Beach Holiday

Wildlife Photography

Ten Tips to Get Started in Wildlife Photography

1. Know your subject.

Understanding Wildlife Photography behavior is key to being a good wildlife photographer, especially when your subjects are wildlife. Research and observation will give you a greater chance of capturing an interesting moment than just walking by and snapping a photo.

2. Know your gear

Don’t be discouraged by not having the most professional photography equipment. The best camera is the one you have with you. When you know the pros and cons of your gear you’ll be able to take advantage of what is possible with what you have, and be prepared when the moment arises.

3. Get up early

The best light for outdoor photography occurs an hour after sunrise, and an hour before sunset. In my experience the best time to have wildlife encounters is early morning.

4. Go Prone

Low to the ground is usually a great angle to photograph wildlife. Try laying down, or other angles that might seem awkward at the time. You will be impressed with the difference it makes.

5. Be Patient

One of the things I love about photography is the instant gratification I get from an awesome shot. Wildlife takes a little more time to get that shot. Take the time to follow tip 1 and observe your subjects behavior to be ready. Frustration can get the best of you if you miss a perfect moment, brush it off and remind yourself you’re getting better as a photographer because of it.

6. Find your style

Rather than just framing your subject within the photo, try shooting wider and closer and see what style you prefer. Although I can’t always get as close as I’d like without owning a massive 600mm lens, I prefer close shots; especially of insects and flowers.

7. Be Considerate

Setting up a shot is one thing – but being cruel to the wildlife you are admiring is another. Using playback (playing a bird call) to attract subjects is generally frowned upon and in my opinion makes photography less enjoyable. Have lines drawn in the sand for what you’re willing to do for the perfect shot and stick to it. For me I will move small subjects like insects or amphibians, to a nearby location (like a rock or leaf) but I will never put them in danger or handle them excessively.

8. Plan your shot

If you want to capture a moment in a unique way – be prepared with the right settings. I’ve been caught off guard when I wanted to capture the movement of a frog jumping with a slow shutter but it leaped before I expected, and my camera was still set to a fast shutter speed. Know what you want to capture before it happens.

9. Enjoy Yourself

Don’t forget to enjoy your time in nature. I bring my camera everywhere but sometimes I’m out and just want to take it in without a lens in front of me. Don’t feel bad that you’re missing out; any experience in nature will make you a better wildlife photographer.

10. Get Inspired

Visit Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibit to see some amazing wildlife photography from around the world.

Lake Victoria

Western and Lake Victoria Circuit

Famous for containing some of the last remaining wild chimpanzees in Africa, the Mahale Mountains National Park was gazetted in 1985, covers an area of 1 613 km² and is located about 128 km south of Kigoma town on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika. The western boundary of the park protects an adjacent 1.6 km wide strip of Lake Tanganyika’s waters.

The land in and around Mahale is the traditional homeland of the Watongwe and Waholoholo tribes. Japanese primate researchers began exploring along the shore of Lake Tanganyika, south of Kigoma as early as 1961. In 1965, the researchers established their first

camp, ‘Kansyana’, in Mahale and began habituating chimpanzees.

The terrain is mostly rugged and hilly, and is dominated by the Mahale Mountains chain that runs from the northwest to the southeast across the park. The highest peak (Mount Nkungwe) rises to 2 462 m above sea level.

Mahale offers a number of outstanding attractions for visitors, from tracking wild habituated chimpanzees, to mountain climbing, snorkeling, fishing, kayaking and relaxing on deserted, pristine, white, sandy beaches.

  • Walking safaris in the beautiful, lowland forest allow close encounters with a vast array of birds and animals, including a group of habituated chimpanzees. The opportunity to track chimps in their natural habitat is Mahale’s foremost tourist attraction.
  • An ascent of the highest peak in the Mahale Mountains ridge, Mt. Nkungwe, is one of the most spectacular activities available to tourists. It takes 2-3 days to reach the summit, and the best time for climbing is during the dry season (May – October). Whilst camping on the mountain at night, it is often possible to see the spectacle of ‘fishing fire’, as the kerosene lamps carried by small fishing boats light up across the Lake.
  • Lake Tanganyika contains more than 250 species of fish found nowhere else on Earth, many of which can be viewed by snorkeling in the shallows along Mahale’s shoreline.
  • Long walking trips can be arranged for viewing big game such as lion, elephant, hippo, buffalo, giraffe and leopard. These safaris may require up to 7 days.
  • Sport fishing on the fresh waters of Lake Tanganyika is possible under special licenses available to visitors.
  • Cultural tourism activities entailing visits to the nearby villages can also be arranged. Kigoma town and the historical town Ujiji are worth a detour. Kigoma is the capital of the Kigoma District and the economic center of the region. Ujiji is a historical town dating back to the days of German colonial rule in Tanganyika. In the 19th century, Dr. Livingstone traveled to Ujiji in a bid to stop the slave trade.
  • Other tourist destinations in western Tanzania that can complement a visit to Mahale Mountains National Park include Gombe Stream and Katavi National Parks, lying north and south of Mahale respectively.

Rubondo Island National Park

The Rubondo Island National Park is situated in the south western corner of Lake Victoria in Tanzania. It is Tanzania’s only park on Lake Victoria and attracts only a small number of visitors mainly bird enthusiasts and fisherman.

The island measures 28km in length and 4 km in width and consists of a partially submerged rift of volcanically formed hills with volcanic soil. The landscape consists mainly evergreen and semi-deciduous forest with patches of grassland. There are two distinct habitats – to the west is the papyrus swamps  lined  with  date  palms  and  to  the  east  are

rocky to the east are rocky areas and sandy beaches. The wildlife is quite diverse and includes hippos, otters, bushbucks, chimpanzees, Genet, colobus and dik dik; but the main attraction is the birdlife.

The island boasts nearly 430 recorded species including huge numbers of storks, bee-eaters, flycatchers, kingfishers, ibises, cormorants and the one of the highest concentrations of fish eagles in the world. Due to its geographical location it also attracts a large number of migrant birds. The forests are a wonderful display of butterflies fluttering about a seasonal display of orchids, coral trees and fireball lilies.

The island is best explored by boat or on a walking safari with an expert guide.

Lake Victoria

Lake Victoria is Tanzania’s largest lake, the largest tropical lake in the world, and the second widest fresh water lake in the world in terms of surface area. Being relatively shallow for its size, Lake Victoria ranks as the seventh largest freshwater lake by volume. It is the source of the longest branch of the River Nile, the White Nile. It is a biological hotspot with great biodiversity.

The lake lies within an elevated plateau in the western part of Africa’s Great Rift Valley. The lake has a shoreline of 2,138 miles and has more than 3,000 islands, many of which are inhabited. These islands include the Sese Islands in Uganda,  a  large  group  of islands in the northwest  of the lake that are becoming a popular destination for tourists.

Lake Victoria is relatively young with its current basin formed only 400,000 years ago. The lake’s shallowness, limited river inflow, and large surface area relative to its volume make it vulnerable to climate changes. Core samplings taken from its bottom show that Lake Victoria has dried up completely three times since it formed. These drying cycles are probably related to past ice ages, which are times when precipitation declined globally. The lake last dried out 17,300 years ago, and filled again beginning 14,700 years ago.

Look Tanzania safaris  will take you for bird watching and fishing  more over meet wasukuma the most famous on traditional dance around  Lake Victoria.