If you are a wildlife photographer and you were not inspired by Morkel’s guest post yesterday you need to check your pulse!

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is without a doubt a photographer’s paradise and all credit goes to Morkel for capturing some amazing images to showcase one of the truly wild place in southern Africa.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts and images!

I have never had the privilege to visit the KTP but have already started looking at dates for the not too distant future.  It is no longer a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’.   For now I am going to have to settle for the Pilansberg Game Reserve where I will be spending a few days next week.

On Monday morning I will be leaving Madikwe for a two week break, which feels way overdue.  The most exciting thing about my few days off is that I will be unplugging completely!  No blogs, no Facebook, no Twitter, no email!

Yeah… nothing!  I have no doubt that Adele is going to be very excited about this!  I’ll most definitely be taking my camera with on the trip but that is about as hi tec as I will be going.

It’s definitely not due to a lack of work, it’s just that when you step away from things for a while you gain a bit of perspective.  You fill up those little creative buckets.  You get a chance to focus on the things that are really important.  You get a chance to return to everything with a new vigor and renewed enthusiasm.  A notebook and pen is the only work related items I will be taking along as ideas seem to pop up at the strangest times!

Apart from a few blog-free days during January, when I was on Bangkok, this will be the longest period in almost three years that Photo-Africa will not be updated.  Not too worry, as the week after next I will be back with a lot of new posts, new images and a lot of page updates and new sections on the site.

Just in case you need your wildlife or photography fix during the week, here are a few sites you can visit with a whole lot more in the links list on the right of this page.

Grant Marcus
Grant works at the Tuningi Safari Lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve and, through his stories and images, takes you on a virtual safari.

Morkel Erasmus
A regular guest blogger on Photo-Africa, Morkel explores Southern Africa in high dynamic range.

Kerry De Bruyn
Kerry shares her fine art and wildlife images thoughts on her blog.

AfricaFreak
This is the ultimate African safari guide where you can find safari info on anything ranging from photography to interesting wildlife facts.

Bush Warriors
These guys do a fantastic job of creating an awareness to stop poaching and the bush meat trade. They also run a great Photo of the Week competition.

You could also take a few moments and sign up for the Photo-Arica newsletter as I will be sending out the first edition in week or so.  These newsletters, which will be circulated once a month, will include info on upcoming workshops and photographic safaris as well as travel and photographic tips.  You can find the link to sigh up at the top right of the blog.

After a long six weeks in the bush and some amazing sightings, I am sitting on a huge number of RAW files that I will be playing with when I return from my ‘no technology’ week.  I’ll leave you with this one from a few days ago.  Golden afternoon light makes any scene come alive but in Africa it just seems better!  (Click on the thumbnail for a larger view!)

So until next next week, somewhere around the 19th, be good!

Gerry

Wildlife photography is one of the more difficult types of photography out there.  But it doesn’t have to be.

It is all too common for someone to have a passion for both wildlife and photography which ultimately leads to wildlife photography.  The combination is beautiful and it’s almost like it was designed for each other.  Grabbing your gear and heading out into wild areas is a fantastic feeling and what makes it even more exciting is that you never know what you are going to get.  You can never count on your subjects actually playing along.

Now whatever you plan to photograph there will always be a number of basics that you need to be aware of whether technical or artistic.  If you can make sure you are on top of all the variables that you can control you will be in a much better position to create amazing wildlife & nature images.

Standing in as today’s ‘guest blogger’, in this post I will look at and explore a few of the more common questions that I have been asked in the past and sometimes still ask myself.  When I originally looked at the list of questions there were more than 40 so I thought I would start with some of the basics and, if there is a demand for more, I will keep on digging into the more advanced questions like ‘How should I expose my image when shooting elephants?’

For now, here goes with my thoughts on some of the more common questions in Wildlife Photography Q&A.

What equipment should I use for wildlife photography?

