| I've been practising wildlife photography on safari for | | | | comes to him who waits is a very relevant saying |
| over twenty years now in places like the Kruger | | | | for wildlife photography. Patience will help you get |
| National Park, Chobe, Okavango Delta, and Hwange | | | | better photographs because you will be able to take |
| game reserves and these four tips have been | | | | pictures of animal behaviour that you would |
| indispensable in making sure that I get some decent | | | | otherwise have missed.The role of luck mustn't be |
| wildlife photographs.1. The Right EquipmentI believe | | | | underestimated either. There is no guarantee of what |
| that you can't beat the quality of film but that digital | | | | you will encounter in a game reserve and whatever |
| offers wildlife photography practitioners more options | | | | you do get to see and photograph is a matter of a |
| at a better cost so for the purposes of a safari trip | | | | little bit of planning and a lot of good fortune.4. Light |
| a digital camera is your best bet.It should have some | | | | and CompositionBecause you are at the mercy of |
| of the following characteristics to qualify as a good | | | | the elements in wildlife photography, you don't have |
| safari camera.There should be little or no lag between | | | | too much control over the light. Flash is of no use |
| the time you depress the shutter release button and | | | | when the animal is at a distance and you can't wait |
| the photo is taken. Some of the compact digitals on | | | | for better light conditions because the subject could |
| the market today suffer from this affliction and it's | | | | move off at any moment so you need to make the |
| not ideal when you come across fast moving wildlife | | | | best of what you have.And due to the habits of |
| subjects.It should be ready to take photographs at a | | | | nocturnal species you will find yourself taking lots of |
| moments notice because that is sometimes all the | | | | pictures in low light conditions at dawn and dusk |
| time you have before an animal disappears into the | | | | which is why a fast lens and a dead rest is essential. |
| undergrowth. No long power up cycle.Due to the fact | | | | Using bracketing (changing the exposure by one stop |
| that most of your nocturnal wildlife sightings on safari | | | | up and down) will also help get the optimal exposure |
| will occur during early morning and dusk it needs to | | | | in the available light.What you do have some control |
| be able to function well in low light conditions as well | | | | over is the position of the safari vehicle which can be |
| as bright sunlight during the day for the diurnal | | | | moved to change the aspect of light that is falling on |
| animals.Lenses should have a focal length of at least | | | | the animal somewhat but even that is sometimes not |
| 70mm for adequate wildlife photography and an | | | | possible because in most reserves you are not |
| image stabiliser is not essential but a great help in | | | | allowed to go off-road and moving might scare the |
| eliminating blur.Another piece of equipment that is | | | | subject away.Composition is something you do have |
| essential however is a deadrest in the form of a | | | | more control of however and you can apply the rule |
| beanbag or a window mounted tripod that you can | | | | of thirds and framing using the available vegetation |
| rest the camera on to help stabilise the long lenses. | | | | just as well as in any other form of photography.Be |
| Handholding a long lens will often lead to blurring and | | | | especially careful using the autofocus on your camera |
| the dead rest will prevent this. A tripod or monopod | | | | because it will cheerfully focus on a twig or tuft of |
| is impractical because you will be taking photos from | | | | grass close to your animal subject and spoil your |
| the safari vehicle for most of the time.2. The Best | | | | composition.You will also need to make your |
| Wildlife Photography AreasYou can have all the right | | | | compositional decisions quickly as wildlife often |
| equipment and the best wildlife photography talent in | | | | doesn't hang about long waiting for you to make |
| the world but it won't mean much if you can't find | | | | your mind up so it pays to have a solid foundation in |
| any wildlife to take pictures of.Some areas in Africa | | | | the basics.Collection of African safari pictures |
| are better in terms of safari photography than | | | | depicting most of the animals you can see on safari |
| others. The top five for getting excellent overall | | | | like lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, crocodile, |
| wildlife picture opportunities are:Kenya - Masai Mara | | | | chimpanzee, baboon, gorilla, rhino and many more |
| Tanzania - Serengeti | | | | species.The five best African lion safari destinations |
| South Africa - Kruger National Park | | | | will give you some excellent opportunities to take |
| Botswana - Moremi | | | | photographs of the king of the jungle. |
| Namibia - Etosha3. Patience and LuckEverything | | | | |