1. Sunrise and sunset are the golden hours. Those minutes before the sun just reaches above the horizon or just after it sets are a magical time for photography. Luckily your game drives start before sunrise and end after sunset. Observe the light and plan your moment. The guides are very accommodating and will stop for a photo if you ask them to.
2. Consider a different perspective. There are many ways to photograph wildlife and landscapes. Often it is easy to concentrate on only getting front views of animals when a more interesting shot may be from behind. I was intrigued by curve of the horns and was able to capture the best shot from behind.
A client captured these lions cubs strolling down the road in the early morning. From behind he was able to highlight that, while they were walking away from the safari vehicle, turned back ears demonstrate that they are very aware of what is behind them. |
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3. Try it and you might like it.
Many of the most interesting images are made at the limits of what you think are possible. I love the mood this photo evokes of the ending of the day. Long gone are the days of film when you have to wait to see how your shots turned out. As long as there is light, there are photographs that can be made, so don’t be afraid to take lots of photos to see what happens. You may be pleasantly surprised with
the results, as I was here.
4. Capture a moment. Wildlife photography requires patience. I took over 40 shots to capture this moment. The baby would look away, crawl underneath mom where it was partially hidden or there would be branches and leaves in the way. Use your motor drive to take a series of photos. Usually things are moving too quickly to be able to predict when the best shot will be. Be sure to bring an extra memory card so you aren't caught short and run out of space when the perfect shot comes your way.
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5. Find a good composition and play with it. This Dassie just posed for us and I was able to get a decent photo of the animal. By zooming in, focusing on the eye and cropping the background improved the composition.
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6.Focus on the eyes. When the eyes are sharp it doesn't matter if the rest of the animal is out of focus. Also, when you get the sun reflected in the eye it creates a much more interesting composition drawing your eye to the white spec.
7. Creating mood. Sometimes it is possible to concentrate so much on getting sharp photos that we miss an opportunity to express a mood. Here the photo where the sun is obscured by dust and the vehicle, and most of the photo, is not sharp.
8. Get close. It is easy to focus on the large game but be sure to take a moment and look at the small stuff. Smaller creatures offer an opportunity to bring out detail and textures that are easy to over look when looking at large game. I was eating lunch when I spied this handsome fellow on a tree. I waited until the sun highlighted his beautiful colors. I could have used a flash but I didn't want harsh shadows and the flash may have scared him off.
