Text and images by Australian wildlife and nature photographer, Michael Snedic
Africa is a true wildlife photographers ‘paradise’. Yes, the phrase ‘paradise’ may be a cliché and overused but in the case of Africa, it certainly is true. The African continent is, of course, made up of many different countries, with most of them having plenty of unique wildlife photography opportunities. I have travelled to Africa many times over the years to present photographic safaris to destinations such as Kenya, Tanzania, Sabi Sabi Reserve, Namibia, Botswana, Madagascar and the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda (Mountain Gorillas). Each and every location has been truly awesome!
Best Way to Get Around
There is no doubt in my mind that the best way to visit countries in Africa with the aim of photographing wildlife is to seek out a reputable African Safari company. Once you find one, they will work with you to stylise an individual itinerary that suits your requirements and budget. I have been working with one African safari specialist for many years now and I wouldn’t go any other way! You may want to photograph particular wildlife species which are most prevalent at certain times and in particular areas, so having a professional to fine-tune your itinerary is a definite advantage.
Best Countries to Visit for Wildlife Photography
Kenya
For a photographer who is planning to go to Africa for the first time, I highly recommend visiting Kenya first. Each and every time I have gone there with a group, I am blown away by the sheer variety and number of wildlife species we get to see and photograph (and often at very close proximity.) I personally like to choose private game reserves in Kenya, where you are able to go ‘off road’ to reach the wildlife rather than having to stay on the designated roads. Also, safari vehicles are limited to just a handful at any one time so you don’t have scenarios where dozens of vehicles are racing to get the best position for an individual animal. In these reserves, the safari guides know each and every corner of the place and can take you to where different individuals or herds go to eat, rest, play or groom each other. On one occasion we drove out to a particular tree that an individual leopard climbed every morning around sunrise. Sure enough, just as the sun was rising, the said leopard walked to that exact tree and started climbing. The perfect opportunity to photograph the quintessential ‘leopard silhouette’. Another example is where lions form a herd where males, females and cubs will often all be together. The experienced safari guides usually know where they usually stay and rest/play and at what times.
Within Kenya, the Massai Mara is a great area to visit. Here the wildlife numbers are quite amazing and wildlife are generally quite relaxed. So often we have had cheetahs walking metres from our safari vehicles (often they jump on the bonnet of the car!), as do herds of elephants and giraffes. To be so incredibly close to these majestic animals and to be able to photograph them easily is a very special experience indeed.
Botswana
Botswana is another great country to visit if you are wanting to photograph a variety of African wildlife. There are the usual methods of going out with safari guides in vehicles but you can also take guided canoe trips on places like the Chobe River. Here you experience wildlife in a completely different way, including hippos in the water, which is their natural habitat. You may see elephants drinking or wallowing in the mud or various birds perched on trees along the river’s banks. In Botswana you can regularly see and photograph the ‘Big Five’: the lion, leopard, rhino, African elephant and Cape buffalo. Apart from the diversity of wildlife, the country is also has stunningly beautiful landscapes. The fact that the animals are so habituated and used to people and vehicles makes approaching them quite easy.
Tanzania
The fact that Tanzania , in east Africa, boasts an impressive number of wildlife (over four million!), which include an amazing 430 species, makes this African country another favourite on many wildlife photographers.
One popular destination is the Serengeti, Tanzania’s oldest National Park. At almost anytime throughout the year, it offers fabulous game drive experiences. The annual wildebeest migration, as they travel north, is a favourite for many wildlife photographers. Between July and August (??)is generally the best time to go to experience this once-in-a-lifetime event, as the wildebeest move in staggering numbers into Kenya’s Massai Mara, crossing the Mara River.
A personal favourite of mine is Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The area includes vast expanses of forests, savanna and highland plains. It includes the incredible Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest caldera. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers more than 809 000 hectares and the sheer number of wildlife that live there has to be seen to be believed. Being watched and protected around the clock by multiple anti-poaching teams means that species such as rhino are relatively safe from poachers.
Volcanoes National Park – Rwanda
For a truly breathtaking experience, you can’t go past a stay at Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, to see and photograph the ‘gentle giants’ of Africa – the Mountain Gorillas. I have had the privilege of going on treks to see the gorillas on six occasions and each time I have been so incredibly moved by the experience. You can stay at one of the lodges or guestahouses in the valley and get driven to the base of the national park early in the morning. There you are assigned a group to go with and experienced guides will take you on a hike in search of a designated Mountain Gorilla family. For photographers, I strongly recommend you pay for a porter (relatively cheap) to carry your camera gear. This not only makes your climb easier but gives much-needed work to locals.
Sometimes you may only need to hike a very short distance to reach the gorillas and other times you may spend many hours climbing up to find the group you are seeking. No matter how long it takes to get to your gorilla group, you are guaranteed an hour with the Mountain Gorillas. Each time I have visited the national park I have gone to a different family group and each time they have been very relaxed by our presence. Taking a photo of a lone Silverback as he walks straight past you or a group of young Mountain Gorillas wrestling is an experience you will never forget.
