I hadn't been able to take a decent shot of a Sharma (Copsychus malabaricus) before our last trip to Yala. I as fortunate to come across a relatively cooperative individual perched on a branch close to the main road. It hung around for long enough for me to shoot a couple of frames before it flew deeper into the undergrowth and disappeared.
Statues of two Komodo Dragons standing guard over the bathing temple in the monkey forest. These dragons are on the banks of a small stream that runs through the middle of the forest. Apparently the locals still use the springs to cleanse themselves prior to visiting the temples.
The dragon bridge that leads to the bathing temple within the monkey forest sanctuary in ubud, Bali. The bridge is quite narrow and seems to cut through a banyan tree at the further end. Details on the age of the bridge are hard to find but the general consensus indicates that it is around 700 years old. Photographing it without people is easier said than done.
The moss covered outer walls of the main temple within the monkey forest sanctuary in Ubud. The monkeys found in the forest, Balinese long tailed macaques, are aggressive and have been known to grab food and water bottles out of peoples hands. Unfortunately it happened to us too.
The Hoopoe (Upupa epops) used to be quite a common bird in Yala when we used to visit the park as kids but over the years the number of birds had declined to the point where I hadn't seen them in ages. Unfortunately this doesn't limited to the Hoopoes of Yala. The park doesnt't seem to be as full of ...
The Pale-billed Flowerpecker (Dicaeum erythrorhynchos ceylonense) is the smallest bird in Sri Lanka. It is a common resident found throughout the island. This bird was photographed in Thalawathugoda while it fed on a bowitiya plant.
The reclining buddha statue at the Ras Vehera complex in Anuradhapura. This was another ancient temple that we were fortunate to be able to explore on our own. It was about an hours drive from Anuradhapura and we found our way there thanks to GPS coordinates that I found in a book. It was well worth the drive!
The Malayan Night Heron (Gorsachius melanolophus) is a scarce migrant to Sri Lanka. A juvenile bird stopped by our garden in Colombo early on during the migrant season a couple of years ago and I was able to photograph it. The bird was not bothered by my presence and continued to feed whilst I photographed it.
Most travellers tend to go up to the main Mihintale temple but don't bother visiting the other ruins in the complex. The Kaludiya pokuna is definitely worth a visit as it contains a small stupa and the ruins of an ancient monastery. Pictured above is a cave dwelling near the pond. Monks still meditate in the jungles surrounding this area.
A short walk along the beach from the Light House Hotel brought me to this headland just in time to watch a stunning sunset. I was in luck as three people walked down to the waters edge just in time for me to include them in the frame.
A gruelling 4 day hike brought us from the banks of the Urubamba river to the citadel at Machu Picchu to witness the sunrise from the sun gate. Although the hike is only around 50km in distance, it is at altitude. We spent a few days acclimatising but the first two days on the hike were tough. particularly climbing ...
I got lucky with photographing this bird as it arrived at home, in the heart of Colombo, during the migration season a couple of years ago. It was seen around the garden for a few of days and I spent a bit of time photographing it as it fed in the flower beds.
A small group of elephants who were a part of a herd of over a 100. We spent an evening watching them on the banks of the Minneriya tank a few months ago. Unfortunately the usual issues with Sri Lankan national parks have surfaced at Minneriya as well. Over crowding, indisciplined jeep drivers and tourists who have no clue how to behave when in the jungles.
Visited the Opera House one evening after a shower of rain, hoping to photograph it without too many tourists walking in and out of my frame. I got lucky as there were only a few around. I setup the tripod in the forecourt very close to the building and managed to shoot this. I thought it was slightly different to the usual shots you see of the Opera House so was quite happy with it.
I came across this weaver ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) in the garden and photographed it with a macro lens. The hardest part of the whole process was to lock focus on the ant as it moved around a fair bit. Fortunately my macro lens supports auto-focus. If not, pre-focusing and waiting would have made this shot so much harder. For lighting I used a hand held Canon 430EX speed light.
Dark bar-sided Skink - Sydney, AustraliaFirstly, sorry for the prolonged absence. A new family member has meant that photography has taken a back seat to other more important activities. However, I was able to duck out for about an hour or so this morning and here are the results. I opted to head out with the macro lens and ...
Beef Rendang with Cucumber SaladAfter a longer hiatus than we care to think about, we are finally back with ‘R’. One reason and the other have kept us from keeping to the weekly aspect of the Project, but we had never abandoned it in our thoughts. We’ve still got a list of recipes we are keen to try out, and ...
Quince Stuffed with Lamb Pomegranate and Coriander “This is a stunning dish that we always go back to. We regularly teach a simplified version in our Saturday morning classes at Leiths cookery school in London. There, we don’t stuff the quince but just dice it and cook it in the sauce with the meat filling shaped into meatballs. We recommend ...
Pork Ribs in Pedro Ximinez“Meaty, sticky, smoky and sweet – these braised pork ribs are fun finger food for carnivores. There is something primal about holding a bone in your hand and pulling the meat off with your teeth. Some people can do this with such style and panache that it becomes sensual.”– Frank Camorra & Richard Cornish, ‘MoVida – ...
