It’s Worth It

It’s not always about the size.

I suppose it’s with good reason though.  Lions, leopards and cheetahs are without a doubt some of the most sought after photographic subjects out in the bush but don’t forget about the small cats.

The African Wild Cat is one of the more seldomly seen cats in Madikwe.  Actually, it’s more correct to say that they are some of the more difficult cats to photograph.  They are small, secretive and normal disappear into the thickets before you can even say f-stop.

In order to be ready to grab quick shots like this it is important to know that your camera is ready.  All too often I see people fumble with settings, pushing buttons and scrolling wheels in order to get ready to take the shot.  Not take the shot, but just try and get ready for the shot.

The first part of being ready it to know your camera and how to change the various settings.  ISO, aperture and exposure compensation are a few of the things you should be able to change without even taking the camera away from your face.  A second very important habit you can try and get into is to have a standby mode for your camera that you check each time you head out into the field.

My standby position is:

- Mode:  Aperture Priority
- Aperture:  f/4 (two stops higher than the lens minimum & easy to quickly change up or down)
- ISO: 400 (normally quite early so easy to quickly change up or down)
- Memory Card Checked and Formatted
- Bracketing: Off

All too often I have been out in the morning when a fantastic photographic opportunity presents itself and… yeah.  Wrong settings.  My two personal ‘favorites’ that I forget about all the time is ISO and bracketing but the more times I make the mistake, the less I start making them.  Make sense?

To make sure you always get the shot learn how to use your camera and make it a habit to check your camera before you head out.

Even if you get one more shot than usual it’ll be worth it!

Gerry