The best of the 2021/2022 Getaway Gallery

This hidden gem was captured in the magnificent Swadini Nature Reserve. The image illustrates a plunge pool that is hidden in a beautiful forest. I love this photograph because it shows humans do have the potential to coexist with nature. As soon as I saw this unique landscape, I knew I had to launch my drone to get a better perspective. I flew the drone straight up and manoeuvred it to the centre of the plunge pool. After seeing the unbe- lievable view, there was no doubt about it: I had to take a photograph. By Iana Strydom, Johannesburg DJI Mavic 2 Pro; Hasselblad L1D-20c 10mm; ISO 100; f/2.8; 1/500 sec

Blue wildebeest are caught up in a death cauldron created by thousands of carcasses because of the low water levels of the Mara River. All these blue wildebeest died of exhaustion during the night while trying to escape the river – the way out was blocked by thousands of dead animals. Hesté de Beer, Kroonstad Canon EOS-1DX; Canon EF500mm f/4.0 IS USM; ISO 200; f4; 1/1000 sec

Kubu Island was one of those bucket-list trips I’d wanted to do for a long time. I finally managed to plan the trip, aligned with the night skies for when there was no moon, in May last year. I scouted the island in the afternoon, checking the best composition using the Photopills app and its augmented reality. After finding the right composition, I positioned my tripod and camera at blue hour to take the first exposure, then waited until it got dark and the stars became visible. I took about 200 shots and stacked about 150 together in Photoshop for this image. By Simone Osborne, Johannesburg Sony A7RIV; Tamron 17-28mm f2.8; ISO 160; f/2.8; 20 sec

It was an early, dark winter morning in May last year. I was the first to leave Crocodile Bridge camp (Kruger National Park) and, with headlights on, turned left off the main road, onto the S25 dirt road. I drove slowly for a few hundred metres, until I saw shapes moving in the distance. I was shaking with excitement as I crawled up to them. Ahead of me was my dream come true – finding this mother cheetah and her two playful cubs. She posed perfectly, for just a few seconds, before all three disappeared over the horizon. By Caroline Rowbottom, Cape Town. Canon EOS 800D; Sigma Contemporary Telephoto Zoom 150-600mm f/5.0-6.3 DG OS HSM; ISO 800; f/6.3; 1/125 sec

On a dive at Atlantis Reef, near Miller’s Point in Cape Town, the visibility was less than five metres and it was a disappointing dive. I saw this compass jellyfish at the safety stop at five metres towards the end of the dive. I was swimming slowly after the jellyfish, blacking out the background, to highlight the vivid colours. It’s uncommon to see compass jellyfish on a dive. Enormous increases in Namibia may signify a long-term ecosystem shift. Jellyfish are an indicator of a healthy sea and overfishing may lead to a jellyfish bloom. Soon, our oceans may be populated primarily by jellyfish, as they once were. Peet J van Eeden, Welgemoed. Canon 5D MKII; Canon EF 24 mm lens F/1.4L II USM; ISO 400; f/13; 1/200s

The southern Cape farmlands were at their most beautiful this past winter. Farmers had planted extended fields of canola and high rainfall levels produced spectacular scenery as far as the eye could see. This is the idyllic scene featuring a farm church which greeted a small group of hardy photographers. Shafts of light lit the canola and wheat landscape with some areas left in dark shadows. A scene suited to a child’s bedtime story. By Rob Smith, Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape Nikon D850; Nikon 70-200mm F2.8; ISO: 100; f/11; 1/50 sec

This image is of an African rock python, strangling and killing a black-backed jackal while a monarch butterfly rests on the snake’s head in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. We were on a game drive and stumbled upon a pack of jackals pulling and tugging the python. We suddenly noticed that the snake had a jackal trapped. The pack eventually accepted the poor jackal’s fate and they left. I took this photo from two metres away. A butterfly landed on the snake’s head and remained there throughout the duration of the snake swallowing the jackal. A once in a lifetime sight. By Danielle Amber Abrahams. Nikon D7100; Nikkor AF-S200-500mm f5.6E; ISO: 400; f/5.6; 1/800 sec

