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  #1  
Old 14-11-10, 11:38 PM
Gary Doran Gary Doran is offline
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Safari

Hi guys,

I am off on a Safari in a few weeks and was wondering if anyone had any tips or suggestions on technique or seetings? Any help or ideas would be much apppreciated.


Thanks

Gary
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Old 15-11-10, 01:41 AM
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GeoffWessex GeoffWessex is offline
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Beyond my experience - I'm envious...... I suppose an advantage is that, however 'fast' your lens is, you needn't worry about having to use a high ISO - you should get a quite high shutter speed at any time.

Other than that..... don't wander too far from the campfire for a pee at night. Don't stand between a mother elephant and her 'baby'. Don't use a wide-angle lens for photographing wild animals - objects in a wide-angle are closer that they appear! And.... the steps to take if a lion charges you? BLOODY BIG ONES!
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Old 15-11-10, 09:07 AM
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Cutter Cutter is offline
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Focus on the eyes, fast shutter speed but ony if its moving practice panning shots using ALservo, animals fur can underexpose them so use spot metering. short burst to capture the moment and not clog up your camera.
Hey this is from a guy who has only been the zoo

Have a great time, and post a couple of shots when you get back
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Old 15-11-10, 08:29 PM
loweswood loweswood is offline
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My best tip is that even with image stabilisation if you are in a vehicle with lots of others, take a bean bag. eg
photobeanbags.com

this will keep you steady particularly if you are in a low light situation or use the self timer or remote.

Have a great trip
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Old 15-11-10, 11:30 PM
hssutton hssutton is offline
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IS, is not essential, but if you encounter the atrocious weather as I did on my last visit, then ii would be a great help. When your driver comes across anything interesting he will stop for you to take photos.

If you're going to such as the Masai, many animals will be so close you could stroke them, so be prepared to swap lenses. The lions and also the rhinos where just several feet away, for the rhinos I used a 5D + 70-200. I was on foot and approx 10 feet away.

A 100-400mm is normally ideal, but on occassions it can be to long. I always use spot metering and servo focussing, but be prepared to switch to manual focus when the animals are in long grass. I have always taken two bodies, one with a 70-200mm and the other with the 100-400mm.

As you will be constantly changing position on the safari vehical, such as a tripod or other such aids are rather pointless. However a tripod does come in handy when at the base camp.

You can see a few photos from the masai, but the conditions where atrocious with constant rain and flooding everywhere, thus spoiling the photographic aspect of my last visit.

http://www.photoshop.com/users/hssut...b?wf=slideshow

Not all the photos in the gallery where taken on the Masai
Harry
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Old 23-11-10, 04:10 PM
Gary Doran Gary Doran is offline
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Thanks for all your help guys. Really appreciate it and will let you know how it goes.

Gary
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