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WILDLIFE BLOG
Know your African Wildlife: African Elephants
Wherever we come from, we grow up being aware of elephants; they are the stars in children’s books, the decorations on kids’ clothes and prominent members of the cuddly toy section of a baby’s room. However, nothing compares to watching these wildlife icons in their natural habitat. African elephants are vast – big bulls achieve 6,000kgs – and the largest of all land animals, standing over 3m at the shoulder. To sustain this bulk, they spend [...]
Through the Lens: 2017 in Review
Towards the end of 2016, I was involved in an accident that left me badly injured and with a 5 week hospital visit. I received first-class medical care - for which I am most grateful - but I was nervous about my first safari season after the accident. As it turned out, the relics of the injury were an inconvenience rather than an impediment, and 2017 has been an epic year! So, here it is - [...]
Wildlife: the Luangwa’s “white” baboons
Occasionally, mammals with unusual colouration show up around the world. Some of them are albino (lacking any pigmentation in the skin), some are leucistic (lacking some pigmentation) and others are melanistic (with a higher than normal level of pigmentation). In some cases, melanism becomes quite common in a population, like in the case of India's leopards (panthers) and the southern African population of Gabar Goswhawks. Presumably rates of melanism in these species have increased because the [...]
Guest Report: Vicky Fry, UK | Flatdogs Camp & Zikomo Safari Lodge | 2 – 9 October 2017
During a safari, we spend time over lunch reviewing guests' images, chatting about composition, camera settings and various techniques. With those who wish to, we also start doing some editing work on the computer. In this way, I have a chance to see how my guests are getting on, help them with areas that are more difficult and ensure they get the best from the trip. However, I don't get to see all the guests' images [...]
Photo Safari Skills: Photographing moving subjects
Most modern cameras have auto-focus systems that perform extraordinarily well. As a photographer, we need to instruct the camera which point in the frame should be in focus (by moving the focus point selector in the viewfinder) but then the camera will do the rest. This is a simplification, of course, because there are times when cameras do fail to achieve correct focus, but they generally perform very well. Where cameras are really breaking new ground [...]
Through the Lens: Hungry Baboon
It was early afternoon, and the light was still bright. The high-contrast was too much for photographing elephant, zebra or giraffe, but there were still some good opportunities to be had at the start of this afternoon drive. When I spotted this baboon sitting on a low branch, eating a sausage fruit, I drove closer to watch. It's remarkable to observe the strength of a relatively small primate as it rips through the tough flesh of [...]
Know your African Wildlife: Puku
Puku are a medium-sized, stocky antelope which make a living in the grassy dambos across Zambia and into the margins of Zambia’s neighbours. As with many of Africa’s antelope, they live in herds of females, youngsters and immature males, headed by a dominant territorial male. Being predominantly grazers, they thrive along the waterways in Luangwa where the best grass can be found. Puku are an elegant and engaging antelope which thrive in grassland areas. Males carry [...]
Through the Lens: Coming to Drink
This image is one of my favourite images from my 10 years in the Luangwa. We had spent a long time with this particular buffalo herd as the crossed a dusty plain on their way to the river. We knew they were heading to drink, but that it would take some time before they got there. We enjoyed taking low-level photos of dusty feet, and we also tried some creative shots; I remember well suggesting that [...]
Photo Safari Report: Double Luangwa | Flatdogs Camp & Zikomo Safaris | 2 – 9 October 2017
I have just finished my last group photographic safari of the season. I still have a couple more short safaris in October - so there will be more updates from the increasingly dry Luangwa - but the main part of the 2017 season has passed! Having had such great trips throughout the year, I was nervous about whether the final trip would match up. As always, I start each safari with slight apprehension, hoping that I [...]
Know your African Wildlife: Wild Dogs
Sightings of Wild Dogs are among the most sought-after by safari visitors. This is partly because they are interesting, charismatic and extremely beautiful, and largely because declining numbers have turned them into a rarity in many areas. Some of the 9 pups from the Hot Springs Pack eye me up from their resting place with the rest of the pack. If there is one characteristic that embodies Wild Dogs, it is their ability to run! Their [...]
Photo Safari Skills: Animalscapes
Generating images of animals in their environment can be done in two ways; by using a wide-angle lens from very close to your subject or by using a telephoto lens (zoomed to between 100mm and 500mm) and keeping a large distance from your subject. In both cases, you will include large amounts of the habitat and create an image where the subject has a place in its surroundings...an image which tells a story of the animal's [...]
Photo Safari Report: Philip Theo | Nsefu Sector | 18 – 24 September 2017
I occasionally run private safaris for individual photographers hoping to enjoy the best chance of working on their skills. Africa Geographic Travel have recently arranged two such safaris with me, based in the fantastic Nsefu Sector of the South Luangwa National Park. Philip Theo and I have been in touch for some months, and I knew from our first emails that we were going to have a great trip. It was immediately clear to me that [...]
EDWARD SELFE
I organise & run photographic safaris in the finest wildlife areas on Earth.
