Alan Smith

@dustyfootprints

Amateur photographer – retired from everything else (supposedly)

231 Following325 Followers251 Posts

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Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· 2d

After the eclipse of Wednesday evening I moved out of town into the vineyards to try and capture the Milky Way and the Perseid meteor shower. I saw lots of meteors but nearly all were just out of frame. This is a quick edit of my best capture. #perseids #astrophotography

Part of the Milky Way galaxy rises diagonally above the light pollution on the horizon. To the right of frame is a diagonal streak from a meteor burning up in the atmosphere.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· 3d

Another image of Wednesday’s solar eclipse – 9 unevenly spaced moments from before it started until sunset.

9 images showing various stages of a solar eclipse

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· 4d

The Sun dances around the Moon. This is what a 97% eclipse looks like. Taken in South-western France. #solareclipse2026

Three slender crescents of the sun at different angles, taken during an eclipse.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· 16d

I am currently in the Gironde department in France which is suffering from a prolonged heatwave and the resulting wildfires. Climate change is having a devestating effect on the wildlife here. I noticed swallows flying low over the covered pool, looking for water. Uncovering it led to this. #birds

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· 18d

Today is International Tiger Day. They can be hard to spot in the wild. This female was hiding behind a river bank in Bandhavgarh National Park, India, and occasionally peeked over the top to check us out. #tiger #wildlifephotography #naturephotography

A tiger peers over a the top of a riverbank and through long grass. Only its right eye is visible and one ear.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· 25d

A lioness and her two cubs taken last month in the Ol Kinyei Conservancy, Maasai Mara, Kenya. #wildlifephotography

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Jul 17

Little bee-eaters photographed in the Olare Orok Conservancy in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. #birds #wildlifephotography #littlebeeeaters

A bird comes in to land beside another one of the same species that is perched on a narrow branch.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Jul 15

This is a buff-tailed bumblebee I rescued from a swimming pool. It took 10 minutes to dry itself and warm up enough to be able to fly off.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Jul 3

I don’t just shoot wildlife. This is an alley in Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France. Taken with my phone. #streetphotography

A black and white photo looking down a dark alleyway with cobblestones in the foreground. There are a couple of arches and an old style lamp visible in the sunshine at the far end of the alley.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Jun 25

Brotherly love. Taken in the Olare Orok Conservancy, Kenya.

A close up of the heads of two male lions. The lion on the left is on its back and the one on the right is gazing down at him

A close up of the heads of two male lions. They are both lying on their backs with their heads against each other. The lion on the left is sticking its tongue out.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Jun 22

Elephant close up

A monochrome close up of the trunk and tusk of an elephant. The trunk is pushing a branch into its mouth.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Jun 15

Three giraffes taken earlier this month for #monochromemonday

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Jun 14

A spur winged lapwing having a drink in the Olare Orok Conservancy. Taken during my trip to the Maasai Mara, Kenya, last week. #bird #birdphotography #wildlifephotography

The bird has its beak immersed in a small stream. The ripples caused by this are distorting its reflection. There is a clear red eye and slight forward movement of the head is visible.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Jun 12

A pair of Secretary birds (observed by a Superb starling), photographed at first light in the Ol Kinyei Conservancy, Maasai Mara, last week. #birds #wildlifephotography #naturephotography

A Secretary bird appears to walk up to its mate and put a wing around it. The birds were photographed in a treetop at first light.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Jun 6

This is why I get out of bed before dawn when I am on safari.

A lion and some bushes are silhouetted against a golden early morning sky.

Zebras, topi and other plains game are silhouetted against an orange sky.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Jun 5

A couple of lion cubs that I photographed yesterday afternoon in Kenya #wildlife #photography

Two cubs lying side by side in the grass

One cub trying to persuade its sibling to play

One of the cubs hides in the long grass. The wind temporarily makes it visible.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Apr 20

A female tiger patrolling a dam wall in Bandhavgarh National Park, India. (The second image is cropped from the first one.) Taken last May. #naturephotography #tiger

A wide shot of a female tiger standing in long grass and looking at the camera. The tops of trees can be seen in the background.

