Jerry Rauser
International Tours
To view a photo gallery or video, click the photo or title.
Chimpanzees of Mahale Park, Tanzania - 2019
The Greystoke Mahale camp is located on the shore of Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania. Access to its remote location is by small plane and boat. It offers a unique opportunity to trek to families of chimpanzees, the closest relative of humans. The interactions of the chimpanzees and their culture were fascinating to watch and photograph. The camp itself seemed to be a magical, dreamlike experience.
Ngorongoro Safari, Tanzania - 2019
Entamanu Ngorongoro is a luxury tented camp sitting on the edge of the Ngorongoro crater in the Serengeti National Park of northern Tanzania. While wildlife photography on the crater floor was excellent, the high point of the tour was a visit to a Maasai village. I photographed the Maasai jumping dance and was welcomed into a Maasai hut.
Serengeti Safari, Tanzania - 2019
Lamai Serengeti is a luxury safari camp located in the world-famous Serengeti National Park of northern Tanzania. The beauty and range of landscapes were exceptional. While the variety of wildlife was outstanding, the opportunity to photograph a herd of wildebeest crossing the Mara River was the high point of the tour.
Tarangire Safari, Tanzania - 2019
Kuro Tarangire is a luxury tented safari camp located in the Tarangire National Park of northern Tanzania. Two and a half days of safari vehicle touring offered several exceptional and rare photo opportunities. Those included being surrounded at very close range by a large friendly elephant herd, two zebra stallions fighting to establish dominance, and a leopard cub climbing a tree. The savanna landscape is home to a wide variety of wild animals.
Katavi Safari, Tanzania - 2019
Chada Katavi is a luxury tented camp in the Katavi National Park of western Tanzania. The landscapes vary from brushy savanna, vast grassland plains and lush rivers, which produce a variety of wildlife. The area is remote, reachable by a single-engine plane.
The photos in this gallery were taken while driving on roads in northern Tanzania. They show the stark difference between city life and traditional rural life. The young people of Tanzania have a difficult choice to make of which type of life they want to live.
Orangutans of Sekonyer River, Borneo - 2018
The Sekonyer River offers access to two orangutan rehabilitation centers in Indonesian Borneo. Most visitors travel on liveaboard klotok boats. The rehabilitation centers have feeding stations to improve the health of the orangutans. The orangutans are free to roam the jungle. The feeding stations are ideal for wildlife photography. Views of life along the river are included.
Orangutans of Camp Leakey, Borneo - 2018
Camp Leakey is an orangutan research station located on the Crocodile River of Indonesian Borneo. It includes permanent wooden buildings to support research by scientists, staff, students and Park Rangers. Research includes orangutan sign language abilities and cognition. With permits, visitors are welcome to view and photograph orangutans at the feeding station.
Orangutans of Semenggoh Reserve, Borneo - 2018
The Semenggoh Nature Reserve of Malaysian Borneo is a habitat home for orangutans. They spend most of their time roaming the forest but come back to the wildlife center for a free fruit meal if they are hungry.
Scuba Diving at Komodo Island, Indonesia - 2018
Komodo Island, Indonesia lies within the Coral Triangle of the Pacific Ocean. The Coral Triangle is the epicenter for biodiversity of not only corals and fish, but also marine turtles. The density and variety of colorful reef fish draw underwater photographers from all parts of the world.
Komodo Dragons, Indonesia - 2018
The Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard in the world. With serrated teeth, large sharp claws, armor-plated skin and venom, they are dangerous predators. Visitors to Komodo Island walk among the free roaming dragons. Visitors follow a park guide who will deter aggressive dragons with only a forked wooden staff.
Wildlife Photos from Bako Park, Borneo - 2018
Bako National Park in Malaysian Borneo contains a rich variety of jungle animals and plants. Its coastline displays stunning seashore beaches and sandstone sea stack formations. The boat trip on the Tabor River shows life along the river for residents and fishermen.
