You’ve dreamed of a wildlife Africa safari for years ” and now its finally going to happen. You see yourself taking National Geographic camera shots. You wonder how to get a close-up of a lion, the way the professionals do. But did you know that if you visit a game reserve such as Amboseli or Kenya Mara, you most likely wont even get the chance? Its strictly the rule in such places nowadays that no vehicle shall stray from the beaten track.

However, you can still get fabulous photos from afar. Just make sure your camera has a telephoto lens no smaller then 300 mm. minimum. (The ideal would be the standard 600 mm. preferred by professional wildlife photographers.)

Before You Leave For Your Trip

Carrying out a few simple photography exercises and making some modifications before you ever step on the plane can improve your wildlife Africa photography results 100%.

* Carry your camera with you at all times ” starting today! You never know when you’ll run into a deer (not literally, we hope!). There are probably more species of wildlife in your neighborhood than you’ve ever realized.

# Become an expert at locating your camera controls by touch ” you’ll barely have a millisecond to react when shooting wildlife or birds ” let alone look for a button!

# Make a note of any camera task noises (such as zoom or auto focus) that are likely to disturb your subjects. Decide how you are going to get around that before your trip to wildlife Africa.

* Study the habits of your African prey now. Check the internet and find out what parks offer more chance of seeing specific animals. Visit a game park, if there’s one in your area.

Bring Your Trip To Life

* Remember that often a wildlife pictures photography opportunity will come along when the tour vehicle is bouncing over potholes. A bean bag will absorb some of the shock to your camera.

# Don’t forget to consider including scenery. Natural objects will make your photographs seem extra special. There’s nothing more haunting than the mood of a place. Including a unique bit of flora will bring wildlife Africa home as nothing else can.

* Wear long sleeves and pants, and use mosquito repellent – one creature you wont want to get up close and personal with is this malaria-carrying pest. (Besides, you don’t want a perfect shot ruined by a mosquito bite at the wrong moment!)

Learning to photograph wildlife takes practice and patience, but the results will be well worth it. Your wildlife pictures will sparkle. And remember ” the squirrel you shoot today may be the cheetah you capture tomorrow!

And whatever you do in wildlife Africa ” don’t leave your camera at home!