Photo Safari vs Regular Safari

What's the difference between a Photo Safari Experiences photo safari and a safari you would ask as you'll probably take photos on both of them.

Hyena and Vultures cleaning up on a Buffalo carcass after the Lions - Douglas Carr Photography

If you're going on a morning, afternoon or full day game drive with a normal safari operator then you could find yourself in a vehicle with 9 other people who are not interested in photography but only seeing the big 5. Most of them would probably only taking photos with their smartphones only. The problem really is extra people in the vehicle creates extra movement and they don't have the patience to wait for that one moment to get an award-winning photograph. Example: Once I sat at a waterhole in Etosha - Namibia for 8 hours waiting for 3 lions to make a kill. Now can you imagine what that would be like for a non-photographer... and no the lions were 3 immature unexperienced Nomads.

On the other hand, your guide makes a very big difference. Normally your guide will try to get you as close to the action as possible which is ok if you only have a smartphone, but if you only have a 600mm lens you can't really capture the story as wildlife photography is about storytelling. On a Kruger Photo Safari I personally try to get some long distance photos of what's happening and the scenery and then slowly move closer for the close-ups and in this way I don't scare the animals away either. Now besides from composition light is what will make or break your photo. A photographic guide like myself can very quickly analyse the situation and determine where's the best place to park the vehicle for both the best composition and light. In the daytime, you will want the sun to come from behind and I often plan my game drives according to the sun. Yes, animals have legs and move around but planning ones drive is always important and knowing both the area and animal behaviour of a specific area is important.

On a special Photo Safari Experiences, there will most likely be either 3 or max 6 photographers or like-minded individuals per safari vehicle. They all have a similar interest and that's to get great photos of wildlife. The game drive times are also arranged to give the photographer the most opportunities for potential sightings.

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