Realistically you can get away taking decent images with any modern digital camera but if you plan on taking thins a little more seriously then you need to look at getting a DSLR with interchangeable lenses.  Forget the whole Nikon vs Canon debate.  A better idea is to go to a camera store and find your own answers to the following questions:

• How much are you willing to spend?
• Does the camera comfortable in your  hands?
• Do you find the camera easy to work and operate?
  
• Are you planning to do a lot of hiking with your camera?
• Are you planning to shoot a lot of fast moving subjects like birds?  I.e. do you need a fast and responsive auto focus?
• Do you need your camera to be weather proof?

Once you have answers to these questions you are a step closer to choosing the correct DSLR for you.  Then there is the whole question of which lenses to buy.  The short version is the best you can afford but that doesn’t really help does it?  My ideal combination of lenses, some of which I am currently using, would look something like this.

• 10-20mm – A great wide angle to capture sweeping landscape shot or to get creative with larger subjects
• 50mm f/1.8 – Great for low light shooting and a lens that makes you think about what you shoot and how you shoot it.
  
• 24-70mm f/2.8 – This is a great mid length zoom lens for capturing wild animals in their natural environment.
  
• 70-200mm f/2.8 – If I could choose just one lens this would be it.  Great range, low light ability and by slapping on a tele-converter you get close to 400mm.
• 200-400mm f/4 – This is a beast and even though it is no the expensive side a fantastic lens for subjects that don’t allow you to approach too close.
• 600mm f/4 – This is the big daddy.  Takes a bit of getting used to but if you have more money than God made sheep, a definite must have.

For most of us money is an object so the above is not a real possibility.  If you had to choose one lens you could do much worse than going for a Sigma 50-500mm, Nikon 80-400mm or Canon 100-400mm.  All these lenses will give you a decent focal length and enough reach to shoot a wide variety of wild subjects.

When shooting wildlife, what should I focus on?

In general our gaze is automatically drawn to faces and, on a smaller scale, eyes.  When you are shooting animals or birds it is therefore imperative that you get the eyes sharp and in focus.  If at all possible take an extra second before clicking the shutter to make sure that your focus is locked on your subjects eyes.  If you are shooting an image which does not include an animals face or eyes you should try and focus on the area of the frame which will best convey your visual story.  Other than the eyes, our gaze gets drawn to large objects before smaller ones, diagonal lines before horizontal or vertical lines and lighter images in a dark scene or vice versa.  Think about the story you want to tell and what images will stand out which will give you the answer as to what you should focus on.

When shooting wildlife, what shutter speed should I use?

As a rule for hand held shots, in order to get crisp images, you always want to try and use a shutter speed of at least 1/focal length.  I.e. if you are using a 200mm lens you don’t want use a shutter speed of slower than 1/200.  If you want to creatively blur images to convey a sense of movement you can start going slower and pan along with your subject and if you want to capture fast moving subjects you will have to increase you shutter speed quite a bit.

When shooting wildlife, which aperture should I use?

This again depends on what visual story you want to tell.  Using a setting of f/8 as a basic, easy to use all the time setting, you can decide to:

• isolate your subject by using a larger aperture such as f/4 or f/2.8
• have the entire frame sharp by using a smaller aperture such as f/22

Aperture is probably one of the most important tools in wildlife photography and by understanding how to use it will afford you a whole new world of creative possibilities.

Does changing white balance really make a difference?

White balance must be one of the most misunderstood settings on  a digital camera.  If you shoot in RAW format you don’t have to worry about changing your white balance on the go as you can change it, quite easily, during post production.  If you are shooting in JPEG format choosing the correct white balance setting can make a world of difference.  The short version is that the white balance setting on digital cameras is designed to help the camera define pure white.  White, as we know it,  does not look the same under different lighting conditions and in order to get correct color rendition in your images you need to keep white balance in mind.  The Auto WB setting on modern cameras are quite good but can sometimes lead to disappointing results or, if you use the settings creatively, some fantastically moody shots.

