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Photo Safari Report: Luangwa Classic | Flatdogs Camp & Lion Camp | 5 – 11 September 2016
I run many trips in Luangwa during the year, but my Flatdogs Camp & Lion Camp trips are the first that I led, more than 4 years ago. The formula of 3 nights at each camp still works, and many of my best photo opportunities have come from these tours. My latest trip was particularly enjoyable because the sightings were outstanding - we often checked with each other to be sure that we were really seeing [...]
Wildlife: Lions Crossing Luangwa
There is something special about watching animals navigate through open water. Perhaps it's the beauty of the reflections, or perhaps the possibility that there will be an altercation with a hidden crocodile, or perhaps simply the noise that they make when seeking a safe path through. Whatever it is, I love to watch animals crossing rivers and lagoons, and take time to ensure we get into the best spot for photos. Perhaps most exciting of all [...]
Guest Report: Marlies Vermeesch-Holtmann, NL | Flatdogs Camp & Zikomo Safari | 5 – 17 August 2016
Marlies is one of a group of 4 friends from the Netherlands who joined me for a 12-night safari in August. We had a lot of fun together and I remember plenty of amusement and laughter. Luangwa was fantastic over those two weeks and we enjoyed great sightings. But, as you see, Marlies's priority was also beautiful photos! She very kindly wrote a few words about their trip. On August 5th we started a twelve day [...]
Tips for Wildlife Photographers: #4 “Composition”
I offer plenty of advice to my guests when we are on safari especially at the beginning of the trip and when we are approaching something exciting. I often mention an ISO that I think will give a fast enough shutter speed, or I suggest a shutter speed itself. I also suggest over- and under-exposure adjustments if I think they are needed. But I don't often make suggestions about composition. This is intentional, since I love [...]
Photo Safaris: New Flagship Tour Posted
FINEST LUANGWA: NSEFU SECTOR ULTIMATE PHOTO SAFARI "Peak-season safari with sightings and lighting conditions at their finest, in a remote and exclusive area of South Luangwa National Park"
Through the Lens: Golden Leopard
We were very fortunate to enjoy an outstanding leopard sighting on our last morning of safari last week. The sighting occurred just as the sun was coming above the trees, and a shaft of beautiful light struck the cat from the side. What made the image was that much of the surroundings of the image were not hit by that same golden light, and were very dark. The moment I saw the leopard walking down the [...]
Photo Safari Report: Vermeesch & Dousi | Flatdogs Camp & Zikomo Safari | 5 – 17 August 2016
I had been looking forward to this safari from the moment I took the booking last year: 12 nights in two different camps at a great time of the year in Luangwa. I could already feel the excitement that I knew would grow every time we set out from camp on safari. We chose to use Flatdogs Camp, a very comfortable lodge on the Luangwa river, just 2 minutes from the main entrance to the National [...]
Wildlife: Elephant Heaven in Nsefu
Early on our last morning, we found these two lionesses resting on the river bank. They had stalked and chased a warthog, but failing to catch it, they settled down to sleep. Their heads were kept up by the presence of 6 lions on the other bank of the river behind us. We waited over an hour for elephants to come to the river and cross. We were rewarded as this family met a crocodile mid-stream [...]
Photo Safari Skills: An alternative to Back-button Focus
Ever since auto-focus appeared on cameras, photographers have used the shutter button to focus, meter and take the final shot - half-press to focus & meter, and full-press to take the shot. When you half-pressed the shutter button, the camera's focusing system would behave in one of two ways: if you had AF-S (Nikon) or ONE SHOT (Canon) selected, the camera would achieve focus using your selected focus point(s) and then hold that focus until you [...]
Photo Safari: Patrick Cooper | Zikomo Safari & Marula Lodge | 20 – 26 July 2016
Another week of safari has come to an end; this time round our time was split between the excellent, remote Nsefu Sector and the wonderfully game-rich central area of the South Luangwa NP. I was joined by Patrick Cooper, a Kiwi on his first safari to Africa with a couple of weeks of Botswana safari already under his belt. I knew that Luangwa was going to need to pull out all the stops to impress him, [...]
Photo Safari Skills: Getting accurate colour in your photos
For me, the purpose of having a grasp of camera settings and post-production techniques is to allow me to best capture the beautiful sights that I see, not to falsely exaggerate them. After all, in the bush there's little need to overstate the beauty of wildlife; all we have to do is represent it faithfully. As we discussed in a previous post about cameras' limitations we know that cameras cannot capture exactly what we see. The [...]
Guest Report: Colin & Jackie Morris, AUS | Flatdogs Camp | 15 – 17 June 2016
Colin wrote to me recently with the following short summary - "We both had a great time. Sitting in my office in Sydney, I wish I was in your office!" Need we say any more??! I'm really grateful that he has sent me his photos; it's always interesting to see how my guests' images have come out. We spend so much time discussing ideas and concepts in the bush, but I sometimes don't see the [...]
EDWARD SELFE
I organise & run photographic safaris in the finest wildlife areas on Earth.
