Do you want to take a break from your daily city life? Are you bored with your everyday work schedule and monotonous lifestyle? If Yes, you need some adventure in your life. There are many adventure activities among which you can choose one for you. However, if you ask us, the best getaway from your routined schedule would be going for an animal safari.
Animal Safari is one of the items on people’s bucket lists. There you will get to see various wild animals and birds that you do not get to notice in your daily life. Also, you can enjoy taking beautiful photos of those animals and birds during your day out to keep those snapshots for memories. If you want to decorate photos for your personal space, stelava.com provides you the option to upload pictures on their website to get customized pictures. However, spotting them and capturing them into your lenses is not an easy task. Therefore, we are here to tell you how you can take beautiful and seamless images of wildlife during your tour.
Tips to Help You with Animal Photography During a Wildlife Safari
Get the Right Equipment
You have the freedom to click photos however you want or with the device of your choice. Mobile phones are nowadays pretty common for taking photographs, however, for such special occasions, you should take high-quality images that show real emotions or depth in images. Moreover, if you want to monetize your images by selling them to stock photography websites, you will certainly be needing some good equipment.
A good zoom lens for close-up photos, a tripod for image stability, and a camera would be needed. A safari jeep in which you will be carried and traveled throughout the park is very unstable. Carry some spare lenses, batteries, and memory cards with you.
Know Your Camera Settings
If you want the best photos, you must shoot in the RAW mode. This allows you to edit photos later to spruce them up. You must also preferably shoot in manual mode. It is important you learn all about the camera settings. Practice using your camera before you leave for the safari. Understand the different settings and how they work.
Depending on the light, you need to adjust the ISO. You need to experiment with different settings. A fast shutter speed is essential because animals can move fast. Your camera must support the burst mode, so you can shoot many photos simultaneously. It will ensure you don’t miss out on the action.
Shoot During the Golden Hour
If you book your own safari jeep, you can go on the safari at the best possible time. The golden hour is the best time to take photos. It is the hour just after sunrise and just before sunset. The rising or setting sun will form a great backdrop for you to shoot photos. The golden hour is ideal because animals are up early and usually visit watering holes.
Get the best out of the natural light available. If you are going on a private trip, you get all the time. But on a safari, you cannot venture on your own. You will go with a guide and have to follow safari rules. So, using flash or lighting is not possible. Ensure you make use of the natural light to the best effect.
Go Low While Shooting
Most photographers on a safari shoot from the roof of their jeep/van. They do this to get a clear shot. But in this position, you are shooting down at the subject. The best position to shoot is at eye level. You must try to go low while shooting photos of animals. If you shoot at eye level, you will get the best photo. Ensure you are in the right position to get the best photos.
Don’t Miss the Background
A safari is not only about the animals but also the natural surroundings. Whether it is a forest, savannah, or desert, you must try to capture the landscape. In your quest to shoot the animal’s photo don’t miss out on capturing the background. Including the landscape ensures your photo will look realistic.
You Must be Fast
Wildlife photography is where you wait in the jungle for an animal to come near you. But on a safari, you are taken around in a vehicle to spot animals. You may get an animal sighting suddenly. The bushes in forests can hide animals and you may spot an animal within an instant. If the animal is spooked, it can vanish fast. So, be prepared to shoot and shoot fast.
Shoot as Much as Possible
On a safari, people want to shoot big animals like lions, tigers, elephants, etc. But there are many smaller animals, reptiles, and birds you will come across. Don’t miss out on the chance of shooting them. Who knows? You may spot a rare creature whose photo could be valuable.
Wildlife and nature offer plenty of great opportunities for excellent photography – be prepared and mindful to make the most of it!