Common Impala - Flowing Blur of Speed

A Common Impala ewe in full flight through typical savanna bush, as seen in the wilds of Namibia, southwestern Africa.

The purpose of this photograph is to provide the sense of speed and motion, through blur and focus. One can clearly see the length of stride and can easily assume that rather high speeds can be reached by this agile antelope. What is always bemusing to me, is the fact that the hooves and lower legs are so small and tender in shape. Basically, this antelope (and many others like this) must have extremely strong ankles and wrist joints. To reach high speeds is one thing, but to be able to absorb impact with each stride is another. As a whole, the creation and anatomy of wildlife (especially antelopes) is a miracle.

A small tip for photographers : Note that this shot was taken with an extremely slow shutter speed ( 1 / 99 sec. ). When trying to photograph game (or birds) in flight, one has two choices. Either freeze frame (high shutter speeds of over 800) or deliberate blur while keeping camera on motion (slow shutter speeds of lower than 100). I like both, and each has its role, advantages, disadvantages and availability depending on various other factors, such as light availability for example.

For the slow shutter speed motion shot (like this Impala), one has to keep focus on the subject while following it (basically your reaction must match the speed of motion by the subject), while at the same time pressing the shutter and remaining focused on the subject while the camera completes its process of capturing the image.