Safari Adventure

One of the best parts of my year is when I get the opportunity to go back to Africa to lead another photo safari. It never ceases to amaze me how many incredible photo ops there are while driving through the Serengeti or other national parks in Tanzania. However, even though there are a lot of wonderful moments, knowing how to capture those amazing moments is key to the safari photographer’s success.

Patience

This is not the place to rush or be impatient. Hey, you’re blessed to be in Africa on a dream trip for photographers, so take a moment to breathe, relax and prepare yourself to wait for the perfect shot to find you. Once you see a potential wildlife subject, get your settings straight on your camera(s) and pay close attention. You may only get a split second to react for a once-in-a-lifetime photo.

Often, you’ll also have to wait for that shot—and wait, and wait. There is, however, a true moment of reward when all that tedious waiting pays off with a burst of adrenaline when a magical scene unfolds in front of you, and you find yourself perfectly prepared to fire the shutter to capture your prize-winning photo.

Timing Your Trip

Depending on where you go on safari, make sure you visit at prime animal-viewing times. This will vary from country to country, and I’d suggest that you do some research online to determine the best time of the year to see the kind of animals you seek to photograph.

The safaris I run in Tanzania take place in January, February and March for the calving season and in August to coincide with the wildebeest and zebra herd crossings at the fabled Mara River. During calving season, there are roughly 8,000 wildebeest born each day, and that means great timing for cute baby animal photos as almost all the animals give birth at this time of year. Plus, the predators like