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Information to Help You Prepare For Your Journey

Being prepared and informed will make your trip more sucessful and enjoyable especially if you are a serious photographer and wish to get the best results.

Overpacking is as big (and expensive) a mistake as not having the basics you need. Because I carry great amounts of camera gear, my clothing and personal items are multifunctional and high performance. My wardrobe is based on layering and my personal items are light and items such as toothpaste are in the smallest container possible. See what is in my bag on our Suggested Packing List page.

Go To Suggested Packing List

Before you leave on a trip is the time to think of the possible negatives such as cancellation and illness. Planning to minimize loss will free you to enjoy the anticipation of the journey and the adventure itself. Travel and health insurance are worth looking into as is examining your passport well in advanced of your trip. To read more pretravel suggestions, see our pages on insurance and visa requirements

Go To Insurance and Visas

Africa Wild Safaris leads our tours when the weather is comfortable and ideal for photography: in South Africa's Fall and Spring. In an effort to guests who are prepared and comfortable with visiting South Africa, we suggest obtaining cash in Rands before travel and to travel with the proper clothing and repelent to minimize annoyance from bugs.
Go To South Africa Travel Info

Photography Basics: Use Your Aperture

Remember the big-small-big and small-big-small rule. A big f-stop number means a small aperture and a large depth of field. This will retain detail throughout the image and is good for landscapes. A small f-stop number means your lens aperture is big, this gives you a small depth of field. This is good for separating subject from background. Don?t always just shoot on ?P? mode. Take control of your camera and tell it what you want or experiment and find some magic.

Photography Basics: Think Composition

Sometimes wildlife only gives you one shot, but if you get a second shot, consider the angle, viewpoint, composition, and framing and visual noise around the edge of the frame. Try shooting up at the subject by getting down low and including an environmental detail that adds visual interest or adds to the story in your photo. Use the rule of thirds, but make sure your camera can quickly find and focus on an off-centered subject (spot focus vs center weighted)

Photography Basics: Wear a Filter

Sometimes wildlife only gives you one shot, but if you get a second shot, consider the angle, viewpoint, composition, and framing and visual noise around the edge of the frame. Try shooting up at the subject by getting down low and including an environmental detail that adds visual interest or adds to the story in your photo. Always leave a UV filter on your lens to protect it. A scratched (or broken!) filter is cheaper to replace than a scratched lens. You can also pop on a clean one if there is no time to clean it.

Africa Wild Safaris
PO Box 2337
Pineland, Florida 33945
(239)283-0022

© 2008 Africa Wild Safaris and Gregory Sweeney All rights reserved. No portion of this content shall be reproduced without consent of Gregory Sweeney

Travel Tips
Put a paper label inside your bag with your destination hotel and your name. Use sticky address labels to also put a destination on your outside luggage tag. Print labels for all stops on your journey and change them as your go along. Bring a journal and record prices of everyday items and local expressions you hear. These are great memories and stories to share back home and in the future. Wash your backpack before traveling to countries with strict agricultural controls. It will save you from getting caught by the inspection dog and explaining your picnic last week.