Photo Details: Impala fawns (Aepyceros melampus) appear to rub noses as they nuzzle each other, Kruger National Park, South Africa. The two were part of a nursery of about a dozen impala babies, born shortly before we visited the Kruger Park during December.
Camera: Canon EOS 400D; Lens: Canon 100-400 IS Zoom; Focal Length: 320mm; Shutter speed: 1/400; Aperture: f5.6; ISO: 400.

Similar to the more than 25,000 entries submitted since the first contest in 2006,The Nature Conservancy is looking for beautiful nature photography representing the diversity of life on Earth - including forests, grasslands, lakes, rivers, deserts, rainforests, oceans, coral reefs, and more!

Additional Info: Redbilled oxpeckers seem to appear more frequently than other bird species on this blog, not only because they make colorful subjects with their bright red bills and yellow eye-wattles, but also because they're relatively easy to photograph. When clinging to the hide of the host animal, oxpeckers are less prone than most birds to flit around or fly away just as you're about to press the shutter.

And, because the animals will often be grazing in open grassland, you have the added benefit of uncluttered backgrounds. In the picture above, the background foliage is far enough away to be thrown totally out of focus, making the dark subject stand out more clearly.

In this case I used a Canon 300mm F/4 image-stabilised lens with 1.4 converter, giving a focal length of 420mm. This is a great little lens (well, little when compared to a 300mm F/2.8). It's light, compact and, when coupled with a 1.4 converter, easier to hand-hold than a normal 400mm lens. It's also not hugely expensive, so is certainly a recommended option when selecting a lens for wildlife photography.

Photo Details: Close-up of small-spottted genet (Genetta genetta) out at night foraging for food, Satara Rest Camp, Kruger National Park, South Africa.
Camera: Olympus C2100 UZ; Shutter speed: 1/200; Aperture: f3.5; ISO: 100.

Additional Info: The small-spotted genet differs from the large-spotted genet (Genetta tigrina) not in physical size, but in the size of the spots. The two types can usually be told apart by the tail - the large-spotted genet, in addition to its larger spots, has a black-tipped tail, while the small-spotted genet's tail has a tip that is a paler, buffy white color.

Photo Details: Leopard (Panthera pardus), only its head visible, keeps watch while hiding in thick bush, Elephant Plains Game Lodge, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa.

Camera: Canon EOS 400D (Digital Rebel XTi); Lens: Canon EF80-200mm F/2.8; Focal Length: 200mm; Shutter speed: 1/500; Aperture: f/2.8; ISO: 400.

The lens I used for the above photograph is an old Canon 80-200mm F2.8, known as the "magic drainpipe" because of its black color and superb optical performance. It was released in 1989 and replaced some years later by the Canon EF70-200mm F/2.8 IS USM. The latter has become a legend in its own right and has the added advantages of a USM motor for fast and silent focusing, image-stabilization (IS) and the ability to use Canon's 1.4x and 2x converters.