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South Africa | Nyala, juvenile male | Wildlife Photography Africa
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FAQ
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Questions

Q What makes you different from other tour companies offering photographic tours?
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What sort of subjects will be covered in the photography tuition sessions?
Q Why do I need you? Surely I can just set my camera to Auto.
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Digital pictures don’t cost anything so what does it matter if I waste a few. I’m bound to get some good ones aren’t I?
Q
Even if my images are not perfect I can use Photoshop to make them better, can’t I?
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Why is it so expensive?
Q
Why is the accommodation so expensive?
Q
Do the trips represent value for money?
Q
Do I need to buy any special equipment?
Q Will I be able to borrow equipment?
Q Do I need to bring a tripod?
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What about video?
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What animals will I see?
Q
Are these areas dangerous?
Q What about snakes?
Q What about flights?
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Will my mobile phone work?
Q
Is there Internet?
Q What’s the accommodation like?
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Will I have to share a room?
Q What’s the food like?
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How will we get around?
Q How crowded will the vehicles be?
Q
Will I need a flash gun?
Q
How much contact will I have with the local people?
Q
Will I be able to sell my photographs?

If you cannot find an answer to your query here we will be happy to respond to you personally. Just email your question to:
questions@wildlifephotographyafrica.com






Q
What makes you different from other tour companies offering photographic tours?
A We are small and personal. Our groups have a maximum of just 6 persons, which means you’ll always have adequate room in safari vehicles and will always be able to count on plenty of one-to-one time with the guide. Everyone in the group is there to take photographs so we’ll do our game drives or walks at the best times for photography. Your photographic guide has experience of both photography and safari leading so that he/she will be able to get you in the right position for the best shot. We’ve used our years of experience to choose camps and lodges in prime game viewing areas where you won’t be overrun by hordes of tourists and will have all the time you need for those special shots.

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Q
What sort of subjects will be covered in the photography tuition sessions?
A The specific content of the sessions will depend largely on the participants. We usually begin with camera and equipment basics then progress on to topics like camera set up, file types, metering, lighting, exposure and composition. However each day’s sessions are directed to some extent by individual requirements and the day’s wildlife viewing as we will discuss tips and techniques specific to what we are photographing. By limiting the number of participants to no more than 6 we can ensure that each person has access to as much ‘one on one’ tuition as necessary.

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Q
Why do I need you? Surely I can just set my camera to Auto.
A Yes you can, that’s what most people do, and the majority of your photographs will be pretty well exposed, but few of them will be great. Auto mode is great for quick snapshots but if you want to capture the best images a bit of input from you makes all the difference.

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Q Digital pictures don’t cost anything so what does it matter if I waste a few. I’m bound to get some good ones aren’t I?
A Ah, the ‘give a monkey a typewriter approach’. Yes you almost certainly will, but more by luck than good judgement. Digital technology is fantastic and it is progressing all the time. The very fact that it is so good has made the majority of photographers complacent. As you say, it costs nothing to fire off a hundred pictures because you can delete the rubbish and use the memory space again. In the dim dark recesses of history, when pictures were captured on film and you only had 24 or 36 images per roll everyone took a lot more care to get it right. Developing films cost money so we would endeavour to get composition and exposure perfect before we pressed the shutter release. There are still significant rewards for putting the same amount of effort into making sure your digital images are correctly exposed.

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Q
Even if my images are not perfect I can use Photoshop to make them better, can’t I?
A Yes you can. Photoshop and various other image manipulation programs can help you transform a mediocre photograph into something much better. And if you enjoy what is called ‘post processing’ there is nothing wrong with that. But it is time consuming and do you really want to come back from your trip with several hundred pictures that need to be worked on before they look good? Wouldn’t it be much better to get it right in the camera to start with?

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Q
Why is it so expensive?
A Wildlife photography is not expensive. You can do it in your own back garden or a nearby wood and it will cost you nothing. We’re taking you to some of the best wildlife reserves on the African continent and you will enjoy some amazing game viewing experiences. Entry to the National Parks and reserves requires the payment of park entry fees and conservation fees. And because of the exclusivity of the locations the accommodation is not cheap either. However, we believe that our trips still represent excellent value for money and that it would cost you more to try replicate the same itinerary by yourself.

