Cape Town - Three cheetah cubs launch themselves from stationary to almost full pace just moments away from our vehicle. The five of us suck in air and hold it in a collective gasp, as a bat-eared fox becomes hunting practice for the cheeky youngsters.
They skid, swiping at the terrified animal before it manages to leap down into its den. We take a second to recover, then look down at our cameras. We’d all instinctively reached for them, but not one of us had got a decent shot. I had in fact been attempting to shoot with the lens cap on.
Paul’s laughter broke the stunned silence. “I take it no one got that? First lesson of wildlife photography: be ready for anything, at all times!” Number two was a breakdown of things to check on our cameras in preparation for action – from battery power and space on our memory cards, to manual settings to ensure that focus, exposure and shutter speed would always work in the moment.
Paul Joynson-Hicks, renowned African wildlife photographer, was our teacher for the week.
Photographic workshop safaris have become an increasingly popular option for holidaymakers – a version of point-and-shoot that is far more evolved than the hunting safaris that once lured colonial adventurers. A keen photographer myself, I’d decided to try it out on a trip to northern Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with Capture Safaris.
Their itineraries are designed to help photographers find the very best images. The company provides a professional photographer to instruct throughout the trip, to advise on new techniques during workshops, and to offer ideas for improvements in your photos during review sessions. By using trained drivers who spot and anticipate animal behaviour – considering such factors as light and shooting angle – clients are also helped in the quest for great pictures.
The rainy season is often a quiet time for tourists. However, for photographers this is an ideal time to visit. The air is clear and everything is green and lush, creating a contrasting backdrop to the abundance of wildlife. We lined up our tripods and snapped all the way through to sunset.
We rose at 5.30am most days, always working to get ahead of the dawn light and to take advantage of the cooler morning temperatures. We saw honey badgers, watched cheetah and lions stalk prey, and finally witnessed a cheetah at full pelt sweep the legs from under a gazelle and lock her jaws on to its neck. And all the while, Paul guided us: “Change perspective, keep moving... Melissa, get some stability or those eyes will not be sharp.”
He taught us “panning” to capture the speed and movement of an animal using a high F-stop (small aperture) and slightly slow shutter speed to cause deliberate blur, and we practised waiting for the “catch-lights” in an animal’s eyes to improve our portraits. Automatic settings were definitely not on the agenda.
After lunch most days there was time for a workshop session with Paul, usually focusing on a specific aspect of photography or post-production, and also to review the best shots from each of us. In the late afternoon we’d head out again, returning in time for sundowners around the fire, and to do an evening shoot. The clear night air meant our pictures of the stars were stunning.
But moments such as these fade after a holiday is over; all we are often left with that is sharp and clear are our photos. In many ways safari photos have become the hunting trophies of the modern day.
l Capture Safaris (0207 183 3055; capturesafaris.com) offers small group photo tours and bespoke trips.
- Weekend Argus