Best Times of Day to Photograph African Wildlife
On most of the safari camps I haver stayed at, we awake pre-sunrise and start the day with a tea or coffee, before heading out in small groups in safari vehicles, driven by experienced guides. We are already out before sunrise, as we want to be amongst the wildlife as the sun is rising. This is definitely the best time to see and photograph most wildlife. On a recent photo safari I presented in Kenya, our guide drove my group and I to a couple of locations right on top of the savanna plains where giraffes regularly walked. He then positioned the vehicle so the rising sun was behind them. We then photographed giraffes silhouetted against the vivid orange sunrise. After this, we drove around looking for any wildlife we could find. The ‘golden hour’, as it is known in photography circles, is a magical time to be out photographing animals. That subtle, golden light is hard to beat. We normally return back to camp before lunch where we have a bit of a rest, download photos or wander around the base with your camera. We then have lunch and relax, before heading out a few hours before sunset in the safari vehicles ,once again in search of wildlife.
Suggested Photographic Equipment
Long Lens
Even though the wildlife in Africa may often at close proximity to you, there are many occasions where they are further away. This is why I always recommend bringing along a lens with a large focal length. Telephoto lenses such as a 500mm or 600mm f4 are incredibly sharp and fast to focus, but they are also very heavy to transport around. Using a zoom lens with a decent focal length is handy as you are able to recompose your shot quite easily by zooming your lens in or out.
Photographer’s Beanbags and Gimbals
For larger, heavier lenses beanbags are an essential item in your safari vehicle (I always request beanbags at every safari camp I stay at), as they help stabilise the heavy lenses, especially in low light. These are filled with either rice, seeds or beans, but NOT polystyrene, as this filling is way too light to stabilise heavier lenses and cameras. By nestling the heavy lens and camera into the beanbag, you will be surprised as to how well they stabilise your gear.
Some safari vehicles are fitted out especially for photographers. They have permanently affixed gimbals which you attach a heavy lens and camera to. These gimbals are designed to help you move your camera effortlessly in most directions, using a very smooth, non-jerking action.
Monopod
A monopod can also be used to help stabilise larger lenses and are quite easy to cart around with you. I prefer using a dedicated monopod head attached to the monopod, which then attaches to the collar of the heavier lenses. Monopods are especially useful when your safari vehicle is stationary or when you are actually on land with your guide, such as back at base.
Capturing Fast-Moving Animals
There aren’t many things more exciting than photographing a cheetah chasing down its prey or a pride of female lions hunting! To do this, you definitely need to use a very fast shutter speed, with a minimum of at least 2500th of a second . I suggest setting your camera to either manual mode or shutter priority so that your camera’s shutter speed will take priority. In lower light situations, you may need to increase your ISO settings quite high. Too much noise can easily be removed by programs such as Topaz DeNoise, but an image taken at a lower ISO and therefore a lower shutter speed, creates a blurry image which in most cases cannot be ‘saved’.
For many of the current mirrorless cameras out on the market nowadays, the eye-tracking focus features are quite amazing. When you have locked focus on the eye of a fast-moving animal such as a cheetah running, you simply follow the individual and press the shutter button. Combine eye-tracking focus with burst mode and you have a much higher change of nailing that exact action shot you were hoping for.
Animals in the Environment
There is an ever-growing trend in the world of wildlife photography to capture animals in stunning environments, rather than close-up portraits of animals. This is where the use of a wide-angle lens comes in extremely handy. Many of the premier wildlife photography competitions in the world have categories called ‘Animals in the Environment’ or similar and they are becoming more and more popular with photographers. Try capturing images of a variety of African wildlife species, set amongst truly beautiful African landscape backdrops.
Get Creative!
ICM – Intentional Camera Movement
When light conditions are low (such as sunrise, sunset or when dark, brooding clouds have rolled in) and its tricky to capture sharp images of wildlife, then you can also get creative by trying some intentional camera movement (ICM). This is where you set your camera to manual mode at around 30th of a second and pan with a moving mammal or flying bird. Yes, it takes a bit of practise to get it right but it’s a lot of fun trying!
Overview
Many photographers who planned on visiting Africa to photograph its wildlife as a one-off ‘bucket list’ destination, keep returning over and over again. I have heard this so many times and as someone who has been to many countries on the continent (and countries such as Kenya and Rwanda multiple times), I fully understand why. Apart from some of the countries I have recommended visiting, there are so many more choices to choose from. Countries such as Zambia, South Africa, Zambezi or Ethiopia are also well worth worth visiting. All I can say is that if you are even thinking of going to Africa to photograph its incredible array of species and in great numbers, don’t think about it. Just do it! You won’t be disappointed.
If you have a passion for wildlife, nature or travel photography and would love to go on a small-number, professional photography adventure, please get in touch with Michael Snedic at WildNature Photo Expeditions. You can call him on 0408 941 965 or fill in this Contact Form and he will get back to you ASAP.
