The list of constaints on a safari are long. You’re usually stuck in a van, shooting through the roof or a partially open window from the road, and as luck would have it, the sun is probably at the wrong angle. Then there’s those pesky animals. They don’t speak your language, you can’t move them into position, and their favourite pose is usually with their butt facing the camera. As my roommate lamented: “we will return home with two albums–lone trees and butt shots“!
To make things even more challenging, we have in our minds iconic wildlife images by Nick Brandt and Frans Lanting while standing beside 10 photographers at the same location. Imagine trying to create an image that uniquely expresses your view with all these constraints. It isn’t easy but I believe it is possible.
The image above and the image below were taken 4 minutes apart and only 1/100 second difference in shutter speed. In my mind, I wanted a composition with shape, pattern, and repetition. The unexpected surprise here is the pattern broken by gesture. That’s the moment I was waiting for.
Love it!
I think there is definitely a balancing act between patience and reaction in photography. Nature photography requires a lot of both. Knowing what you want to show—in your case, pattern and repetition—and waiting for it to appear, has to also include recognition of the right moment and capturing it.
It’s great that you stayed with it after the first shot. You saw the pattern and repetition you were looking for in that one, but found the moment in the second shot.
We stayed for almost 25 minutes in that spot which was a long time on this safari. Our driver said that he’s done many safaris before but never a “Stop Safari”
A lesson I’ve yet to learn. Thanks for the reminder
ps. that tail swish is just perfect.
Those tails make great fly swatters. So many of the animals were sporting them!
Fantastic shot Sabrina! Are you sure you didn’t just clone them and rotate that tail in photoshop?
Shhh, Simon, you’re letting out all my secrets…just kidding!
Seriously though I am still processing images so I can personally say that it is faster to get it right in camera than to be in the Dim Room.
Looks like you got some good shots and some fabulous memories. Was your longest lens the 70-300? Was it long enough?