If anything, the one setting you want to try out for your wildlife images is Cloudy.  If you are shooting overcast conditions this setting helps to warm up the image.  You can also set your white balance to Cloudy just as the sun drops below the horizon to punch the warmth in your images just that little bit.  Another great use for Cloudy white balance is that it warms up sunset and sunrise image beautifully!

What is the best kind of light for creating wildlife images?

How long is a piece of string.  it purely depends on what you are are shooting and how you want to portray that subject.  The main forms of light you will be faced with out in the field are:

• Front Lighting – This is your standard sun over your shoulder type of light.  It is the easiest to type of light to shoot in but can sometimes lead to slightly ‘flat’ images.  Front lighting is particularly nice when shooting birds as it makes the sky behind the bird pop very nicely.
• Back Lighting - This is probably the most difficult light to work with but the one that can create the most amazing images.  If you are faced with a subject that is backlit, you should generally try and underexpose by half a stop or so to make the edges of your subject come alive.
• Side Lighting - This type of lighting normally works best when you include some of the landscape / environment in your image.  It is great for bringing the texture of fur and feathers alive but can sometime be quite difficult to expose correctly.
• Soft Light – The easiest and most effective type of light you can hope for.  You get this kind of light on overcast days and it is perfect for general wildlife photography and macro images.

Should I shoot my wildlife images as landscapes or portraits?

It depends on what you are shooting. If you want to emphasize the height of a subject, like a giraffe or bird sitting on a branch, you could use portrait mode.  If you are shooting moving subjects running across a grassy plain you should use landscape as this will not only make it easier for you to keep up the subjects in the frame but it will also make it easier for you to leave some space in the frame into which the animals can move.  Another thought is that a lot of magazines and other publications prefer portrait images as it fits into their layout easier.  Bottom line, shoot  both and see which you like best.

How can I improve my wildlife photography?

Take more pictures, read books, learn more about your subjects, shoot with other photographers, look at other photographers work, take more pictures!  If you are worried about the technical side of your image take the time to learn more about the tech side of images, processing and printing.  If you are worried about the creative aspect of your photography – don’t!

This is the fun part of it and no one can tell you that you are right or wrong.   This takes us back to the first part of the answer – take more pictures, read books, learn more about your subjects, shoot with other photographers, look at other photographers work, take more pictures!  Look, learn and keep on shooting!

I have no doubt that if you were to ask this questions to ten different people you will get ten different answers, and you have to be careful who tell you how things should work rather than share ideas, but the info in this post has worked very well for me in the past.  As I said in the beginning, wildlife photography should, above everything else, be fun.  It is a special privilege to head out into the wild and create images of nature in action.  The moment you start taking it too seriously it starts to feel like work which can very quickly lead to frustration.  Frustration then leads to despondency which, as you can imagine, is not the most creative mindset.

By paying attention to the basics, learning from other people, shooting as much as possible and enjoying the process you will be well on your to creating good, even great, wildlife images.  Luck has most definitely got something to do with it but when you find yourself in one of those lucky positions you want to be sure that you know what to do to get the shot.

If you have any questions or comments please feel free to comment or send me an email.  If there is enough interest I will add all these images together and do a post like this every now and then so we can keep on digging into the questions that can lead us all to creating better wildlife images.

If you have any questions please fire away.  If you need more inspiration and ideas go and check out the Links page where you will find links to many fantastic wildlife photographers.  Look at other people’s work, look for ideas, use the inspiration and go out and shoot your own images!

With that I am signing off as today’s ‘guest blogger’.

See ya tomorrow!

Gerry

I originally discovered David Lloyd’s site after ‘meeting’ him on Twitter and I am very glad I did.

David is a New Zealand born photographer living in the UK and after traveling to Africa, and other countries, has been able to put together a fantastic portfolio of wildlife & nature images.

