Safari Photography

Xplosion

Xplosion

Suspended / Banned
Messages
276
Edit My Images
Yes
Hey,

I was going on Safari in two weeks - Going to the Ngorongoro and Serengeti, can't wait :) (Woohooo) and was wondering if any of you guys had any advice for shooting out in the bush,

I would also love to see some images you guys might have got if you've been out on Safari,

I just bought a 70-300 VR and guess I should start practicing with that for now but you can't learn without asking!!
 
Hi

I had a day in Pilanesberg Game Reserve in South Africa when I was there on business back in January.

My biggest tip is a bit obvious but get the shutter speed as fast as you possibly can!!! I struggled with light big time but it was raining for most of the day!

I was shooting with my 70-200 and 1.7TC so 340mm and it was not long enough for most of the day. Don't forget about landscape shots too.

My Safari Pics 1
My Safari Pics 2
My Safari Pics 3
My Safari Pics 4
 
Went to SA a year or so ago - did the drive along the Garden Route which was not much to shout home about picture wise. Then went onto two separate reserves for a week each. The first was fantastic - dawn/dusk drives - masses of knowledge and a real respect for the animals. The second was a lot different. Fast landrover drives but their respect for the animals was nil. So read up lots and lots before you decide where you go. If you PM me, I will try and remember the names of where we went.
 
Tanzania can be very very hot and surprisingly humid
Take silica gel and a plastic bag to keep the kit dry - especially if you're staying somewhere with aircon!
 
Because a pride had a recent kill (a giraffe) we were able to get up close to 7 of these guys. They were too full to move.
Lion9.jpg
[/IMG]
 
My one experience was in South Africa. The thing I didn't fully appreciate before I went was that there would be a lot of low light shooting. You are taken out early morning before the sun is up and again late afternoon so you return in the dark. Great for seeing things and not being too hot but means high iso and wide apertures to try and get the shutter speeds.

My 100-400 was an ideal range but it would have been nice to have f2.8 available. Link to my pics is in my sig.
 
I've spent over 6 months photographing wildlife in sub-Saharan Africa.

In Tanzania, you will be in a vehicle with a roof (certainly in Ngorongoro and Serengetti) so a beanbag is a good idea to rest on windows or out of the roof hatch.

Be wary of always shooting out of the roof. You are often too high and get a viewpoint looking down on animals (what I call "cat in the kitchen"). Use the side windows too.

Learn your kit very well, things can happen quickly. If you get the chance, practice in a zoo or safari park before you go.

Listen to your guide - he is the expert.

There are some of my pics on www.beastall.com if you want a look. I've got nothing from Tanzania on the web (my last trip on film) but there is some Kenya stuff there.

Paul
 
Hey,

Cheers for the trips, I was brought up in Tanzania so know the area/people and wildlife pretty inside out but its my first trip with my DSLR so fingers crossed,

I heard about a beanbag with a camera mount on it, might look into that and shall keep in mind about side window shots!!

Some of those pics are amazing!!
 
Xplosion said:
Hey,

I was going on Safari in two weeks - Going to the Ngorongoro and Serengeti, can't wait :) (Woohooo) and was wondering if any of you guys had any advice for shooting out in the bush,

I would also love to see some images you guys might have got if you've been out on Safari,

I just bought a 70-300 VR and guess I should start practicing with that for now but you can't learn without asking!!
Click to expand...

I've done safaris in Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Zambia, and South Africa.
(And that's just Africa...).

300mm is not enough for wildlife. 400mm plus is minimum. 600mm plus is necessary for birding. Handholding is obviously very difficult, but a tripod is not a solution as it is impossible to use one in a safari vehicle with running engine. On 'standard' safari game drives you get best results NOT with a dSLR system, but with a superzoom camera with good built-in AS (anti-shake, a.k.a. VR – Vibration Reduction). Sometimes you can use a beanbag (and when you can it works wonders!).
Africa oozes with light! It is absolutely fabulous. A photographer's dream. So you can use a 'CP' (circular polarizer) to excellent advantage. And with a CP you don't need a UV filter.

1440mm equivalent:
WFJCheetah0411-40.jpg
 
DollyBuster said:
300mm is not enough for wildlife. 400mm plus is minimum. 600mm plus is necessary for birding.
Click to expand...

Disagree. Certainly true for portraits, but 300mm can get some very nice views of animals in their environment. 300mm is 450 equivalent on a digital body.

