A lucky snap – photograph a condor (vultur gryphus) in the Andes
A rare opportunity to photograph a condor in the wild. While on a day riding tour out of Santiago Lauren snaps this beautiful Chilean Condor (Andean Condor, Vultur gryphus) from her horse, who stands quiet for her moment of photography on a ride in the Cajon del Maipo, towards the Embalse de Yeso near Santiago.
Photography from the back of a horse while riding along may seem difficult but in fact our horses are so beautifully behaved that it is often possible to pull out the camera, slip the reins over one arm and take amazing action photographs. To photograph a condor is not easy and it is rare to get close enough to get a really good one, but the excitement of trying is worth the effort, and sometimes miracles happen. It is always worth having your camera in a place from which it is easily retrieved. In this picture, if the rider has a good zoom lens the condor is close enough to get something fantastic. This photograph was taken by our guide and has the photographer, our visitor, as its focus. The condor itself, which is visible just in front to the right of her head, will be much larger in her photograph.
Photograph a condor on a ride in winter
There is a greater chance of seeing condors on a ride in winter as food is scarce and condors tend to stay lower in the mountains. They are also curious birds and will fly close to have a good look at what is going on. They are also sociable and sometimes gather in special places where there do not seem to be nests – just a meeting place for chat. See wikipedia entry: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condor