Photography Tips
I said this information was not about photography
per say but I would be unkind of me not to pass on a few tips from
my own experience, here are a few but they are not too techie.
Media
I do not do film anymore and one of the
contributing factors for making this decision is that apart from the
problem of knowing how much film to take and what mix of film ISO
speeds. The problem I found was deciding what ISO speed to put in
the camera and also because of the inflexibility when conditions
change and there was still half a roll of film to go in the camera -
digital solved that in one go.
Take plenty of media with you compact flash cards
are not overly expensive and I guarantee you will take a lot more
photos than you expect to. There can’t be anything worse than
running out of storage space and there is still two days safari to
go. If you pocket runs to it one of the electronic storage devices
would be a good idea or even a netbook computer but not essential
(it’s another bit of kit to add to your flight baggage allowance).
A daily review of each card can help with capacity
(only delete the bad ones - out of focus, over exposed etc) and you
could also off load files to that portable hard disc device (if
you've taken it) however you should always have a duplicate backup
of those very best ones i.e. two copies on different media. As
storage media can fail !
Point to Note
I always have a spare compact flash card ready to
use in my pocket and like film they always run out at the most
inconvenient moment, for instance when those lion cubs appear from
nowhere and you are shooting at a rate of two to a dozen. It’s
easier to slip the card from your pocket and replace the full one in
the camera than it is to rummage around in your camera case under
the seat for a new one.
Batteries
I have found that my digital SLR goes for days
without me having to recharge, the battery life does not seem to be
a problem so long as you keep an eye on things. The one I use is
just the standard one supplied with the camera, I always have at
least one spare battery charged up just in case. Don’t forget the
camera clock battery, take a spare with you. The light is usually
quite good so flash is seldom required, it is most likely that the
distance between you and the subject will be to far for using flash
with any success. I have never fallen short in battery capacity
whilst on safari.
Most places have electricity so you can recharge
batteries and the such like, recharging I have not found a problem
but you need to be organised and recharge at every opportunity -
keep those batteries topped up! Some of the better tour vehicles
will have a means to plug in your battery charger whilst travelling
(but some will not) your travel agent should be able to find this
out for you.
Sharpness - Camera Shake,
keep still keep sharp
There is always the possibility for improving
pictures a later date with software but unsharp/blurred photos will
have limited scope for real improvement, therefore you should try to
do as much as you can to keep your camera as still as possible.
Using either something to rest it on or alternatively the camera
should be fixed with a proper camera support such as clamp that is
fitted in someway to the vehicle. Free hand camera photography is
not the best method to get those really sharp pictures, especially
if you use a long lens.
Bean bags are helpful but with longer lenses
sometimes a bean bag does not always work, lenses more than 300mm
will need image stabilisation if not suitably fixed or mounted. I
have found that a 600mm lens is the maximum length to use without
image stabilisation when shooting from a vehicle, even if it’s fixed
with a clamp and the light is good.
It is likely you will have with you a telephoto
lens, if not you will need one at least 300mm, the longer the
better. I have found one of the most important things for good
photography is to try to reduce camera shake as must as possible.
Keep in mind on many occasions the game maybe some distance away and
you need a decent lens to get those good shots but the longer the
zoom the easier it will be to lose sharpness by movement.
Other people in the safari vehicle may shift position or even just
point at something, this can make the vehicle move and cause camera
shake when you are taking photos.
What can be done? Your first aid could be an image
stabilising lens but if you don’t have one, then maybe you could dig
in to your pocket and buy one, again very good to have but not the
end of the world if you don’t. Or alternatively when the
vehicle is stationary ask the driver to turn off the engine as the
vibration from the engine will have an impact.
Something that I found useful in different
situations is a simple camera vice or clamp that screws into your
camera and clamps to something handy, the pole that supports the
roof canopy, the window or anything that is convenient. The only
downside to these is they could be a bit fiddly setting up and in
that time the subject may have moved on. They are sold in most
camera shops for about £20.00 upwards and the better ones will cost
a bit more. If you are using a longer lens then I would suggest the
purchase of something a little more sturdy to support firmly the
weight of the lens. I use a clamp and connectors made by Manfrotto
which gives me a sturdy fixing but at the same time by using a ball
type tripod mount provides a great deal of movement and flexibility.
On occasions I use just the arm with a bean for support and this
provides me speed and flexibility.
The other handy device which has helped on
occasions was my monopod, not used in the conventional method,
didn’t work for me like that. I used it in an open safari vehicle
laid across two seats horizontally and this gave me a resting point
for a bean bag and the camera, otherwise my only choice was to hand
hold the camera.
I’ve tried using a tripod in a vehicle but it
didn’t work for me. If you have one it may be something to sacrifice
if baggage weight is a problem.
Anticipation
I have found you will not always know what side of
the vehicle to position yourself to be ready, potential subjects can
appear from either side, front or back therefore having your clamp
mounted in the right place every time does not always work out.
Remounting a lens or clamp can take time and can result in lost
photo opportunities, sometimes things will move away on quickly so
shots are lost. Anticipation of the subjects position prior to
stopping can help and having your kit at hand and easily accessible
at all times is essential.