Wildlife-Photography

Patience and Swiftness

Animals in their free hunting-grounds are surely one of the most impressive themes for a photographer. Nature conservancy and National parks in southern Africa allow infinite possibilities for imposing pictures. Wildlife-Photography lives from the 'right moment'. Themes or motives appear suddenly, and sometimes disappear just as quickly again. That is why it is important to hold the camera ready at all times.

Quick response is needed when animals change posture or turn their heads. For a good shot enough patience is a necessity. Better chances are achieved when the photographer becomes acquainted with the behavioural patterns of the animals he is trying to photograph. Small examples are when for instance a lion prick's up its ears, the elephant shores its ears, or how much distance the giraffe tolerates before he will balk. To foresee an action is the best way for exceptional photos.

Film & Equipment

Photographers will probably want to bring their equipment from home, as it can be expensive in southern Africa. Although print film is now widely available, slide film is sold only in urban centers and you may not find your preferred brand. Video cartridges are widely available in Namibia, and in a few places in Botswana (Gabarone and Maun) and Zimbabwe (Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls).

Useful accessories would include a small flash, a cable release, a polarising filter, a lens-cleaning kit (fluid, tissue and aerosol), and silica-gel packs to protect against humidity. Also, remember to take spare batteries for cameras and flash units and make sure your equipment is insured. If you're using a video camera, you'll normally find 12V plugs in taxis (cigarette lighters) and hotels where you can recharge batteries. Factors that can spoil your equipment include heat, humidity, fine sand and sunlight, so take appropriate precautions.

Photography

Most people find 100 ASA adequate for most situations, but for morning or evening shots at longer focal lengths /i.e. 300 to 500mm), 400 ASA allows greater flexibility. For transparencies, you'll get the best results with Fujichrome Sensia 100, Provia 100 or Velvia 50, or Kodachrome 64.

On sunny days, the best times for photos are the first two hours after sunrise and the last two before sunset, when the shadows are the least harsh and the colors are strongest (due to color-enhancing rays cast by a low sun). At other times, colors may be washed out by harsh sunlight and glare, although you can counter this with a polarising (UV) filter. If you're shooting on sand or near water, always adjust for glare and keep your photographic equipment away from salt water and sand.

When photographing out of doors, take light readings on the subject and not the brilliant African background or your shots will be underexposed.

Photographing Animals

To score some excellent wildlife shots effortlessly, a good lightweight 35mm SLR camera, a UV filter, and a 70 to 300mm zoom or a minimum 300mm fixed-length telephoto lens should do the trick. If your subject is nothing but a speck in the distance, however, resist wasting film on it but keep the camera ready. Unless you're an experienced photographer, you may want to carry a 'point and shoot' automatic camera rather than a manual camera; once you've adjusted the aperture, exposure and focus, your subject could be long gone.