I knew I was looking at something special as soon as I arrived on this professional photographer’s website which is totally white with no banner, no frills, no flash intro. The photography does the talking. Why I have not seen this photographer’s work before is puzzling and yet when I looked at the many achievements of Greg du Toit and competitions he has won, I realised that I had probably brushed past him on the Internet before today. This photographer who was born in Africa in 1977 stands out from the crowd and raises the bar of wildlife photography.  The work of Greg du Toit has deeply impressed me and I not only enjoyed gasping at the quality of his wildlife photography which is inspired by African wildlife, landscapes and people but I also enjoyed the stories and personal challenges behind each photograph.

Greg outside his custom-built hide
deep in the heart of Southern Tanzania (2007)

This man has put his health at risk by “sitting in the water for two hours at a time absolutely motionless and waiting for anything to come and drink in front of me! The water is warm but after two hours my vibration reduction technology is working overtime as I am pretty numb and cold. But that is not the worst! A huge troop of baboons spend most of the day at the waterhole and being baboons, they do a substantial amount of their business in the water, so it does not smell all that pleasant and neither do I after soaking in it for two hours!  There are also these mean little midges that feed at surface level and have been chomping on my arms. This has resulted in a very persistent and itchy rash.  The water-snails are also crawling onto my arms and seeking refuge under my watch-strap! The worst though are water-beetles who every now and again give me an excruciating pinch and I have to grin and bear it, sitting motionless so as not to scare off any potential subjects! “ That particular photo shoot resulted in Greg contracting bilharzia and parasites from the baboons!

Wild Lion
“These lion were, and for good reason, shy and skittish. In order to capture them on film, I waited patiently until a particularly hot period infuriated the thirst of the cats. Lying in the water for two months, I contracted bilharzia and parasites from baboons. This image offers partial solace to the feeling that I was born a century too late.”

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
“Living in the wild bush country of Southern Tanzania, an ancient grinding stone left by early inhabitants makes for a perfect birdbath. At first, the birds are wild and shy but as time progresses, friendships form. The tiny, yet immaculate Red-cheeked Cordon-bleus allow me to approach within a few feet.”

Portrait of a Predator
“Leopards are for me the most beautiful cats on the African continent. I usually shy away from shooting straight portraits but the golden yellow eyes of my subject complimented by the yellow brown African grass in the background, lead me to include this one in my collection.”

Zebra and Dust
“Ensconced in my hole in the ground, the equatorial sun beating down and Tsetse flies gorging on my flesh, sitting motionless became an extreme test of photographic passion. Ultimately, one brave zebra stuck his head through the dust for a sip of water. The rapid fire of my F100s shutter had never sounded so sweet.“

Leopard Yawn
“The winter sky in South Africa’s lowveld region is brilliantly blue! This leopard was positioned in the fork of a Marula Tree with her golden coat juxtaposed superbly against the blue sky. I had the psychology of colour on my side with the potential makings of a half decent photo: superb light, a clean background and an exquisite subject! All that was missing was a striking pose or gesture on the leopard’s part. Half an hour later, she obliged.”


Thunderstorm
“It was late afternoon on the great plains of Africa and a storm brewed furiously in the east. I watched in awe as a solitary Kongoni wandered across the plains. The cloud formation was like nothing I had seen before, and using a lone tree, I tried to create a sense of balance. Minutes later the storm hit and I became hopelessly disorientated not knowing where my camp was and only getting back in the dark.”


Nomads of Massai-land
“In the months prior to this frame, the lioness and cubs had stubbornly refused to drink in the daylight hours. I had waited in my hide until dusk for them on numerous occasions, and twice, upon walking back to camp, I met all eight on foot. I never carried a rifle and both meetings were rather surreal, with the cubs tentatively inquisitive, running forward with ears pricked while mom kept a beady eye on my every movement. I like to think that through such experiences, I gain a greater understanding of my own niche in the ecosystem. Some say my years of bush living have made me blasé?”


Predator of the Night
“I like to portray my subjects in their own environment and also to relate my work to characteristics of their behaviour. Leopards are the ‘proverbial stalkers of the night’ and to portray this, I switched my flash off and used a spotlight from the side. The high ISO performance of today’s modern cameras, allow us to shoot scenes previously impossible to capture! (A special thanks to Outdoorphoto for sponsoring me camera equipment for this project)”

Calabash & Hand
“Traditionally the Maasai only ate blood, water and meat. Once the calabash is full, a stick is used to stir and coagulate the blood. The brilliantly red and highly oxygenated fluid cascades over the edges, staining the calabash and making for a graphic close-up shot.”

Visit the Website of Greg du Toit

I’m not sure how far I would go for my photography and whether I would be willing to take risks like this.  How far would you go as a photographer to get stunning shots?  Would you be willing to endanger your health and even put your life at risk for that potentially award-winning shot? Leave your comment below.