photo safari

Day 4: Six Days of Africa Photo Safari Tips

Left, original. Right, Photoshop's Oil Paint filter.

Left, original. Right, Photoshop's Oil Paint filter.

Today is day four of Six Days of Africa Photo Safari Tips here on my blog. Scroll down for previous posts in this series.

I am running this series in preparation for my 2016 Botswana/South Africa digital photography workshop.

Check out my Beauty of Botswana gallery to see my favorite photographs from my two previous trips to this wildlife wonderland.

Today's tip: Have some plug-in and filter fun during your downtime.

Try creating beautiful black and white and sepia tone images with Topaz Black & White effects.

Try creating beautiful black and white and sepia tone images with Topaz Black & White effects.

Most of the animal action on a photo safari takes places in the early morning and late afternoon. What's more, when it's sunny, the light is not great for photography between 10 AM and 3 PM.

Little action and bad light means spending time, several hours a day, in your tent working on and playing with your pictures. On one Botswana safari, for example, we left our camp at 5 AM, returned at 10 AM, and did not go back out on safari until 4 PM.

Remove some of the from an image and you remove some of the reality, perhaps making a more artistic image.

Remove some of the from an image and you remove some of the reality, perhaps making a more artistic image.

Downtime is a good time to play with plug-ins. Plug-ins can help awaken the artist within; they can remove the reality from a picture for a more artistic image.

All of the plug-ins I use are on my Play and Save on Plug-ins page. You can save a bundle when you order a bundle.

Both photographs sharpened in Nik Sharpener Pro.

Both photographs sharpened in Nik Sharpener Pro.

Removing the reality is fun, but of course, so is getting the most realistic image. That often includes getting the sharpest possible picture. I sharpen my images using Nik Sharpener Pro, being careful not to over sharpen, which can, indeed, be tempting.

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Speaking of being in your tent, charging your batteries and laptop is important. Check with the camp management and find out when they switch generators, which can cause a power surge and zap gear. Don't have your gear plugged in during the switch.

Also bring a power strip/surge suppressor as an extra safeguard against power surges. Make sure the voltage of the strip you buy at home matches the voltage of the camp. You may need a voltage converter if the power does not match.

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If you like the composition of the photographs in this post, and if you want to learn how to make the best possible exposure, check out my KelbyOne classes on my On-Line Classes page.

I hope to see you on my 2016 Botswana workshop. We'll shoot at the golden hours, and process our pictures during downtime.

If you can't make an Africa photo safari, I offer wildlife photo safaris at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, Texas. That's where I took the photos above. Shoot me an email for 2016 dates.

Explore the light,
Rick

This post sponsored by Adorama - great gear at great prices.  All my gear is listed on My Gear page.

On Safari with the Canon 5D Mark III. Day 5: The Main Event

Today is the last day in my photo safari series here on my blog. Scroll down to see earlier posts.

All the photographs were taken while we were on a photo safari with our good friends Jonathan and Angela Scott – known and respected around the world as "The Big Cat People."

Today is Day 5: The Main Event

The main event during our stay on the Masai Mara was photographing the migration of the zebra and wildebeest. One morning we saw more than 5,000 animals on the move. The animals follow the rain so they always have something to eat.

In this post I'll share some, only some, my favorite migration photographs, along with some photo tips. I'll be sharing all my Masai Mara photographs at my upcoming seminars.

The photographs were taken on three different days at three different locations.

Opening Image: Compose carefully. Notice the nice "S" curve in this photography. Learn more about composition in my KelbyOne class: Composition - the strongest way of seeing. Lens: Canon 24-105mm IS.

Above: Check your aperture to make sure you have the desired depth of field. Lens: Canon 24-105mm IS.

Above: Use foreground elements to add a sense of scale and depth to a photograph. Lens: Canon 70-300mm IS.

Above: Use slow shutter speeds to add a sense of movement to fast-moving subjects. Another tip: Use plug-ins to remove some of the reality from a scene. Lens: Canon 70-300mm IS.

Above: Take close-ups to tell the whole story. The story here: two crocks are eating a wildebeest that did not make it across the water. We talk about storytelling on my workshops. Lens: Canon 200-400mm IS.

Above: Wildlife photography requires patience. One morning we waited more than three hours for the animals to cross the Mara River. Here I am deep in thought - planning the next trip! :-) Lens: Canon 15mm, but I recommend the Canon 8-15mm lens. Oh yeah, they never crossed.

Above: The team that made my photographs possible.

I'm feeling a bit sad as this series comes to a close. I miss the Mara and my friends Jonathan and Angela Scott, as well as our guide Simon Sitienei. I also miss our home away from home for the safari, Governors' Camp.

The good news is that we'll be back!

Shoot me an email if you are interested in a small group or private African photo safari. Jonathan and I are making some cool plans!

Until then, check out the videos we made in the Masai Mara.

Thank you all for following along.

Rick Sammon,
Canon Explorer of Light