Wildlife Photos from Danum Valley, Borneo - 2018
Old growth forests are very rare and must be protected. The Danum Valley old growth forest of Malaysian Borneo contains an extremely wide variety of animals to photograph. A night trek in the forest displayed a different nocturnal selection of animals.
Barong Play Photos, Bali Indonesia - 2018
The Barong Play represents the eternal struggle between good and evil. The accompanying music is played by a traditional gamelan orchestra. The play is over 1000 years old. It is an allegory describing the struggle within each person between being good or lapsing into bad behavior.
Bandhavgarh Safari, India - 2018
Safari drives at Bandhavgarh National Park concentrated on photographing Bengal tigers. After patient and persistent efforts under sometimes difficult conditions, I was richly rewarded with tiger portraits and photos of tigers in water. Capturing these images was a reward that most avid wildlife photographers can only wish for.
Rural India on the Road - 2018
Car travel between four safari base lodges in India offered hours of opportunities to photograph rural life, customs and people of India. The photos reveal very old traditions embedded in current time. Indian people impressed me as hardworking, highly intelligent, friendly, open about their lives and curious about mine. In all, my two week trip exploring India was an enriching and wonderful experience.
Kaziranga Safari, India - 2018
Photos of Asian elephants, Indian wild water buffalo, Indian one-horned rhinos and other exotic animals shown in this gallery were taken on two days of safari drives in Kaziranga National Park. The park is located in the far northeastern arm of India, near Tibet.
Kanha National Park contains mixed forests and grassy meadows. These are ideal habitats for sambar and chital deer, Bengal tigers, and huge wild cattle named guar. The safari adventure began with photographing a fierce boundary dispute between two troops of langur monkeys. Exotic bird species were also photographed.
Pench National Park is home to a wide variety of wildlife. Images captured on two days of safari drives included beautiful chital deer, Indian wolf, wild boar, playful langur monkeys, stunning peacocks and other animals. The park is located in the central region of India
Mountain Gorillas, Rwanda - 2017
This gallery offers close-up portraits of a family of mountain gorillas. The silverback is a most impressive protector of the family. An adult female has a beautiful face displaying a calm nature. One adolescent gorilla seems only interested in food. A group of youngsters eagerly play in the bamboo. Reaching the family required an arduous trek on the side of a volcano.
This photo experience was a giddy delight for all the guests of an exclusive boutique Kenya hotel. Imagine entering a hotel dining room for breakfast, and finding wild giraffes politely poking their heads through the windows to receive small breakfast treats. I couldn’t put my camera down except to participate in hand feeding them.
Mountain Gorillas, Rwanda Video – 2017
Mountain gorilla video and still image portraits were recorded at Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda. Mountain gorillas are highly endangered, and are the pride of Rwanda. There are no mountain gorillas in zoos. A government permit is required to visit them.
Rwanda Drummers, Dancers, Singers Video – 2017
On a tour of Rwanda to photograph mountain gorillas, I was able to also capture video of Rwanda traditional drumming and dancing. This video shows excerpts from two performances at the base of the volcano where the mountain gorillas live.
Several days of travel by private vehicle through the rural countryside of Rwanda provided glimpses of families interacting, transporting goods, a rural market, crafts, school children and wedding parties. Rwandan people are hardworking, have a rich culture and have confidence in the future.
Rwanda Arts and Culture - 2017
Beautiful and powerful images of Rwanda traditional dancers and drummers display key elements of their culture. A visit to the Gorilla Guardians Village was an opportunity to learn how tribal Rwandans celebrated marriage, worked metal, provided food and medicine, and organized leadership.
The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy of Kenya is a wildlife sanctuary, ideal for safari wildlife photography. Animals in this gallery include rhino, elephant, cheetah, Cape buffalo, leopard, black faced monkey, a variety of antelope and others. Two Maasai gentlemen took me for a camel ride. Landscape vistas on the open savannah are quite beautiful.
Serian Maasai Mara, Kenya - 2017
Serian Camp is located on the famous Mara River in Kenya. It offers stunning views of the annual migration of wildebeests and zebras. The safari drives allowed close-up photos of Cape buffalo, a lion pride in the rain, lion cubs, hippo, cheetah, black backed jackal, hyena and others. Interaction with local Maasai people was a lifetime experience.
Monkey River is a small river village in Belize. The nation of Belize is at the top of Central America. This one day excursion was mostly by small boat with a private guide. The main aim was to photograph howler monkeys in the jungle. The adjoining mangrove swamps are home to many types of birds and reptiles. A walking tour of the village was included.
Diving and Jaguar Preserve, Belize - 2017
This tour began with a day of scuba diving and underwater photography on a coral reef of Belize. The next excursion explored a rain forest jungle with a private guide. We made a four hour trek through a jaguar preserve. The jungle was quite beautiful and peaceful. Its plants provide food, water and medicines. It was a truly fascinating experience.
Mayan Ruins and Rural Scenes - Belize - 2017
Lubaantun ruins were a pre-Columbian commercial and political city of the Maya. Nim Li Punit unit ruins were a government and religious center. Scenes along the road reveal everyday life of modern rural Mayans.
Mashatu Safari, Botswana - 2016
The Mashatu Game Reserve in eastern Botswana offers an amazing variety of wildlife to photograph. Botswana has a policy of low density tourism to conserve its natural habitats. Its tourism is focused on photographic safaris. The photos in this gallery were taken on morning and evening safari game drives in open Land Rover vehicles. I was surprised to find so many of the animal encounters were close-up. I could not have imagined the sights and photo opportunities I would find there.
Matebole Elephant Hide, Botswana - 2016
The Mashatu main camp offered a morning excursion to the Matebole Elephant Hide guided by a professional wildlife photographer. This was an opportunity of a lifetime. The hide (blind) is a partially below ground room with a camera support shelf in front of an open window viewing a waterhole. It is specifically for photographers and offers a unique ground level close up view of a wide variety of animals.
Animal Interactions at Matebole Waterhole - 2016
Besides busily shooting videos and stills of the animals, it was fascinating to just watch their interactions. Here are some clips taken from the partially below ground photographers blind. This experience was an unforgettable opportunity of a lifetime.
Cape Peninsula Tour, South Africa - 2016
These photos were taken on a one day - forty mile tour along the peninsula seaside from Cape Town to the Cape of Good Hope. Stops included visits to the Cape Fur Seal colony, the African Penguin colony and the high peak lighthouse at the Cape of Good Hope. There were many stunning seascape views on the drive. A photo of a great white shark is included.
Tanda Tula Safari, South Africa - 2016
Tanda Tula is a luxury tented safari camp located in a private nature reserve in South Africa. The safari game drives offer a phenomenal concentration of Africa’s game. This photo gallery describes a hunt of Cape buffalo by two lioness sisters, negotiation of a boundary dispute by two male rhinos, and an attack of a Land Rover’s mud flap by two very young hyenas.
Tanda Tula Singers Video - 2016
This video shows a traditional music and dance performance by members of the Tanda Tula staff. Their performance was presented as a gift to the camp guests, just before dinner. I edited the video and sent it as a return gift to the performers, and was told by return email that it was a big hit. All of the staff members were exceptionally welcoming and friendly. Interacting with them was a pleasure, making the camp seem like home during my stay.
Scuba Diving Bonaire Video - 2016
This is a video slideshow of reef fish I photographed on the Caribbean island of Bonaire in January 2016. Shots of other forms of sea life, divers and Captain Don's Habitat resort are included. Camera was Canon SL1 in Ikelite housing with two DS161 strobes.
These images are artistic renderings of reef fish photographed in Bonaire. The process is to complete technical correction edits in Lightroom, and then create artistic effects using the SnapArt program. Texture may be added using several Flypaper overlays with different blend modes. Results are often surprising and pleasing.
Amsterdam is a beautiful and fascinating city with canals, architectural remnants of its long history, artistic treasures and bicycles. It was built during the 16th and 17th centuries by driving wooden pilings into the soft mud to support buildings. Canals were dug for transportation of goods from its port and for protection. A morning city walking tour with a private guide was followed by an afternoon at the world famous Rijksmusem.
Venice is regarded as one of the world's most beautiful cities. Known as the city of canals and the city of romance, Venice is unique. It is situated on more than 100 small islands separated by canals, but joined by foot bridges. There are no bicycles or motor scooters or cars. The citizens walk or ride boats. Located in a lagoon several miles from the Italian mainland, it offered escape from invading barbarians when originally formed in 450 CE during the fall of Rome.
Due to its artistic and architectural heritage, Florence is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is also the birthplace of the Renaissance. Following the middle ages and beginning in the 15th century, the Renaissance was a rebirth of humanistic values, philosophy, art, methods of inquiry (science) and governance.
My purpose of touring Florence was to learn about the city’s history and to view original Renaissance artworks, palaces and monuments. The amount, quality and historical significance of art is nearly overwhelming, especially when compressed into two days of touring.
The beautiful city of Rome displays a span of history extending 2500 years. Casual strolls on city streets reveal ancient architecture, monuments, fountains and statues. Visitors are amazed by engineering marvels such as the Pantheon dome and still functional drinking fountains fed by early Roman aqueducts. We also view remnants of the transition from pagan religions to Christianity.
Pompeii is an ancient Italian city near Naples which was buried in volcanic ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE. The city and remains of its inhabitants were frozen in time for nearly 2000 years. In modern times, the city was uncovered revealing how the people solved everyday problems, built a vibrant city and community, and expressed themselves in art.
My 2015 tour of the Athens Acropolis and ancient city of Mycenae allowed me to view treasures of artwork and architecture extending back 3500 years. It is amazing that the structures have survived weather, war, invasions, rebuilding and re-purposing after such a long period. Much of what I saw was tightly integrated with survival needs and ancient Greek mythology.
This 1996 two week tour of India included adventures in both villages and cities. India is a land of contrasts. It includes great beauty and generosity, but also the ugliness of poverty and discrimination. Its Hindu caste system places the Brahmin holy men in the most privileged caste, but many citizens are in the lowest untouchable, beggar and prostitute caste. Caste determines how one may earn a living. Women are the victims of patriarchy (ownership by men). The Atheist Centre in Vijayawada and the Rationalist movement in Madras have many humanitarian programs to right those wrongs.
Tokyo Festivals and Harajuku Dancers – 1983
Photos include city street scenes, festivals of ancient origins, temple scenes, traditional architectures which blend with nature, iris viewing, and the teenage dancers of Harajuku. The dancers emulate American teen rock and roll dancers of the 1950s.
Photos include Beijing street scenes, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Ming Tombs and the Great Wall of China.
Scenes include rural life, traditional performers, scuba diving in Punta Bulata, jeepney vehicles, landscapes and seascapes.
Formerly, Kyoto was the Imperial capital of Japan for more than one thousand years. Photos include temples, traditional architecture and landscapes, classical art performers, street scenes and the famous Golden Pavilion.
A several day tour of Hong Kong Island presented views of harbor scenes, city life, shrine scenes and traditional stage performers.
Scenes include high speed taxi boats, the floating market, temples and classical arts.
Living in Tokyo for a year provided many opportunities to photograph festivals, classical performers, everyday street scenes and cherry blossom viewing.
Bali is truly an enchanted island of stunning natural beauty. It is a photographers dream to visit. Scenes include a village performance of the iconic traditional Kecak Dance, Fire Man Dance, street scenes, landscapes and underwater marine life.
This gallery shows a variety of Caribbean marine life and describes scuba diving experiences in Bonaire and Grand Cayman.
All photos by Jerry Rauser,
except those in which I appear.