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Q
Why is the accommodation so expensive?
A The price of accommodation in Africa’s wildlife reserves is a determined by three main factors: Location, facilities, demand. We’ve attempted to choose the best locations for viewing and photographing wildlife. By their very nature these locations are in high demand. To give you the best possible experience we want to visit them at the best time of year for wildlife viewing, this further increases the demand. We have selected smaller camps and lodges offering the kind of intimate atmosphere more suited to our needs. We want to be able to have discussion sessions, review photographs and carry out tuition without having to contend with dozens of other guests.

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Q
Do the trips represent value for money?
A Of course we believe they do but, ultimately, only you can make that judgement. Whether or not you think your experience with Wildlife Photography Africa represents value for money will depend on whether or not you feel you got from the trip what you wanted. What we can do though is put it in context. How disappointed would you be if you’d spent several hundred pounds on a good Digital SLR and lenses and thousands of pounds travelling to visit exotic destinations only to discover when you got home that your photographs were flat and dull because you’d neglected to set up your camera properly? Surely it is worth making sure you can get the best from your equipment so that you can bring back images to be proud of.
You can read books and watch DVDs but there is no substitute for field experience.

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Q
Do I need to buy any special equipment?
A Probably not. If you have an interest in wildlife photography it is likely you will already have everything you need. 2 or 3 lenses are enough for most photographers, particularly if you have to carry them around. If the lenses in your bag cover the focal range from approximately 20-400mm, you won’t miss many shots. This could be a combination of a short zoom (eg, 18-80mm), a long zoom (eg, 70-300mm) and a telephoto (eg, 500mm) for birds and further away subjects. It is worth making sure that either your short zoom or long zoom has a macro capability, ie the ability to focus on objects very close to the lens.
You may need to get your hands on some additional memory cards as you’ll be keeping a lot more of the pictures you take. We recommend that you take your photographs using the highest quality setting your camera allows which means that the files sizes will be large.
A spare battery may also be useful. Although you will have the ability to recharge batteries whenever we are in camp, some of the new super zooms really guzzle battery power.
Having said all that though, you can still get great wildlife photos with some of the high end ‘bridge’ cameras, though most don’t give you the same degree of control over the way the photograph is taken. You could even come along just for a great wildlife safari.

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Q Will I be able to borrow equipment?
A As a general rule no. We do not have a supply of equipment for loan or hire. It is important that you work with your own camera and lenses and become familiar with them. However, it is highly likely that others in the group will have equipment that is compatible with yours and they may be willing to let you try it out. No guarantees though. If you have a Canon and everyone else is using Nikons then you won’t be able to share lenses.

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Q Do I need to bring a tripod?
A That is entirely up to you. Stability is critical when using longer lenses and a good tripod provides this. But you will need to weigh up the benefits of carrying a sturdy tripod against its weight. Much of our photography will be done from vehicles where you will be able to rest your equipment on various bits of the vehicle. In such situations a monopod, bean bag or some kind of clamp is preferable to a tripod as it can be manoeuvred more easily. Many people just bring a small bean bag to use as a rest. On walking safaris a tripod could be useful but you will have to decide whether the advantages of having one outweigh the hassle of carrying it around. A monopod is a good compromise. Make sure that whatever kind of support you decide to bring works with the lenses you’ll be using.

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Q
What about video?
A Our workshops concentrate on still photography. We do not have the same level of expertise when it comes to video work and prefer to stick to what we know best.

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Q What animals will I see?
A That depends to a great extent on which trip you choose. All the itineraries visit areas where the so called “Big 5” can be seen but each one offers a completely different mix. One of our lodges in Kruger National Park is renowned for its leopard sightings. Linyanti in Botswana is famous for large herds of elephant and buffalo whereas the Maasai Mara is known for its plains game and the number of predators, particularly lions as well as the herds of wildebeest on annual migration. Our visits are timed so that we are in each reserve at the best time of year for game viewing but there can be no guarantees as the animal movements are determined by many factors that we cannot control. In addition to the ‘Big 5’ each location has its own unique population of other animals and birds.

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Q
Are these areas dangerous?
A Yes and no. We visit wildlife reserves; by definition they contain wild animals. As a general rule though the animals keep away from humans and you will be quite safe in the custom designed safari vehicles we use. Of course there are dangers to be aware of and in each lodge or camp you will be given guidelines on what to do and what not to do to stay safe. The most basic of which is quite simply do not wander off into the bush alone.

