Photo Technique
Be as ready as possible to shoot. That means presetting your camera as closely as possible to what is the most likely focus and exposure. If your camera has automatic exposure, leave it set on automatic unless you are sure that conditions warrant otherwise. Once again, it is vital that you be thoroughly familiar with your camera so that you don’t have to fumble with it at the critical moment.
Be generous in your use of film. If you see something that is especially worth photographing, take several pictures. Try several different exposures because too often, film comes back scratched or spoiled in some way. Or you may send your film in to have prints made and gave it either lost or damaged. If this should happen, you will then always have another copy.
When using telephoto lenses, try as hard as possible to minimize camera vibration. Make sure your driver switches off the engine of your vehicle. Prop the camera up on a window ledge or on the roof, using if possible a bean bag, and use fast shutter speeds. Practice releasing the shutter without jarring the camera. The classic rule of thumb is that you should not try to hand-hold a camera at a shutter speed slower than the inverse of the focal length of your lens. Translated into English, that means that if you are using a lens of 200mm, you should use a shutter speed of 1/20, 1/500 or faster. If you are using a 50mm lens, you can manage with a shutter speed of 1/60, 1/125 or faster.
Be aware of the angle from which the sunlight is coming. Most of your shots will look best if the sun is behind you and your camera, and the subject directly illuminated. Your driver will be aware of this and try to position the vehicle at the best possible angle. But you may want to try for unusual effects such as backlighting: if you do, make sure you know how to set your camera’s exposure meter so that it isn’t fooled by the extraneous light in the background. Even though you will make frequent use of the roof hatch of your vehicle, don’t neglect the view from the windows. A lower angle of view may allow a more dramatic view of, for example, a large animal like a giraffe or elephant.
The knack of photographic composition is to some extent un-teachable, but before you leave on safari you might want to study some books of wildlife photography to see what makes for good pictures. One thing the great photographers have in common is a feel for the context in which animals occur. They often include in the frame something of the landscape and background.
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