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Choosing your gear
A camera with a zoom or telephoto lens makes the biggest difference for safari photography, since you cannot approach wildlife closely. A lens in the 200 to 400mm range is a practical, widely used choice for both leopards and elephants.
Camera settings for a moving jeep
Use a fast shutter speed to compensate for jeep vibration and animal movement, and consider a higher ISO if light is limited during early morning or late evening drives, when the best sightings often happen.
Best light for safari photography
The soft, warm light shortly after sunrise and before sunset generally produces the most flattering wildlife photographs, another reason morning and evening drives are preferred over midday.
Composing your shot from a jeep
Brace your camera or lens against the jeep frame to reduce shake, and be ready to shoot quickly, since wildlife sightings, especially leopards, can be brief.
Photography etiquette on safari
Turn off flash, keep noise low, and avoid asking your driver to get closer than is safe or appropriate purely for a better shot, since respecting wildlife distance always comes first.
Backing up your photos
Bring spare memory cards and a way to back up images each evening, since a long safari day can generate more photos than you expect, particularly during an active sighting.
