The great East Africa migration gives some of the best photo opportunities in Africa ranging from optimal hunting scenes, river crossings and spectacular herds movements. The clockwise movement round 300 miles distant from serengeti south eastern plains through the western corridor across grumeti private reserve to masai mara and back to serengeti along Ngorongoro conservation area; is one of the world’s most famous overland migration. Each region the herds pass through presenting unique happens and sites to photograph.
Two things a good migration photo should entail
- The scale of the phenomena. Wildebeest migration is the world’s most famous massive land movement. Your image should capture the whole phenomena in a single shot.
- Appreciate the beauty of the environment. The mara-serengeti region is quite diverse safari destination with endearing savannah plains, riverine forest and kopjes all coming at the backdrop of a beautiful blue skyline. Try and get the most beautiful background perspective when capturing static wildebeest photo in the field.
How to capture the best migration photos
1. Be ready for the action
The migration is marked by action scenes of river crossing, hunting and speedy movements of the herds across wildernesses. Ensure you are at the point of action on time with your camera set for the shot. For better timing of the river crossing choose an accommodation along mara river from masai mara or serengeti side. Some of these facilities includes: Little governors camp, Mara serena hotel, royal mara safari lodge and Kichwa tembo camp.
2. Know the potential photography locations
Your guide should assist you get to the hotspots you shouldn’t miss out. For instance, If you are seeking to zoom out and capture large crowds of the herds grazing in the wilderness there will be no better position to choose than along the mara river banks where multitudes of the migratory herds hold awaiting one brave individual to start the progression to Mara plains. For overland hunting scenes places like Musiara swamp are great spots.
3. Good tour guide for better vehicle positioning
Although it’s not predictable which route the herd are going to take, a tour guide driver with experience of the wilderness can predict some the next spot based on the route. In every prime spot make sure that you get positioned for the best shot. Notably, in most instances, especially where there is a river crossing epic there are high numbers of vehicles which might deny you the most befitting spot when your driver isn’t diligent enough. An experienced guide also has a wide understanding of animal behaviors and will keep you at the closest range with your subject for the best shot without disturbing the animal from its natural state.
4. Shutter speed
You will need a high shutter speed to photograph motion events like river crossings or wildebeest running across wildernesses. This will help you freeze the action and produce a sharper image.
You can use slow shutter when taking images of wildebeest grazing on the field or in motion images whereby a little blurry depict the intensity of the motion. Importantly, for the river crossing, the most revered images were taken on high shutter speed with details of the motion action depicted in the splash of the water or the rise of the dust clouds.
5. For the best river crossing images keep the burst mode on
Although you will have bulks of unwanted images to delete, shooting continuously gives you images of the best poses of the movement.
6. Consider mini-river crossings too
Besides the mara river, you should also consider photographing other minor crossings across mara river tributaries found within the greater mara. Most rivers are blanketed by riverine forests which creates some of the most beautiful flora background and are predator’s strongholds.
7. Ensure your lens produce sharp images at focal length of 400 mm
This will enable you take the photos of the mara crossing from the far banks of the river. From a mid-range position, you will also be able to capture a bigger picture of the migrating columns. Having a zoomable lens will also help you capture a close-up photo when there is a crocodile hunting epic. Since the quality of river crossing images depends on shutter speed, keep a range of lenses instead of relying on extenders to adjust your focal lengths.
8. Go for the conservancies after the river crossing.
The mara serengeti conservancies gives some of the best photo opportunity due to the rigidity in off-road driving and walking which are illegal in the main reserves. In addition, the conservancies are less crowded which spare you from the problem of vehicles surrounding an action scene which limits your positioning for the best images. For better photography chances in the conservancies, you can go for a fly camping tour to keep an intimate attachment with the wilderness.
9. Approach the herds from the front where possible
You can get more quality images when you approach the herds from the front. You will also have more time to take your images before the herds crossover.
10. Consider sunrise and sunset photography
The early mornings and evenings characterized with an alluring golden skyline provides one of the best photo backgrounds. During these hours the herds are actively grazing in the field and has some of the best big cats hunting epics.
11. Go for a balloon safari
A hot air balloon ride across the mara or serengeti plains give you an opportunity to photograph the moving herds from the sky. To get the best result keep high shutter speed even when you are taking shot for grazing herds. This will keep this will keep your shutter speed in tandem with the speed at which you are drifting across and freezes the motion to make sharp images.
Conclusion
The great East Africa migration has some of the best photo opportunities. Marked by an influx in wildlife with large herds numbering to close to 1.5 million wildebeest and zebras, this is possibly one of the easiest and beginners-friendly photographic safaris you can have.
