A photo safari is one of the most rewarding experiences for photographers. It offers incredible opportunities to photograph wildlife in their natural habitat, but it also comes with challenges unique to this environment. After more than ten years as a professional wildlife and nature photographer, I've gathered techniques that significantly improved my photography during safaris—and today, I'm sharing these insights with you.
In this comprehensive guide I'll cover essential tips including equipment recommendations, optimal camera settings, practical advice for the field, and advanced composition techniques. Let's dive in!
Timing is Everything: Early Mornings and Late Afternoons
Wildlife is most active during the early morning and late afternoon hours. Unfortunately, this is precisely when many photographers would rather rest. Resist the temptation! The golden hours of sunrise and sunset provide the best natural lighting conditions, dynamic animal behavior, and increased activity.
In contrast, midday brings harsh, high-contrast light, often causing your subjects—particularly big cats—to seek shade. While you might spot wildlife, capturing compelling images will be difficult due to harsh shadows and static animals.
My recommendation:
Wake up early, capture stunning photos, then rest during midday when wildlife activity declines.
Plan your photography outings around animal behavior—not your comfort.
Too often, photographers head out too late, staying out during the harsh midday sun, resulting in missed opportunities and less appealing lighting. Instead, structure your day around the wildlife schedule:
Early Morning Session: Head out before sunrise for active wildlife and optimal lighting conditions.
Midday Rest: Return to your lodge or camp during midday for rest and meal breaks.
Afternoon Session: Head out again in the late afternoon, staying as late as possible.
Adhering to this schedule significantly improves your odds of capturing memorable wildlife encounters in beautiful, soft light.
The Advantage of Booking Guided Game Drives
Booking game drives with professional safari guides is highly beneficial for photographers. Guides have extensive training and experience spotting wildlife, often seeing animals that you might miss. They also enjoy privileges like extended park hours and access to restricted areas not available to regular visitors.
Your experience (and results) will dramatically improve by joining guided safari tours. Guides have insider knowledge of animal behavior, preferred locations, and access to private areas or extended park hours.
Benefits of guided safari photography tours:
Extended Access: Professional guides often have permits allowing them to stay longer or enter exclusive wildlife areas.
Better Mobility: Shooting from an open safari vehicle allows unrestricted movement with your gear, offering more angles and fewer distractions.
Focus on Photography: Without worrying about driving, you can fully dedicate yourself to capturing the perfect shot.
Time Control: Choosing private or small-group tours ensures you’re not rushed, allowing you to patiently wait for action to unfold without frustrating fellow travelers.
If possible, choose private game drives or join a group of fellow photographers to ensure everyone's objectives align. Non-photographers typically prefer to move quickly between sightings, whereas photographers benefit from extended stays, allowing scenes and behaviors to unfold naturally.
Choosing the Right Equipment: The Power of Telephoto Zooms
While many photographers associate safari photography with giant prime telephotos these lenses, although powerful, aren't always the most practical option. Instead, a high-quality telephoto zoom lens such as a 100-500mm or a 200-600mm provides superior flexibility, lightweight handling, and faster reaction times.
Telephoto zoom lenses allow you to quickly adapt to changing wildlife situations without the burden of carrying and maneuvering heavy gear. A lens offering at least a 400mm reach is sufficient for most scenarios.
A recommended setup for maximum versatility is:
Primary Camera: Equipped with a versatile zoom lens (100-500mm or 200-600mm).
Secondary Camera: (optional) Fitted with a long prime lens (400mm f2.8 or 600mm f4) for specialized situations.
For more details on what I bring on a safari trip check out this video:
Essential Camera Settings for Safari Photography
Being ready for anything is crucial on safari. Using manual mode with Auto ISO offers an ideal balance between creative control and ease of use. This mode allows you to adjust your aperture and shutter speed manually while the camera compensates for changes in lighting through ISO adjustments.
Here's a quick breakdown:
Manual Mode + Auto ISO: Allows consistent creative control and correct exposure.
Exposure Compensation: Adjust exposure for challenging lighting conditions.
Sidelit/Backlit Subjects: Slightly underexpose.
Low Light Situations: Slightly overexpose to capture sufficient detail and improve post-production flexibility.
Mastering Composition from a Safari Vehicle
One major challenge on safari is achieving compelling compositions from within a vehicle. Typically, we want eye-level perspectives for natural, engaging images, which are difficult to achieve when restricted to a vehicle's elevated vantage point. Here are techniques to help overcome these constraints:
Front Row Seating: Sit in the front seats of the safari vehicle, usually lower, to improve your angle.
Vehicle Positioning: Position the vehicle in depressions or low points to achieve eye-level perspectives. Alternatively, position yourself further from your subject to reduce angle steepness.
Utilize Elevated Subjects: When wildlife is elevated (on trees or termite mounds), your angle improves significantly, enhancing your composition.
Always respect park regulations and wildlife by never leaving your vehicle unless explicitly permitted.
Tackling Low Light Photography
Much wildlife activity occurs during low light hours. Mastering low-light photography techniques is crucial to maximizing photographic opportunities at dawn and dusk.
Mastering low-light techniques will set you apart:
Use fast lenses (wide aperture lenses, e.g., f/2.8 or f/4) to gather maximum light.
Increase ISO strategically: Modern cameras handle higher ISOs well. Choose ISO settings carefully to balance shutter speed and image quality.
Shoot in RAW: This format allows better flexibility to correct exposure and reduce noise during post-processing.
For a deeper dive, check out this dedicated low-light photography guide.
Free Wildlife Photography E-book
Planning a safari? Get fully prepared by downloading our free e-book covering everything from gear selection, camera settings, composition, and how to handle various lighting conditions.
Download your Free Wildlife Photography Guide.
Ready for your safari?
The techniques shared above have transformed my own wildlife photography over the years. Remember:
Wake up early for the best lighting.
Take advantage of local guides.
Choose versatile gear for maximum flexibility.
Master your camera settings and be ready for any situation.
Carefully plan your compositions for stronger images.
Wanna join me on one of my exclusive wildlife photography workshops or safari trips?
I regularly organize guided photographic safaris and workshops to incredible locations, including Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and other amazing destinations worldwide. These trips are designed to offer photographers of all levels the chance to apply these techniques in the field, all while receiving personalized coaching and feedback.
Ready to embark on the photography adventure of a lifetime? Check out my upcoming photography trips and workshops and book your spot today:
