What is the difference?
Photo Safaris are Designed Around Photographing Animals This might sound obvious, but there’s a bit more to it than you might think!
On a regular safari you may be able to get close enough to the wildlife to photograph them, but you may not be in an ideal photographic position! Our photo safaris make sure you are in a position with the best light, the best angles and the clearest shot possible without other vehicles in the way.
On a regular safari you may spend a few moments with the animal and once everyone has taken their selfie, you’ll probably move on to find something else. Our photo safaris give you time to really enjoy sitting and watching the animals. We’ll teach you about the animal’s behaviour and things to look out for when photographing them. You’ll learn about their habitat and why you can find some animals in certain places at different times of the year. You’ll have time to photograph the animals from different angles, even capturing some of the landscape they are surrounded by. If it’s an animal on the move we may even track them for hours, photographing what they do and where they go.
On a regular safari you may be in car with up to 10 other people! And some of them may not want to wait while you get the photo you are after. Our photo safaris have a maximum of 4 guests per vehicle so you will have plenty of space to move around and manoeuvre. Each vehicle is open or has windows and a pop-up roof so you can sit, stand or knell to get the shot you are after. You will also be with like-minded people so you can take your time, no one will rush you or make you feel like you can’t stop to capture something that interests you!
Photo Safaris Give You Maximum Opportunity in The Wild
On a regular safari you’ll probably spend a couple of hours on a game drive in the morning, head back for breakfast, chill out in the lodge, have lunch and then head back out for a couple of hours in the evening before dinner. On our photo safaris we don’t waste precious time sitting around in a lodge when we could be out with the animals. Most of our days will be full-day game drives spent out in the wild. After breakfast we’ll set off, taking a packed lunch with us so we don’t have to return to camp before dark. Can you imagine the frustration of finally finding a lion only to have to head back to camp 10 minutes later because breakfast is ready!
On a regular safari you may get a good guide, but there is also a chance you may not! Your guide may not speak much English and may not be able to explain anything about the animals. On our safaris we only use the best drivers. Drivers that know the parks like the back of their hand so they can find the wildlife we’ve travelled all that way to see. I’ll be with you guiding you photographically and helping you understand the animals and explaining differences between the species and sub species.
Photo Safaris Can Really Inspire You
On a regular safari you’ll probably be with people who are not that interested in improving their photography. On our photo safaris you’ll be with other like-minded photographers who you can exchange ideas with and learn from. I’ll be there to help you become more confident with your camera and improve in your techniques, but another guest may also be able to inspire you to try something different.
On a regular safari, especially if it is a luxury one, you may not learn much about Africa and it’s culture. On our photo safaris you will be immersed in Africa! You will feel very much a part of this magical place. We use local suppliers who employee local people. The staff at the camps and lodges will talk to you and share their experiences with you so you can learn what it’s really like to live in the wild. Stunning sundowners and African stories around the campfire will inspire you when you return home. I guarantee, these people will leave just as big an impression on you as the wildlife!
A regular safari can still be a great experience but if you have any slight interest in photography or really learning about the animals, a photographic safari will be a far superior experience for you. You do not have to be a photographer to benefit from a photo safari experience, just a love for wildlife will do!
If this article has sparked an interest in joining us on one of my photo safaris, please get in touch via email or even give me call! I would love for you to join us on a trip of a lifetime!
Email: hi@safarisinclair.co.uk
Phone: (+44) 0114 383 0644