Photography The scenes and people you will see in Africa are
very unique, but do not be tempted to just start snapping when you see someone
walking past. Always ask permission before you photograph local people, in some
countries it can cause offence and bear in mind you wouldn't like it if someone
pointed their camera at you in your home country. If you are on a guided tour
your guide will let you know if it is ok to take photos of people, very often
they will expect some form of payment.
Children generally love to have
their photos taken, especially if you are able to show it to them from your
camera - but then you may have to explain why they can not have a
copy.
Do not take photographs in any military area, airports, ports,
border crossings etc.. Don't take photos of bridges, harbors, military
installations, army personnel, railway stations, airports, border crossing
etc., If you do, you might be arrested and you are likely to have your camera
equipment confiscated.
If you have a digital camera, ensure you have at
least one spare memory card with you and a fully charged spare battery. You
will also need a lens hood and as there can be a lot of glare in the bright
African sunlight a polarizer/filter is recommended as it will increase the
saturation of vegetation in particular. Travel in Africa, especially in remote
areas and national parks can be very dusty, so ensure you have dust protection
for your photographic equipment.
If you are travelling for an extensive
period of time, when you get to a town, it would be worth downloading your
photos and either burn them to DVD or store them on the Internet at a website
such as
dropbox
Wildlife
Photography The best times for wildlife activity are early morning and
late afternoon. This is also the best time for photography as the light is soft
and gives more definition of your subject against its background. It gets hot
out there and animals like to take it easy in the hottest parts of the day just
as we do and during the hot parts of the day the light can be too harsh.
You will most likely be in a vehicle which makes a tripod
impractical, try using a beanbag or a cloth bag filled with uncooked rice. It
can be moulded easily to any surface and your cameras base at will. If you are
on a walking safari a monopod with a detachable camera shoe is the best for
quick and easy photos and can also be a handy walking stick.
Animals
are often in the distance so to get the best wildlife shots you will most of
the time (not always!) need a zoom lens. Consult a camera stockist before you
go as to the best one for your camera (300 - 500mm is usual)
Always
respect wildlife while in Africa, they can scare easily so be aware of using
your flash. Do not use flashes when at a waterhole at night or on night time
game drive. There are some good techniques that you can use to take photographs
at night, and many vehicles will have a spotlight so you can capture the scene
in a long exposure.
Turn off all the noises on your digital camera,
this includes start-up, focus, shutter sounds. This is partly to prevent you
from frightening the wildlife.
If you are a serious photographer then
you may want to consider going on a private
photographic safari. The advantages are huge,
the main one being that you can stop when you see a good photo opportunity for
as long as you wish, plus you can choose the best seats in the vehicle. If
there are 2 or more of your travelling in a group opting for a private safari
generally does not have to be more expensive.
Children generally love to have
their photos taken, especially if you are able to show it to them from your
camera - but then you may have to explain why they can not have a
copy.
