Page 42 - African Safaris eBrochure by Bushtracks
P. 42
EASTERN AFRICA
GORILLA
PHOTOGRAPHY
TIPSBy Bushtracks traveler
Shirley Sanderson
My husband Bob and I have been on Mountain gorillas live on steep, densely forested mountains
safari eight times since 2000. On a typical that require a hike of up to several hours to reach. When the
African safari, I rely primarily on a Canon 1D gorilla family is located, visitors must leave all of their gear
series DSLR body together with a 100 to 400 except cameras in a central location with one of the guides
mm telephoto zoom lens and also have a second DSLR before walking to where the gorillas actually are. This means
available coupled with a shorter lens. I have found this that you cannot take a big bag of camera gear with you, nor
equipment is suitable for most of my safari shooting, due is it a good idea to change lenses in the dense vegetation.
to the large distances between the animals and
the vehicle. Most visitors are surprised to find out how close they
actually are to the gorillas and how dense the vegetation
Last February, Bushtracks organized a trip for us that is; short to medium lenses are best suited to gorilla
included a visit to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park in the photography. You are required to stay seven meters away
Virunga mountains for gorilla trekking. The conditions on from the gorillas, but the gorillas often come closer. You
a gorilla trek are quite different from what one encounters have only one hour, strictly enforced, with the gorillas,
on a safari to Southern or Eastern Africa and this requires a so fiddling with equipment will result in lost opportunities
change in your photography gear. to enjoy visiting the animals and shooting photographs.
40
GORILLA
PHOTOGRAPHY
TIPSBy Bushtracks traveler
Shirley Sanderson
My husband Bob and I have been on Mountain gorillas live on steep, densely forested mountains
safari eight times since 2000. On a typical that require a hike of up to several hours to reach. When the
African safari, I rely primarily on a Canon 1D gorilla family is located, visitors must leave all of their gear
series DSLR body together with a 100 to 400 except cameras in a central location with one of the guides
mm telephoto zoom lens and also have a second DSLR before walking to where the gorillas actually are. This means
available coupled with a shorter lens. I have found this that you cannot take a big bag of camera gear with you, nor
equipment is suitable for most of my safari shooting, due is it a good idea to change lenses in the dense vegetation.
to the large distances between the animals and
the vehicle. Most visitors are surprised to find out how close they
actually are to the gorillas and how dense the vegetation
Last February, Bushtracks organized a trip for us that is; short to medium lenses are best suited to gorilla
included a visit to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park in the photography. You are required to stay seven meters away
Virunga mountains for gorilla trekking. The conditions on from the gorillas, but the gorillas often come closer. You
a gorilla trek are quite different from what one encounters have only one hour, strictly enforced, with the gorillas,
on a safari to Southern or Eastern Africa and this requires a so fiddling with equipment will result in lost opportunities
change in your photography gear. to enjoy visiting the animals and shooting photographs.
40
