What it takes

Bruce Osgood · Mar 7, 2010

Found this on the PureSilver site:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/wor...watering-hole-submerging-months.html?ITO=1490

Jeff Kubach · Mar 7, 2010

That is amazing!

Jeff

Sanjay Sen · Mar 9, 2010

That is dedication, and never giving up.

Worker 11811 · Mar 9, 2010

God doesn't put great photographs where lazy people can find them!

johnnywalker · Mar 9, 2010

After 43 years of working in and around forests, I saw my first big cat about a month ago in Guyana. I was driving slowly down a dirt track when a jaguar walked across the road about 30 meters in front of the vehicle. It made my hair stand on end - not from fear as I was safe in the vehicle, but just plain awe. In this guy's position I can only imagine how he must have felt. Rather than taking pictures, I think I would be having a religious conversion. The word courageous hardly seems adequate.

Rick A · Jun 4, 2010

St Ansel always said "Chance favors the prepared" I'd say thats prepared. I missed the shot of a lifetime some years back, a friend and I were driving across Log Hill Mesa in SW Colorado pre-dawn on our way to Telluride when a mule deer jumped onto the snow covered road in front of my Jeep. I hit the brakes to avoid the collision, and as we were sliding sideways a cougar that was chasing it leapt into the lighted area in front of us and we watched as the big cat took the deer just as it hit the ground as they were both landing from a leap over a barbed wire fence. Neither of us had a camera, we were on our way to a construction site.

saganco · Dec 26, 2010

Yep those mule deer can be true "suicide mission" creatures here in the Rockies. What an fantastic shot that would have been though - so sad that you missed it. I guess there's a moment like that for all photographers - the OMG! I can't believe I didn't have my camera with me!

Mr du Toit was one determined, brave, and if I may say so, ingenious shooter. What amazes me the most is to have EIGHT lions almost literally within reach staring at you, and still have MIRROR still water around him! I wouldn't have had still water, nor even ripples, I think I would have had surf worth waves!! And the whole worm moving around in his foot thing - ugggghhhh.... But what truly amazing shots, I guess in the long run it's worth it. At least he lived thru the ordeal!! Wish I had that kind of patience though.

perkeleellinen · Dec 26, 2010

Great photos. But I'm not sure what his technique was. Did he stay in the water for months or go in each day for some hours? The link suggests either:

three hours per day for seven days a week in the water

he sat semi-submerged for 270 hours

submerging himself in watering hole for three months

hpulley · Dec 26, 2010

Crazy but ill prepared to get that sick for some pictures. There's getting the shot and there's getting the shot... there must be a suit he could have worn.

Side note: film or digital? The article didn't seem to say or I missed it.

Hikari · Dec 26, 2010

Not worth losing your health for. Not worth dying for. Extreme behavior may point to dedication, but does it point to intelligence? It certainly is a bad example. And for another image of lions feeding.

saganco · Dec 26, 2010

Hikari said:
Not worth losing your health for. Not worth dying for. Extreme behavior may point to dedication, but does it point to intelligence? It certainly is a bad example.

Amen to all that. Knowing too many folks with chronic health problems really makes you want to do all you can to avoid a "voluntary" situation that could have very long lasting implications... Still awesome shots, but at what price!?

Markster · Jan 26, 2011

He may have had a nice rich high-level health insurrance plan, that paid for his months and months of recovery...

I'd personally have invested in a $200 dry suit rather than spend $200,000 in medical bills and 10 years off my lifespan.

The trick is to get the shot, oh yes... But not to DIE getting it. Solve the problem, don't power through it.

Existing Light · Jan 26, 2011

Being a dedicated photographer is a good thing, but there comes a point where you cross the line between dedication and stupidity.

ScarletBrown · Dec 3, 2013

Oh my Gosh! This is really hard work to do and difficult to capture lions pictures in to the camera. Mr du Toit heads off to you and i just like your work spirit. Wildlife photography is most difficult so i really appreciate your work.

NedL · Dec 4, 2013

I lived in East Africa for several years and let me tell you this is extremely stupid. There are many reasons not to go into that water. When I first arrived, someone mentioned that the locals usually know if there is schistosomiasis in the water. I asked, "if there aren't people bathing then you shouldn't go in the water because there might be schistosomes?" and my friends all laughed.

No. You shouldn't go in the water because there are probably crocodiles. They are everywhere. Hippos don't take very kindly to swimmers either, and a hippopotamus is a huge and very dangerous animal. ( And they move from water hole to water hole at night... and can stay submerged for a long time... ) And BTW I saw a lion take prey out of a water hole. And elephants are known for chasing smaller animals out of the water hole before the whole herd arrives...

Tom1956 · Dec 4, 2013

There are just some things that are not worth it. It's just not THAT important. You could have done the same thing with a video camera on a post in the water and photoshopping clips from the footage. Somehow I'm not particularly impressed.

mauro35 · Dec 4, 2013

Existing Light said:
Being a dedicated photographer is a good thing, but there comes a point where you cross the line between dedication and stupidity.

Agree completely. And I personally don´t like the look of the animals being aware something is staring at them.

What it takes

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