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WILDLIFE BLOG
Wildlife: A lonesome lioness
It's quite unusual to hear protracted calls from lion in the middle of the afternoon. But it had been raining heavily and we suspected that the - normally - sleeping lions had been roused by the downpour and were calling to find each other. These contact calls are usually less intense and shorter than the males' full territorial calls. We couldn't find the lions that we'd heard calling but we saw footprints heading across a flooded [...]
Through the Lens: Leopard Throttles Impala
While I am confident that all my guests will leave Luangwa having had an amazing time, there is always an element of nervousness on my part each time I start with someone new. I think it's only natural, and it keeps me on my toes! I had started safari steadily with Hermann that afternoon; after all it was our first drive and I find that entering the South Luangwa National park is an overload on the [...]
Wildlife: The Highlight of the Rainy Season
The early rainy season is a tricky time for photography, as there is endless intense greenery (which appears almost unnatural) and much of the game scatters away from the main river after the initial downpours. However, a few months on, and we find ourselves living in a paradise of lush grasses, flooded waterways and flowering plants. The early green growth, which is lurid and bright (perhaps a celebration after so many months of dry browns) [...]
Life in the Bush: A Visit to UK!
We made our annual migration to England in January to visit friend and family and enjoy the warm weather! Having dug out coats and thermal layers that we'd saved since last time, we enjoyed busy but happy month traveling the country. Here are a few of the highlights: Sukey made friends with the cows at the local farm - the single brown cow turned out to be the most friendly! On our final weekend, I had [...]
A View from the Luangwa – January 2018
The idea that people living alongside prime natural resources should derive some benefit from the conservation of those resources is not new. Norman Carr knew about it in the 1950s when he approached Senior Chief Nsefu in Zambia’s Luangwa Valley and asked him to set aside an area where he could run wildlife safaris. At the time, it was a novelty; the villagers wondered whether foreigners would really travel all the way to Zambia to look [...]
Photo Safari Skills: Black and White Photography
Since the arrival of digital cameras, photographers have avoided the decision of whether to load colour or black and white (B&W) film into his or her camera when setting out for a shoot. Digital cameras allow us to switch with ease between full colour and B&W image outputs. Futhermore, we even have the option to alter our decision after the fact, assuming that we are shooting in RAW and keep the original files straight from the [...]
Guest Report: Allan Semmler, AUS | Luangwa Classic | 5 – 11 September 2016
Allan and Raelene joined me on safari in September as part of a long trip through various safari destinations in East and Southern Africa. Allan was - by his own admission - new to photography, but took on board any advice that was offered and made good progress even during the week he was with me. Here I share only his photos from Luangwa and it's clear that he developed a very good understanding of how [...]
Guest Report: Steve Segall, UK | Luangwa Classic | 5 – 11 September 2016
I have taken Steve Segall on safari twice in the last 3 years. He prioritises photography right up alongside great sightings and a classic safari experience so is a pleasure to have on any trip. He's just as happy sitting watching mongooses foraging in the leaf litter as he is photographing a leopard - or 3 in the case of this safari! - feeding on an antelope carcass. He kindly wrote a report of his trip [...]
Photo Safari Skills: Using Continuous Drive
We've all heard the clattering sound of an excited photographer filling his memory cards during a wildlife sighting. There are often grunts of irritation or amusement from safari-goers in nearby vehicles who wonder why he needs so many photos of a sleeping lioness! But, setting aside the comments of those nearby, let's look at what "machine-gun mode" is, what it does and why it's useful. Setting your camera to take multiple images in quick succession is [...]
Through the Lens: Review of 2016
As we reach the end of 2016, it's clear that the world has changed dramatically in the last 12 months. Some of it for the better (increasing elephant numbers in countries where they have traditionally declined, thousands of refugees accepted into Europe), some for the worse (Aleppo, Olympic doping and too many deaths of well-loved public figures) and some of it remains to be seen (a change of President and national order in the US, a [...]
Through the Lens: My shot of a Lifetime
Near one of the finest game-viewing areas in the whole Valley - a place we call Luangwa Wafwa - there is a forest of leadwood trees, many of which have been standing for several hundred years. There is something ancient and beautiful about this particular area of forest, and I always point it out to my guests, not that they would have missed it anyway! At a certain time in the morning, the light coming through [...]
Guest Report: Wil Vermeesch, NL | Flatdogs Camp & Zikomo Safari | 5 – 17 August 2016
Wil Vermeesch joined me on a long safari in August 2016. We enjoyed some magic sightings and he has put together this beautiful video of the trip. Settle down with a cup of tea and enjoy.....
EDWARD SELFE
I organise & run photographic safaris in the finest wildlife areas on Earth.