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Q
What about snakes?
A Yes there are snakes in Africa. Some of them are extremely poisonous. However your chances of encountering one are slim. Snakes are not normally confrontational and will almost always move away when they hear/feel you coming. When we are on walking safaris sturdy footwear is recommended as a sensible precaution.

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Q
What about flights?
A We do not organise flights. There are many companies out there specialising in flights and we will be happy to offer recommendations. In the specific information relating to each trip you will find a suggested routing to get to the start point of the itinerary.

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Q
Will my mobile phone work?
A Unfortunately in most places it will, although your overall experience will be much more relaxed if you just switch it off. We recommend that if you can’t live without your phone you try and limit making / receiving calls to the evenings when you are in camp. All phones should be switched off whilst on safari.

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Q
Is there Internet?
A Some lodges have it, some don’t. The best way to find out if the lodges you’ll be visiting have Internet is to look follow the link below to their own website.

Kenya
Porini Lion Camp - Maasai Mara
Ashnil Samburu Camp - Samburu

Tanzania
Ruaha River Lodge - Ruaha
Rufiji River Camp - Rufiji

Botswana
Shinde Camp - Okavango Delta
Linyanti Bush Camp - Chobe Enclave

South Africa
Motswari Private Game Reserve - Timbavati
Umlani Bushcamp - Timbavati

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Q
What’s the accommodation like?
A In a word, terrific. The facilities are terrific and they’ll make you feel so much at home you won’t want to leave. If you want to know more follow the links below.

Kenya
Porini Lion Camp - Maasai Mara
Ashnil Samburu Camp - Samburu

Tanzania
Ruaha River Lodge - Ruaha
Rufiji River Camp - Rufiji

Botswana
Shinde Camp - Okavango Delta
Linyanti Bush Camp - Chobe Enclave

South Africa
Motswari Private Game Reserve - Timbavati
Umlani Bushcamp - Timbavati

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Q Will I have to share a room?
A Only if you want to. The lodges/camps offer single, twin or double rooms. Our prices are based on double occupancy but single rooms are available upon payment of a supplement.

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Q
What’s the food like?
A Amazing, and there will almost certainly be more than you could possibly eat. Daily meals will usually be as follows: Early morning tea/coffee before our morning game drive. Breakfast on return to camp. Lunch. Afternoon tea/coffee before we set off on our afternoon/evening game drive. Dinner each evening.

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Q
How will we get around?
A Within game parks we use custom built safari vehicles. These are usually Land Rovers or Land Cruisers that have been adapted for safari. The customisation involves removing the roof and windows and extending the body length. The sides will almost certainly be open, giving you unrestricted visibility in all directions. Depending on the weather there may or may not be a canopy to provide shade. In Kenya, Tanzania and Botswana we cover the longer distances by aeroplane.

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Q
How crowded will the vehicles be?
A The vehicles we use will usually have a maximum of 8 persons on board, comprising one driver/guide, one WPA guide and up to 6 group members. The 6 group members will be seated in 3 rows of seats so there is ample room for both you and your camera bag as well as an unimpeded view of the outside. In some parks a tracker sits on seat right at the front of the vehicle, above the front bumper. Where there is a tracker the maximum number of persons is 9.

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Q
Will I need a flash gun?
A You won’t need one, but you may wish to bring one. Generally speaking the pop-up flash on most cameras is not very powerful and will only illuminate subjects very close to the camera. If you want to take pictures of subjects further away, or perhaps the interior of the lodge, a more powerful flashgun would be needed. Please note that some guides will ask you not to use flash when photographing animals. If you are particularly interested in macro photography then you’ll be much more likely to use a flash.

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Q How much contact will I have with the local people?
A It will be limited. Of course most of the staff at the lodges will have been drawn from the local population but by their very nature lodges and camps are located away from population centres to maximise the wildlife viewing opportunities. We will not specifically be making visits to tribal areas or show villages.

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Q
Will I be able to sell my photographs?
A Who knows? By the end of the trip you should be taking photographs of a standard that will satisfy most magazine editors and photo libraries but there are a lot of photographers out there who make their living from wildlife photography so competition is tough.

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