Gelada baboons in Ethiopia live in a really cold environment and hug together in groups for warmth. Hesté de Beer, Kroonstad Canon EOS – 1D X Mark 11; Canon EF100-400mm; ISO 2000; f/6.7; 1/750s

The Serengeti is a wonderful destination to view cheetah. One rainy morning we came across a mother and her two mature cubs. We stayed with them the whole morning, watching them catch a rabbit which they quickly devoured, but they needed something more. Soon they started to stalk some Thompson’s gazelles. They lay low in the grass for over two hours not moving an inch, waiting for a gazelle to come within reach. But the inexperience of the youngsters led to one of them moving before the right time, and the gazelle spotted them. The hunt was over. After that, they lay down to rest and the youngster came and kissed his mom as if to say sorry for messing up the hunt. A special morning spent with special animals. By Lee-Ann Robertson, Sunland, Eastern Cape Nikon z7; 300mm PF NIKON; ISO: 1600; f/5.6; 1/6400 sec

Cattle egrets are often dismissed as photographic subjects as they are so plentiful. However, in fading light their white feathers against a dark background offer fantastic opportunities. This particular bird flew constantly between a pile of twigs and the nest he was building above a lake in the Lowveld. As the sun set and plunged the background foliage into darkness, I set up my equipment to capture a fleeting moment showing the dedication this bird had to building the best nest for his mate. I suspect she was suitably impressed. By Rob Smith, Plettenberg Bay. Nikon D850; Nikon 200-400mm F4; f/4; ISO: 400; 1/800

While visiting the Vaalkop Dam Nature Reserve, I decided to go for a walk to see what I could find. It is on foot that you tend to notice the smaller things and I love to do this, as many photographers only concentrate on the larger wildlife species. On approaching a dead tree, I noticed movement in a hole, probably originally made by borer beetles of some sort. I aimed my camera at the hole, hoping to see the movement again. To my surprise, this jumping spider decided to show itself to me. Focusing on an animal this small always presents a welcome challenge. What a privilege to photograph such an awesome little creature. By Matthew Walsh, Johannesburg. Canon EOS 77D; Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM II; ISO 800; f/5.6; 1/1000 sec

Sea anemones come in various colours and shapes and are well distributed in False Bay on the Cape Peninsula. The false plum sea anemones are filter feeders but also prey also on small crustaceans and molluscs. They have sticky tentacles with stinging cells that may draw their prey inward to a central mouth. The prey is deposited into a gastric cavity, further subdued by internal stinging cells and slowly digested by gastric enzymes. The false plum sea anemone can grow up 20cm, has a colourful voluptuous mouth and inviting tentacles but can deliver a nasty sting to humans. By Peet J van Eeden, Welgemoed, Western Cape Canon EOS 5D MKII; Sigma 50mm macro lens; ISO 50; f/13; 1/200 sec

Rock climbers in Rocklands in the Cederberg often climb at night due to the cool temperatures for enhanced friction while climbing boulders. Some boulders have names, this famous one is called “The Sky” and is one of the most difficult boulders to climb in the country. This photo aims to capture the timelessness of climbing in the mountains and was created by using an off-camera flash to freeze the rock climber flying through “The Sky” to the next hold while keeping the shutter speed open to expose for the stars, capturing the sensation where a moment feels like forever. By Daniel Jacobus de Waal, Stellenbosch, Western Cape. Nikon Z6; Nikon 14-24 mm f2.8; ISO: 100; f/2.8; 50 seconds

The Milky Way comes up over the Hole in the Wall near Coffee Bay shortly after sunset, and just before the moon rises. John Mullineux, Secunda. Canon 5D4; Canon 16-.5 f/2.8 L IS mk3; ISO 12800; f/2.8; 30s

We were staying at Gharagab in the Kgalagadi and decided to go on an early-morning drive. We spotted this juvenile black-shouldered kite sunning itself in the distance and slowly crept towards it for a better view and hopefully to get some photographs. Luckily it was not bothered with our presence and seemed rather inquisitive as to what we were doing. I love the orange eye and yellow feet, which contrast nicely with the blue sky in the background. By Kate Morris, Somerset West. Canon 7D MKII; Canon 100-400mm MKII; ISO 400; f6.3; 1/400 sec