Male Lion - Etosha

Male Lion - Etosha

Going on a safari anywhere in Africa is a unique and memorable experience. Few of us ever get to go more than once. Even fewer get to see all of the ‘Big 5′ in a single trip. Imagine going on a safari (and paying a substantial sum of money to do so) and not having the ability to capture the imagery for future reference? Memories of a sunset over a waterhole, or a sunrise across a salt pan filled with grazing wildlife will fade. Photography is an art that allows one to preserve and enhance the experience for all time.

It is hence vitally important to take the right equipment, and be able to use it. So, what exactly should one take on safari in the way of photographic equipment? For starters a digital-SLR is strongly advisable. This differs from a conventional ‘point and shoot’ digital camera in that it allows for you to interchange different lenses to suit the distances you will be shooting at.

Zebra - Etosha

Zebra - Etosha

The next thing you want to ensure you have is a decent zoom lens. For wildlife photography one would ideally want at the very least a 300mm lens with, if possible, an extender to double the range. In order to capture the dramatic landscapes and sunscapes a wide angle lens (from 10mm up to about 80mm) is advisable. With respect to both lenses it would be preferable to get fixed focal as opposed to zoom lenses, however, this may be cost prohibitive. With respect to the zoom lens it is advisable to get one with stabilization as often one will be shooting from a car and hence the lens may not be as steady as one would ideally like. The stabilizing technology will minimize the effect of camera shake on the quality of the photographs.

Silver backed fox - Etosha

Silver backed fox - Etosha

It is also worth investing in a couple of essential accessories. Firstly, a large memory card is simply a must. It is unlikely that one will be able to download one’s photos to a nearby PC, so a large card to store high-res photos is necessary, particularly where you are going on a longer safari. I would even go so far as to suggest taking a spare card in the event that one of them fails. Secondly, a UV filter and Polarizing filter are both advisable. Quite apart from the protection that the filters offer your lenses, a polarizer is fantastic when shooting waterholes, rivers and pans - minimizing reflection. It also brings out the contrast of clouds in the expansive skies above the parks.

Thirdly, I would strongly advise taking a spare battery for the camera. I have been in a situation where I went lion tracking and ran out of battery before coming across an entire pride at close proximity. Not having a spare charged battery was devastating! Fourthly, it is highly recommended that one takes along a tripod or monopod to secure the camera when shooting in low-light conditions. A tripod can simply make or break that perfect sunset shot. Finally, I have had excellent use out of a ‘bean-bag’. The bag is essentially made to fit over rim of an open car window. It makes it easy to then shoot with the camera resting on the bean-bag, especially when the car is on and even more so when it is running on a diesel engine (such as my Landy) - where the vibrations are significant!

Also - don’t forget to take along a sturdy bag or carrycase. Ideally one would want to invest in a hardcase that is waterproof and dustproof to ensure that the expensive equipment one takes along is kept safe and sound.

Happy shooting!