An image cropped from the previous one, showing the full length of the tigress without all the background and foreground details of the original image.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Apr 17

Mouth to mouth – lion style Taken in the Maasai Mara in November 2022 #wildlifephotography

A lioness squints into the early morning sunlight as it tries to strip the flesh from around the mouth of a Cape buffalo.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Apr 11

Two young elephants play fighting in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania. Taken in 2024.

Teo young elephants wrap their trunks around each other’s as they twist, turn and shove each other.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Apr 7

Two hippos play fighting – taken in the Serengeti in 2024

A closeup of the heads of two hippos with their mouths open and showing their teeth. Their lower jaws are touching and water is pouring out of their mouths.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Apr 3

Shall we dance? Zebra stallions fighting in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania. Taken in 2024.

A zebra rears up and places a hoof on the back of its rival. The rival reacts by trying to bite the first Zebra’s neck.

The zebra tried to bring down his rival by pushing his head down on the rival’s back.

He now tries to bring the rival down by leaning into its haunches.

The rival responds by going for the other zebras neck while he is rearing up on his back legs.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Mar 31

Another of my nigella photos, this time in black and white. The dew on the flower is natural. The image has been created from a 20 image photo stack in order to get much of the flower in focus. #naturephotgraphy #flower #monochrome

A black and white image of a nigella flower. The photo is taken looking straight down on the flower.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Mar 30

For those who are unaware, Remembering Wildlife has started its latest Kickstarter campaign to fund a beautiful photobook #rememberinggiraffes (photo is not from the book) – if you would like to help fund the book, buy some artwork or a reduced price safari, go to www.kickstarter.com/projects/mar...

Two male reticulated giraffes stand side by side, but facing in opposite directions, as they prepare to fight each other. Photo taken in Samburu National Reserve, Kenya, a few years ago.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Mar 29

I think Nigella damascena (aka love in a mist) is one of the most photogenic of the late-spring flowers. It is a member of the buttercup family that grows wild in southern Europe. I can’t wait to photograph them again this year.

A close up of the reproductive organs of a plant. The flower is deep blue in colour and the background is dark green. There are a few dew drops visible on the petals.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Mar 27

The leopard known as Luluka in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, in 2022.

A leopard lying against a grassy mound in the evening sunlight. Her head is to the left of frame and she is looking along her body towards the right-front of frame.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Mar 25

The thinker (with apologies to Rodin) #wildlifephotography #photography

A northern plains grey langur monkey sits on a rock, stroking its beard while staring into the distance. The image shows the entire body of the monkey, its back to the left. It is looking out to the right and slightly forwards of the image.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Feb 22

I like what using the infrared filter in the black and white adjustment layer (modified by me) in Photoshop has done to this photo of a solitary male giraffe in the Serengeti. #photography #naturephotography

A monochrome image of a giraffe standing in an open plain beside a sausage tree. There is a small acacia in the background. The grass and leaves are white because of an infrared filter that was applied while converting the image from colour. The sky is dark grey as a heavy rainstorm is heading towards the giraffe.

The original colour image of the giraffe standing in an open plain beside a sausage tree. There is a small acacia in the background. The sky is dark grey as a heavy rainstorm is heading towards the giraffe.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Feb 18

Peek-a-boo! A captive eagle owl at the British Wildlife Centre shows that even when it is asleep it is aware of what is happening around it. #bird #owl #eagleowl #photography

A close up photo of the head of an almost sleeping eagle owl. It has one eye slightly open, showing its orange iris. The bird is turned halfway towards the left of frame.

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Feb 11

A red squirrel from my photo day at the British Wildlife Centre. #photography

Alan Smith@dustyfootprints· Feb 7

This is Hamish, a Scottish wildcat that I photographed last week at the British Wildlife Centre in Surrey, UK. Note his flatter, squarer face that distinguishes him from domestic moggies. Wildcats are critically endangered in the UK and captive breeding is the best way to ensure species survival.