DollyBuster said:
Handholding is obviously very difficult, but a tripod is not a solution as it is impossible to use one in a safari vehicle with running engine.
Click to expand...

Good point. Ask the guide to turn off the engine when stopped - most good ones do anyway. I've got a thread here that shows support options, including tripod. But it is pretty specialist and won't work in a shared vehicle.

DollyBuster said:
On 'standard' safari game drives you get best results NOT with a dSLR system, but with a superzoom camera with good built-in AS (anti-shake, a.k.a. VR – Vibration Reduction). Sometimes you can use a beanbag (and when you can it works wonders!).
Africa oozes with light! It is absolutely fabulous.
Click to expand...

Disagree. Most interesting pictures are taken in morning and evening when light is low. Poor ISO performance of a bridge camera is a limiting factor for decent pictures.

DollyBuster said:
So you can use a 'CP' (circular polarizer) to excellent advantage. And with a CP you don't need a UV filter.
Click to expand...

CP is good advice for the middle of the day - can help bring out sky detail too

Paul
 
I was just going to post a similar question as I am also off on safari - so thank you for the excellent Tips folks.

I would ask one question on distances though. I currently have a canon 75-300 USM paired with a Canon 400D.. will this be long enough?
As a second option I am considering getting a 100-400 IS in the next 2 monthss . ( possibly sooner with canon running its cashback offer)
 
grumpybadger said:
Originally Posted by DollyBuster
Handholding is obviously very difficult, but a tripod is not a solution as it is impossible to use one in a safari vehicle with running engine.
Click to expand...
Good point. Ask the guide to turn off the engine when stopped - most good ones do anyway. I've got a thread here that shows support options, including tripod. But it is pretty specialist and won't work in a shared vehicle.
Click to expand...

Often it is not wise/unsafe to switch off the engine, so drivers are forbidden to.

Originally Posted by DollyBuster
On 'standard' safari game drives you get best results NOT with a dSLR system, but with a superzoom camera with good built-in AS (anti-shake, a.k.a. VR – Vibration Reduction). Sometimes you can use a beanbag (and when you can it works wonders!).
Africa oozes with light! It is absolutely fabulous.
Click to expand...

Originally Posted by grumpybadger
Disagree. Most interesting pictures are taken in morning and evening when light is low. Poor ISO performance of a bridge camera is a limiting factor for decent pictures.
Click to expand...

Poor ISO performance is a problem in low light situations. A half hour after sun up there is no low light in Africa. The sun blazes! Up until sundown, after which it will be pitch dark within 10 minutes.
 
Xplosion said:
I just bought a 70-300 VR and guess I should start practicing with that for now but you can't learn without asking!!
Click to expand...

For a first trip (I assume) a 70-300 VR is probably fine on a crop body, and listen to Mr Grumpybadger as he does have experience out there and gives good advice. :)

Which brings me to some of the more contentious postings that were hidden amongst some of the gems posted by DollyBuster . :eek:

All I can say is I must have been doing it all wrong these past few years. :thinking:

I'd love to see references where it says the drivers are forbidden to switch their engines off and in which locations. Grumpybadger's experiences seem to be the opposite, as do mine. I've been to different areas so I'm looking forward to being educated about this little fact so I can plan my next trips to Africa accordingly! I'm not going to any game reserves where they have to keep the engines running. :thumbs:

Light! Light! Light! So much I never know what do with it all. :D Well, low light higher ISO shooting to get those early and late shots when the light is at it's best is a must. Not forgetting you need to keep a high enough shutter speed in that light to steady those mega telephotos. Or am I wrong? Maybe I'll just shoot at the brightest parts of the day when the light is harshest and churn out a load of rubbish pictures... Again. ;) Oh and has anyone shot animals and birds that are sitting under the shade of a tree? It can get quite dark under there. ;)

And back to Mr Xplosion. My latest thread started only the other day, and with a few East African birds is here. http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=67946
If you have a look at my profile you will also spot other threads I started ages ago with some older film shots from Africa.

Have fun! :)

To Oxygen. The Canon 100-400 makes an excellent all round lens for a safari and was the one I chose for my first trip there. Just remember to take a wide-angle as well if you can. :thumbs:
 
The 300mm will suffice for length, I must admit I use the canon 100 - 400 as the lens of choice o te last couple of safaris that I have done.

Light is one of the biggest issues as often the best sightings / Shots are first thing in the morning or late evening.

Having the engine stopped when ever posible does help with vibrations.

I have tied a string to my bean bags so they can be recovered if dropped.

But most of all Have fun:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top