When visiting David’s blog you will  not only be able to check out some amazing wildlife images which range from gorillas and lions to birds and scottish wildcats.  His images are well thought out and makes the viewer connect with the subject or scene instantly.  David’s color images are strikingly realistic but but I reckon that it is with his monochrome work where he raises it to another level.  It takes something special to see, capture and ultimately present a wildlife image in black & white while at the same time still keeping image real and natural and David does this very well as you can seen from the image above.

When arriving at David Lloyd’s Wildlife & Travel Photography blog you will see the latest post on the top of the page.  From here on the blog is very easy to navigate with menus on both side of the screen with which you can link to various galleries and post archives.   You can also link to a collection of images that David has for sale which I have no doubt make amazing prints.

To visit David Lloyd’s blog you can click here or on any of the images in this post.  You can also follow David on Twitter by clicking here or join his page on Facebook by clicking here. For an interesting read check out one of David’s recent posts, Altered States, where he shares his thoughts on digital photography, digital artists and how the two do, or don’t, speak the same language.  Great article.

If you have any blogs that you think people need to know about let me know!

More soon.

Gerry

I have not had too much reading time the last while so for now a quick blog review.  The idea with the Books & Blogs category is purely to highlight books and blogs that fall somewhere between wildlife & photography that you guys might find useful or interesting.  I will be doing a whole lot more of these this year so if you have any book or blog suggestions let me know!

Whenever you mention ‘safari’ in conjures up visions of the Africa you read about in books.  A romantic place where wild animals roam free and the sunsets last forever.  More recently it has also started to include luxurious lodges, fantastic cuisine and all the little extras anybody could wish for.  Now if you plan things correctly all of your safari dreams can come true and that is what makes planyoursafari.com a must for anybody thinking about going on safari.

On the site, Johan Knols covers various topics related to going on safari and the blogs contains some fantastic articles ranging from sightings and conservation to strange animals and reviews on lodges.  If you are planning an African safari or just want to browse through some great articles make sure to pop in at planyoursafari.com.  On that note, and to finish off with, a quick ‘safari’ image from this week.

Even though it is weekend, I will be doing a post tomorrow as I kinda ran out of time today.  Couple of thoughts about equipment and Chad Cocking’s fantastic guest post from yesterday so see you tomorrow!

Gerry

As a wildlife photographer I have been very fortunate to photograph in many different African countries, from the rainforests of East & Central Africa to the beaches of South Africa. I have had the opportunity to photograph creatures from Mountain Gorilla’s to Ghost crabs.

But nothing compares quite like photographing a leopard in its wild habitat.  Shy, secretive and elusive are just some of the words I can use to describe Africa’s top cat. Being based in the Sabi Sands, world renowned for the best leopard viewing in Africa, has certainly help me to study my subject in detail.   I am a firm believer in when photographing any wild animal, knowing their behaviour and patterns will help you to capture better images as you will be able to anticipate what “might” happen next.

Leopards are one of the animals that offer us photographers so many different opportunities. From your “classic” images like, leopard lying in a tree or lying on a rock to phenomenal “behaviour” images, leopards give you as a photographer the chance to capture images in so many different ways. As an extremely beautiful animal you can “shoot” portraits, full body shots, abstract, animals in their environment and behaviour images, the list of opportunities for photographing leopard is endless.

Like photographing any subject having a great photographic “eye” makes a massive difference when “shooting” leopards.  When you are on a photographic safari and you can visualize a shot, take it. If you are not in the right position and have the time to move, do so, until the image that you have in your mind is in the same one you can see in the view finder.

Another great advantage of “shooting” leopards is the fact that they are mainly nocturnal and the use of spotlight on them is allowed on safari. This allows us as photographers a whole new world to experience and your creative mind can work in over drive. The most effective way is not to have the spotlight shining directly from your position but from a second vehicle at a different angle. Two photographers that have managed to show the nocturnal habits of leopards through their photography in a master way are Wim van der Heever and Greg du Toit.

Leopards are also great subjects for backlit and silhouette images due to their striking features.  If the light is low on your subject and you don’t wish to use flash, move around and try something different.

As you hopefully read from the above photographing leopards is a phenomenal experience.   My three keys to a “perfect” leopard image:

1. Your photographic “eye”
2. Knowing your subject
3. Tons of luck!!!

Marius Coetzee

Marius’s Links

• Blog: Marius Coetzee African Photography
• Facebook Group: Marius Coetzee Photography

I still have quite a bit of older posts to transfer to this new site but it is actually working out quite well.

The transfer has allowed me to work through all the older posts and distill everything down to pure wildlife photography and related posts.  All the other posts that I did on Photo-Africa will be moved over to my own site, www.gerryvanderwalt.com

While I am importing the older posts I will keep on dropping in a few of the lion images I got a few mornings ago.  Amazing sighting with tons of great light photo ops.  This is the same guy as in the previous post.

This shot shows the Kgala male in a full flehmen grimace as he tests one of the pride females reproductive status by smelling her urine.  I purposefully increased the contrast to highlight the harsh look on his face.

Will post more lion pics soon but feel free to browse around the site for some older posts as well.

More soon.

Gerry

This week’s featured blog is The Global Photographer.

I have only had the pleasure of chatting to Andy Biggs on Facebook and via email but all going well we will be meeting up sometime during next year.  The reason that we have not already met up is that Andy is probably one of the top photographic safari guides in the world.  You only have to look at the feedback form the safaris that he has run in countries such as Namibia, Botswana and Tanzania to know that he is the real deal.

The Global Photographer is Andy’s blog where you will find info on his safaris and workshops.  You will also find links to Gura Gear which is Andy’s range of camera bags specifically designed for photographic safaris.  All going well I will be ordering mine very soon!

WHen you have a moment make sure to stop in at The Global Photographer.  Even if it is just for the Photo of the Day you won’t be disappointed.

Till later.

Gerry

Starting now, every week I will be posting some of my favorite books and photography related blogs.

For this first edition I have decided to go with Within the Frame by David du Chemin.  I have just started reading it for the second time.  Yeah, it’s that good.

This book is way more than a travel photography book and goes much deeper than just showing you a bunch of great images and the technical specs for you to try and make up something similar.  There are many of those books that, even though they might teach you a lot, leave you asking for more.  And then came Within the Frame.

David proceeds to lead you on a visual journey around the world while sharing not only the how of photography but also the why.  Photography as a craft has become very technically orientated and it is amazingly refreshing to read a book that shares passion, vision and inspiration.  The book shares ideas and thoughts on how to approach your subjects and to not only take images but to start making images and telling stories.  Is that not our ultimate goal?

Even though David states that this is not a travel photography book, it leaves you with quite a serious and undeniable urge to travel.  Not only for the sake of traveling but also to try and see people, places and cultures in the same way as David explains and tries to show in this book. You will not only want to travel but you will want to photography.  No, you will need to photograph.

Whether you read this book for the amazing images or for the inspirational and easy reading photography advise it will definitely be one of the best photography books you ever purchase and you will never look through your viewfinder in the same way again.

If you are in the US click here to purchase a copy from Amazon or click here if you are in South Africa and want to purchase a copy from Kalahari.You need this book in your collection!

When you purchase your copy of Within the Frame you can also pre-order a copy of Visionmongers which is David’s new book and will be released towards the end of November.  Have mine on order already!

While you wait for your copy of Within the Frame to arrive you can check out David duChemin’s website, PixelatedImage.  Here you can check out his portfolio and follow along on his blog.  The same easy reading yet profound photographic advise is definitely worth a read again and again and again…

If you have any books or blogs you think people need to know about let me know!

Till later.

Gerry