The cameraman, his model and the studio
by Nirav Shah
Title
The cameraman, his model and the studio
Artist
Nirav Shah
Medium
Photograph - Digital Photo
Description
A wildlife photographer and driver guide in a safari vehicle observe a cheetah in the wild savannah of the Masai Mara, Kenya.
For many a safari to the world famous Masai Mara or more generally any of the national parks of East Africa is a big item on the bucket-list. These safaris offer world-class game viewing opportunities that are typically done via open-top safari vehicles. The vehicles have off-road capability and allow safe, close encounters with the wildlife. Some as in this photo have been further modified to cater to the specific needs of wildlife photographers: open windows and special doors that allow one to get as close to eye level of their subject as possible. There is a close relationship between the driver-guide and the photographer; the best guides know how to track animals and anticipate behaviour lining up the vehicle just right so that the optimum shot can be captured.
It's truly a magical experience, because every game drive is unique, every sighting is unique, not so much because of the animal itself, but because one gets to observe a variety of animal behaviours. This is an important perspective, and sadly, I feel many visitors come on safari and lose sight of that perspective. They come with a list of animals they want to see, tick them off the list and that's the safari. If they don't see the animals on their list then the trip is a failure, or the guide wasn't good or whatever. This is not what a safari is meant to be, one is simply not meant to be documenting and cataloguing animals like a stamp collection, but rather observe the animal's behaviour in its environment and enjoy the feeling of being out in the wild.
It's important to understand that this is the wild, whence you must cater for unpredictability, understand that this is mother nature at her best, be patient, be observant, humble yourself, respect the wildlife, respect the wilderness and she will reward you greatly in her studio, with her models, her lighting, for you to capture the scene in the most flattering way possbile and return home with memories that will last a lifetime.
Welcome to East Africa and come with the correct mindset to have the most memorable and fulfilling safari experience :)
Uploaded
November 7th, 2023
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Comments (1)
Jennifer Jenson
Here kitty, kitty! Such a beautiful model!
Nirav Shah replied:
Certainly, and since cheetahs are largely active during the day, they present several opportunities to capture interesting behaviour, including hunts and chases! Thank you for visiting and popping this in your favourites :)