Tips for photographing wildlife in the Kruger National Park

So, you want to photograph wildlife in the Kruger National Park? This place is a gem for wildlife photographers, if you approach it correctly. The wrong mindset and strategy can leave you returning home, disappointed with your pictures. This is why it’s so important to know how to approach photography at each location you visit, especially places like the Kruger. So here are 5 tips to get better wildlife photographs in the Kruger and make your trip a success!

Tip 1:

Firstly, the gear is important. Using a mirrorless camera is ideal but DSLR cameras can also produce great results. A good versatile lens is recommended such as a 100-400mm. Always remember that your lens is more important than the camera, so rather spend more money on the lens than the camera. In the Kruger there is often dark situations where you must push the shutter speed lower than what is recommended. In these situations, a beanbag to stabilize the camera is recommended.

Tip 2:

This is often not realised by many people but planning your route is crucial, here’s why. As the sun rises the light becomes harsher, eventually reaching a point where achieving soft light in your image is impossible. Fortunately, you can increase the amount of time you can photograph by simply planning your route accordingly. For the morning, try to drive on roads with as many open areas as possible and less trees. This will mean you can shoot from earlier because it’s not as dark as it would be in a very bushy area. As the sun rises higher you should try to move into more wooded areas that will reduce harsh light, this should give you an extra hour to photograph. I know that sometimes it is not possible to plan your route like this, but, when possible, it’s a great idea to give it a go.

Tip 3:

Most of us chase sightings in the Kruger, but it’s important to remember that a wildlife photographer and a wildlife viewer are two totally different people. Instead of quickly seeing an animal and moving on, wildlife photographers must stay at the sighting and wait for the action to happen. Although, this is not as straightforward as it seems, because light is playing a role. Therefore, you must decide whether you are going to move on from this sighting or stay? This brings us to the next tip.

Tip 4:

Deciding if you are going to stay at a sighting or search for a different sighting is a complicated decision. To be able to make such a decision you must know the picture you want from this scene, look at the environment, know what the light will do in 20 minutes time. Then the most important factor, behaviour.  The behaviour of the animals and how individuals interact in the present reveals how they will react in the future. Look for playfighting between individuals or cautious animals. If you’re looking for male dominance fights, which can make for some incredible photos especially in backlit dusty conditions, it is important to look for prolonged eye contact between males and a sideways defensive posture, loud grunts. The fight is near when individuals don’t back down and continue with these behaviours. For birds you can look for a male puffing up its feathers and a female nearby. Knowing the displays of different bird species helps a lot.

Waiting for a pied Kingfisher to dive down into the water

Tip 5:

Because you must stay in your vehicle most of the time, it is a good idea to spend some time at picnic sites, or other camps. The reason for this is that when you are able to get down low at eye level, in photographs this directly connects the viewer with the subject and it results in a much stronger image. On my recent trip to the Kruger I have found that the Tshokwane trading post and picnic site is a great place to photograph starlings from close and at eye level because they are so used to humans.

Photographing starlings upclose at Tsokwane trading post and picnic site.

I hope you learned something from this blog and that it helps you reach your full potential on your next visit to the Kruger.