As I sit back and reflect on my 9 day trip to
Tanzania, I am left with memories so vivid I still feel like I am there in the
safari vehicle on the Serengeti plains. It was there where I first noticed a
herd of wildebeest off in the distance. From my seat they appeared to be trees
on the landscape as far as the eye could see. But as we drove closer, what I thought
were trees on the edge of the Acadia woodlands turned into the form of
wildebeest. I realized that I was witnessing one of the world’s most spectacular
migrations … the wildebeest migration.
As we approached the large herd we slowed our
vehicle and entered. Like magic they parted and closed in behind as if to
welcome us as one of their own. It is then that we stood from our seats and
peered out of the open canopy, cameras still at our sides and silently scanned
the landscape in all directions. As far as our eyes could see, wildebeest and
zebra grazed on the open fields and we realized we were witnessing one of the
sights we had all dreamed of.
Our guide, Emanuel, estimated the herd between 400k
and 500k and was probably the main herd of the migrating 1.5million animals
that make this annual trek from where we were, westward over the Grumati River and
then north for the infamous Mara River crossing and into Kenya before their
return for the calving season near the eastern border of the Serengeti and
Ngorongoro conservation areas.
Slowly we lifted our cameras into position, me, a
camera body with my Sigma 150-500 and a second camera body with a Sigma 12-24mm
wide angle lens. That is when the action started. As if on cue, the silence
turned to the sound of shutters firing and joyous sounds from all 5 of us as we
captured the animals jumping and moving in all directions. The more they moved,
the more excited we got, the faster the animals began to run in different
directions.
This stirred the wildebeest even more... from a slow and
steady movement, they turned to erratic movement and panic shrouded in a cloud of
dust as they tried to escape an unknown foe, our land rover.
This is what a visit to Tanzania is all about. Appreciating
the incredibly beautiful and diverse African landscapes that have formed long
before man could even measure time and admiring the animals that dot this
amazing landscape as merely a perfect decoration to this ancient land.
As photographers though, we were also there to come
home with amazing photos. Preparation and executing playing a huge role to
achieve that goal. So how do you prepare yourself and your gear to get the
photos of a lifetime, and how to you make sure you execute in the moment?
One – A
ritual of cleaning lenses and the camera, making sure you have enough batteries
and memory before you leave and making sure the camera and gear are in good
working order is something that should be done constantly. This should be done
before you leave for the safari drive and a few times throughout the day.
Two – Constantly
check your exposure throughout the day. The weather conditions can change
constantly during the day and if you shoot in manual, the light is far
different in the morning than it is at mid-day. Making constant adjustments
will ensure you do not get drastically under exposed or over exposed photos.
Three –
Take the right gear with you. There is nothing worse than realizing that your
telephoto lens was not long enough or too long. Have a range of lenses with
you. I take a few different lenses that range from 12mm to 500mm and a few
camera bodies to make sure I have the correct lens for the situation.
Four –
Care of your gear in harsh conditions. On a safari you will be driving in a
vehicles with large windows and an open roof. Sun and dust are not a friend of
camera gear. When not using your camera and lenses make sure they are stored
safely on the seat beside you and cover them with a blanket to keep the sun and
dust off of them. On my safari’s my attendees get a row to themselves with two
seats. One to sit in and the other to place their camera bag to store gear and
make it readily accessible.
Five – Ask
your guide and accompanying pro photographer questions. Both should be a wealth
of knowledge on animal behaviour and how to maximize photography opportunities
that you will see on a safari. I have a guide, Emanuel that use exclusively. He
is a wealth of knowledge on animal behaviours and all the species we encounter
and I am always available to help the workshop attendees how to get the angles
and shots that they dreamed of capturing on a safari. Emanuel and I also work
together to make sure that the vehicle placement maximizes the natural light and proper backgrounds to make
your photo subjects pop from the image.
Six –
Take as many photos as you can from all different points of view. This is the
digital age, it does not cost you to take 100 photos of an animal sitting
there. You never know when a lion will yawn, or a hippo will bolt from the water,
mouth gaping open and thrashing in the water.
Seven – Go
through your photos every day with your workshop or tour leader. That one on
one time at night back at the lodge is invaluable for your learning experience.
Having constant feedback in the environment will only make you better every
day.
Eight – Practice before you leave for your safari.
You will be doing a lot of hand holding of your telephoto lenses. Practicing
stabilizing the camera and shooting moving animals will make you a better
photographer before you step foot in Africa.
Nine – Do your own research on animal photos before
you leave for your safari. We each have our own styles and only you can take
that photo… your guides and PRO photographer can put you in the right location
and give you all the advice they can, but at the end of the day, it’s all up to
you to click that shutter and get that shot of a lifetime.
Ten – Go
with a company that is experienced and offers more than just a trip. While the
trip itself is great, make sure they think about the little things… water for
long hot days, safe environments to stay in, airport pick up and drop off to
make sure you and you gear are safe. These little touches are often overlooked
and can have a large impact on your African experience.
I hope you can join me on one of my workshops. They
are a great learning environment and we always have lots of laughs.
See my workshops here… http://www.photographers-lounge.com/international-workshops/
See my next African Safari here.. http://www.photographers-lounge.com/international-workshops/2014-workshops/tanzania-photo-safari/
No comments:
Post a Comment