Safari Photography

Point and Shoot

At the level of gross generalization, there are two approaches to capturing photos and video on your African adventure. The 'minimalist' approach is to take a smart phone or 'point and shoot' automatic camera, providing a simple and hassle-free way of creating a photographic (or video) record of your time in Africa. With advancing technology, phones and point-and-shoot cameras are increasingly sophisticated, and capable of capturing some impressive images and video. We recommend that every traveler adopt this approach at the minimum.

Interchangeable Lens Cameras

For the more serious photographer who wants to take the quality of their images and/or video to the next level, an interchangeable lens camera with multiple lenses will provide an even more powerful tool for capturing and relaying the magic of Africa's wilderness and wildlife. The price is bigger, bulkier (and more expensive) equipment with a steeper learning curve but, for those with photographic experience (or the time and inclination to learn), the results can be well worth the added effort. 

Resources

In addition to the information and advice in this section, two regularly updated pages on the Classic Africa website that might prove helpful are:

Photography Forum - Articles from Classic Africa News with tips and techniques for safari photography and videography.

Client Photo Gallery - Learn by perusing the photos and videos of other Classic African travelers (several of whom are semi-professional photographers).

If you are buying a new camera (or equipment) and are seeking advice, we typically recommend going to a local store where you can try out different models and speak with sales agents in person. If you have a good idea of what you want, and are looking for an excellent on-line source of equipment (or if you live in the New York area), we've always received excellent service and prices at B&H Photo and Video: www.bhphotovideo.com.

http://kelbytv.com/ - digital photography guru Scott Kelby and his colleagues present video tutorials with hands-on advice and tips for image editing and photographic techniques - particularly helpful for Photoshop.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/ - a comprehensive site with articles by some leading names in nature photography, as well as authoritative product reviews and helpful tutorials.

http://www.popphoto.com/ - another great site that features regular posts and articles by photographic celebrities, and an extensive archive of lens tests and equipment reviews.