Driving around the bend, my heart starts racing as a couple of yet-to-identified shapes appear in the distance – strolling casually in the road.
As my hand starts reaching out to my camera, I start counting: 3 Lions? Then the guessing game comes to an end – 3 leopards! Adrenaline flow, a shaky hand grabs the camera… (this type of behaviour has an explanation and name: Kruger-Photo Fever!) …..and suddenly a whole story unfolds through the viewfinder of my camera. The adult leopard sits upright on her haunches looking out for her cub as he went exploring in the long grass. She did this not once, twice, but three times. Fortunately, my camera was ready to capture this unique moment.
There is nothing wrong about capturing a moment in your memory forever, but sometimes the moment is special enough that you wish you could look at it again and share it with friends and family.
As a wildlife photographer and regular visitor to the Kruger National Park (and resident of the small town of Phalaborwa adjacent to the park), I would like to share a bit of experience to make your next visit photographically more memorable. I derived this information from fellow-photographers, taking courses, own experience and using a bit of my own imagination.
The following are elements I incorporate in my photography in Kruger.
PHOTOGRAPHIC HOT SPOTS IN THE PARK
There is no easy answer as animals move around, and it is also seasonally determined.
These are general suggestions which might assist you though:
1. Visit Bird Hides like Lake Panic, which cater for photographers.
2. Visit waterholes, dams & rivers especially during the dry period. Predators tend to prowl near water during these periods. Various types of animal behaviour can be observed when animals come to drink. For example, elephants are extremely playful and relaxed in this environment, unless baby calves are present when then tend to be more wary of predators.
3. One of my favourite areas to visit remains the Satara area, as it provides more open areas and the photographic subjects are move visible with a simple background.
Every area of the park offers its own magic. From the abundant large trees and birdlife in the north, the waterhole at Punda Maria Camp, to the south with its more regular sightings of cats. More day visitors and safari vehicles visit the south, leading to more reported sightings. Sightings are therefore more congested and photographically it might sometimes present a challenge to get a good spot.
EYES
Always try to get the eye in focus, and check that there is light in the eye. Eyes are how we connect to animals/ people. Capturing the eyes in a wildlife photograph, you have achieved the main element of a great image.
BEST TIME OF THE DAY TO TAKE PHOTOS
1. Most people have heard about the golden hour. This is typically the hour after sunrise and before sunset, which basks animals in a soft warm light. The light is not as harsh as typical in the middle of the day.
2. Cloudy days (not heavy overcast) produce soft light and prolong your photographic hours.
BE PREPARED
1. Learn from my mistakes: Switch on your camera before leaving the camp or driving into the park. Countless occasions, I have missed shots because my camera was still switched off, or the lens cap was still on.
2. Check the light from time to time and adjust the settings accordingly, should you shoot on Aperture or Manual mode. (Auto mode will adjust the settings by itself, but also offers less control over the speed and depth of a shot.) It is quite frustrating to take a photo with a previous sight’s or day’s settings. There is sometimes simply too little time to adjust your settings as nature waits for nobody!
3. Make sure you download your memory cards on a regular basis to provide ample space for the next day’s shooting.
4. Keep the camera batteries charged. I do this as soon as I return from a drive.
LIGHT
Unless you want the animal to have rim lighting, don’t shoot into the sun. It will result in your subject being a silhouette only, and you will lose detail and colour.
ANTICIPATION OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR
Anticipation of possible behavioural trades will aid you significantly during your photographic adventures.
– Animals are normally quite wary of lurking predators at a waterhole since they tend to be vulnerable when they are drinking. This makes for good action photography, as they will start drinking and at the slightest sound or movement, react and start fleeing.
– Elephants are notorious for believing they are the ‘owners’ of any water source and don’t readily share with other thirsty animals. Yet again this provides interesting interaction and therefore photographic opportunities as the elephants will charge/shoot water at other animals which dare to try and share.
– I prefer driving with open windows. This puts me in touch with what ismhappening in my immediate surroundings. Snorting impalas, a lion’s roar, a fishneagle’s call points me in the direction of a possible sighting and/or action. The smell of a carcass will lead you in the direction of the carcass…
BACKGROUND
The simpler the background, the more your subject will stand out/‘pop’. Too much detail is distracting to the eye. The further the background is removed from the subject, the more blurred it will be, even with a basic camera lens.
GUIDELINES FOR SHUTTER SPEED:
Non-moving subjects – 1/500sec to 1/800sec. Faster when using very long lenses.
Slow-moving subjects – 1/1000s to 1/1600s (Animals walking, or running slowly).
Fast-moving subjects – 1/2500s to
1/4000s (Birds flying, animals leaping, playing, fighting).
Avoid the following:
Shadows on the animal’s face and body and/or twigs and branches covering the subjects’ face (unless back- or side lighting is utilised). This will prevent a clear shot of the face.
Camera Equipment
The basic camera gear that I use in Kruger is: Camera Bodies: Nikon D7100 and Nikon D500; Lenses: Tamron 150- 600mm, Nikon 300mm F4 and Nikon 500mm F4
