This summer I took the trip of a lifetime...a safari to Kenya & Tanzania. The beauty of the Serengeti, the abundance of wildlife and the warmth of the people were all beyond my expectations. It was a trip filled with wonderful experiences like this one.

Prior to this trip, I had captured maybe 20-30 images of animals, so I am very inexperienced in photographing wildlife. As a result, I prepared as best as I could by reading & watching several tutorials and practicing new techniques. I did not expect to come back with images worthy of sharing, but my photographs also exceeded my expectations.

This image was taken during our first sunrise in the Serengeti. After a 5:00 am wake up call, we met our guide and started driving through the plains. This appeared almost instantly, as we crested a small rise and could see miles into a valley below. About one hundred meters in front of us this Vulture was perched ominously in silhouette to the rising sun. I immediately requested our guide to stop for a photo, but it wasn't necessary. He was already slowing down knowing that this was a unique photo opportunity.

Fortunately, the vulture remained still, so I had time to set the exposure properly for the dynamic lighting. It was a foreboding scene, but a great beginning to our time in Tanzania.