dclark
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
|
 p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Looking for recommendations on Photo Safari Tour Operator in Kenya | |
Bobg657 wrote:
Dave, what advantage do you get travelling with a pro photographer? I've never done that in six Africa trips and I'm wondering what I'm missing!
Thanks,
Bob
Bob, Sorry to be slow to respond. I did not see your comment earlier.
I have not gone to Africa without a pro so I cannot give you a direct comparison. The advantages I saw were that they had made a lot of arrangements ahead of time to be sure we could operate as photographers want to operate, as compared to non-photographer tourists. I have seen a number of tourist land rovers and it did not look like a good situation for photography. For example on the photo safaris I went on, the pro photographers booked the bush flight into the camp and arranged for a smaller number of passengers per plane so we had a weight limit that enabled us to bring the photo equipment we needed. They booked the entire lodge (or camp) so we could come and go on our schedule. The lodge planned meals so the we could leave early and stay out until after dark. We usually left before daybreak in the morning so they had a breakfast ready before we left. They provided meals in the field (not just box lunches) so we could stay out all day. The land rovers were set up for one person per row so that you could take gear with you and shoot out either side. They also had special equipment to mount platforms on the left side of the vehicle for bean bags to rest long lenses on, which helped a lot. They also had special brackets for gimbals but most people preferred the bean bags on the platforms. The vehicle setup and loading is a major factor for me. The guides they selected were experienced in setting up photo shots and were good at getting the vehicles in position so the lighting was as good as possible. They were also very patient and we would stay at a site or trail an animal sometimes for many hours to get a good shot. The pro photographer with us directed the guides and drivers and gave us lots of advice on how to set up shots and what to expect the animal may do next. The people on the safari were all pretty good photographers (some were highly experienced and were essentially pros) and without exception were totally dedicated to getting good shots. That is not to say there were never differences of opinion about what to do but everyone was aligned on the objectives. There were only three or four photographers per vehicle so there were not a lot of people who needed to agree. There were usually mid-day breaks at the lodge/camp during which time the pro photographers would review photos and offer advice on how to shoot and process images. I learned a lot from them and some of my favorite shots would not have happened without the interaction with them.
Most of the pros offer private tours if you have a group and want your own itinerary. If you book your own tour with a lodge or camp with experienced guides you can get most of this without a pro. It is so expensive to travel to Africa and the lodges and camps are expensive and often difficult to get to, so I decided I preferred to pay a bit more and not take a chance. Maybe after several trips I will go with a private tour I arranged. Based on what I have seen, I would not go on a tour that was not dedicated to photography, regardless of how much it might save.
Dave
Edited on Oct 11, 2017 at 12:00 AM · View previous versions
|
