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