Many people are unaware that the types of vehicles typically used for wildlife viewing safaris in eastern Africa differ from those used in southern Africa. In southern Africa, most game drive vehicles are very open like the ones shown below. In eastern Africa (namely Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) one will typically find closed safari... » read more
By Buddy Eleazer, owner of Magnum Excursions, LLC Figure 1- Canon 400mm DO with 1.4x teleconverter (560mm), Canon 1Dx MkII at f/5.6, 1/2500 sec., ISO 500 The Bottom Line Summary Bean Bags are a very low cost solution for sharper images when shooting telephoto lenses Bean Bags allow sharper images, even at lower shutter speeds.... » read more
Article and images by Lee Levin-Friend (Lee was a participant in the Magnum Excursions May 2012 workshop at Leadwood Private Camp in Timbavati Game Reserve, adjacent to Kruger National Park in South Africa. We look forward to Lee joining us again on an upcoming excursion … and from her excitement regarding the first trip, we’re... » read more
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog article on shooting B.I.F. (Birds in Flight) One of the hardest things to do in photography is to master shooting B.I.F! There are many different styles and settings used by the pro’s to attempt to achieve this humbling task. The technique you’ll use can vary... » read more
On a recent trip into the bush, a very good friend but non-photographer accompanied me. Prior to the trip he commented that he felt that much of getting a great shot was luck. I strongly disagreed but, out of politeness, just smiled. With each trip, my images get better. I feel it’s because 1) I... » read more
It is important to remind folks of things to avoid when on safari. Some of the items I will list have to do with personal safety, some with respect for wildlife and some are to help us preserve the natural environment of the park: Personal Safety Do not get out of the vehicle: While in... » read more
Photographing Leopards! One of my favorite locations in the world is northern Botswana along the Chobe waterfront. However, as much as I love that region, a typical week there usually only yields a single leopard sighting. I’ve heard a few reasons for this, but still can’t quite understand why there aren’t more leopards. There is... » read more