at least to the human eye. I think this one is quite similar:http://www.pbase.com/trevvelbug/image/23693605
Phil Douglis26-Jan-2006 17:49
Thank you, Ramma -- that's what impala do. They are usually found in herds, and are usually grazing. Glad this image amazes you.
Ramma 26-Jan-2006 08:14
Amazing. I love the way all these Impalas are together, yet not.Unbelievably amazing capture.
Phil Douglis25-Jan-2006 18:53
You have discovered order within chaos here, Jen. That is the way the world works. There are always moments of order within random movements and gatherings. That is what HCB meant when he said his images were based on a "recognition of an order" -- he would find the instant that conveyed meaning in light, time, and space, and then organize it by placing it within a perfectly structured geometric setting. But what he was really doing was making order out of randomness. I am delighted with the little moments of order you have discovered within this tapestry of nature.
Jennifer Zhou25-Jan-2006 12:42
At first, I had a hard time grasping this picture because everything is so random to me.. For a moment I don't know where to look at.. But when I brought myself to study the details, I suddenly realized what Kal said: randomness that suggests order. I see there are small groups inside this big group, like the two just under the umbrella tree eatting grass in a corner, they look like lovers having a good time of their own. Also there are two on the mid-left, they look like a monther and a child, and you see the little one is imitating the mother. And there is one impalas right in the middle has its eyes wide open like he/she is the leader here, and responsible to keep the rest safe.
Phil Douglis25-Jan-2006 05:37
I liked the green, black and reddish tan deer, too, Allie. And the contrast of the moving deer to the still herd and those immutable rocks is essential to the message here.
Guest 25-Jan-2006 01:49
I really like the colour of this image, the green, black stone, and red deer....
And also like the interaction between moving subject and static stone amongst green nature.
Kal Khogali24-Jan-2006 11:25
Probably my favourite here...full of a randomness that suggests order...the laws of nature have strange ways....
Phil Douglis24-Jan-2006 06:31
You are right, Alister -- the decision to go in the rainy season was a no-brainer. Rain brings life, vitality, and energy to the land. It glows with health, and so too do those creatures that live upon it. Nowhere is that better demonstrated than in this image. And yes, the umbrella tree drew me to the scene -- it is a symbol of protection, ironically in a place where lions also dwell. These impala gather round this tree of security, and even the lions seem to take pleasure in their shade as well.
alibenn24-Jan-2006 06:20
a great image..The randomness comes together to create a very natural, yet very well composed scene. The light again is excellent and the exposure captures the freshness of the rainy season..I think your decision to go in the wet paid off with some very atypical African vistas...I particularly like the metaphor implied by the hanging umbrella of the top right tree...protection and security (all-be-it attentive security!!) That light is stunning, those Impala really glow..
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment