Pic(k) of the Month - June 2026

Each month, I’ll be choosing three of my favourite photos as finalists for my “Pic(k) of the Month” series. The criteria are simple – the photos must have been taken (by me) within that calendar month and do not need to be flawless; rather, it’s a subjective selection of photos that tell a story, evoke an emotion, or showcase something interesting. Finalists are posted on my Ko-Fi page two days before the “reveal” right here on my blog site.

My June 2026 selection comes from a chilly and overcast weekend spent in the South-East Lowveld. Following the incredible rainy season, the bush was still vibrant (although grasses were beginning to die back in places). A quiet walk one morning resulted in two of the finalist photos, while the third was taken before an evening “bush braai” on the banks of the Bubye River.

And the winner is… Stalwarts of the Woodland

Close-canopy mopane woodland is endlessly photogenic, but sometimes needs a subject for scale. Walking along a red-sand track with my kids in the early morning was already a pleasurable experience, and then this mother and calf giraffe stepped out of the trees a couple of hundred metres off. They paused, looked down the road towards us, and then slowly turned and ambled off up the road – not in a panic but obviously not confident about seeing humans on foot. Those several seconds of eye contact, the red soil contrasting with the greenness of the mopane leaves, and the quietness of the morning are what clinched first place for this image for me.

The Runners Up

The Sentinels

Also in contention was a photo of baboons, taken on the same walk. A troop was foraging amongst the trees, and as we came to a crossroad, we noticed a few pausing nearby. We waited a while, laughing (quietly, to avoid scaring them) at an adolescent walking backwards as if he was doing the “moonwalk”. Then a mother and infant came out and sat in the middle of the road, framed by two of her troop mates. Very carefully, I raised my camera – because primates here don’t like being pointed at – and managed to squeeze off a few frames. I really like the symmetry of this photo (which I cropped slightly to a 16:9 aspect ratio).

Patience Comes in Many Guises

A wander down to the banks of the Bubye River soon before sunset generated this photo. In the absence of trees to perch on, a female pied kingfisher rested on a rock. Unable to get into the river channel because it would’ve disturbed the bird, I got as low as possible and captured a small-in-frame shot, to juxtapose the small bird against the wide riverbed and meandering channel. I was tempted to warm the image up a little, but held off as it was an overcast and cool day and the muted palette captured the mood better. If I’d managed to get 50 centimetres lower, to get better background separation, this might’ve made it to the top of my subjective podium.

Do you agree with my selection? Would you have chosen differently?

If you like my content, please consider buying me a coffee. A portion of all donations supports Dambari Wildlife Trust's research, conservation and outreach activities in the Matobo Hills.

[Photos (c) The Rambling Zimbo.  Camera body: OM System OM-5 Mk1; Lenses M.Zuiko 75-300 f/4.8-6.7 II and M.Zuiko 12-45 f/4 Pro. Post-processing in DXO PhotoLab 8].