Photography in Namibia...

Namibia, the thirstland wilderness, offers a selection of the finest photographic opportunities. This land of contrast and beauty is ideally suited to the professional and amateur alike. Whether the passion is for images of people, nature or landscapes, Namibia has it all and more. This destination features a wide range of photo subjects and the superb weather provides excellent light variations. This ensures the visitor can exercise creative styles or simply record the unique beauty of the land, its inhabitants and its abundant nature. To capture prized images our visitors can travel by land or air. The country is ideally suited to both, with a good road infrastructure and a selection of aircraft for charter. Some air charter companies operate aircraft with clear windows allowing sharp aerial photography. Vehicles utilized for guided travel feature sliding windows for use where wildlife may be shy or present a danger. A selection of suitable rental vehicles is available for independent travel. Itineraries are tailor made to include the specific subject interests of the visitor. Options include group or private travel on a guided or independent basis. 

Africa, the continent of big game, has many game reserves and parks. The great Etosha National Park is probably one of the best for game numbers, variety, as well as viewing game throughout the day. The vegetation in most parts is rather sparse. Etosha is fantastic for the wildlife photographer.  Namibia photographic safaris are designed for the keen or professional photographer. Even though any tour or safari to Namibia is, and can be. Photographic safaris are different to other tours where visitors spend more time in certain areas such as photographing desert and dune landscapes or wildlife in Etosha and Kaokoland. Namibian operators know that a photographer needs more time, has to study the light, has to find the correct site, as well as having a specific interest, hence the options of guided or self-drive is available from most tour operators, world class photographic shops in all towns to assist with technical details or repairs.When travelling to Namibia please bare in mind that the country is a warm country and dusty, hence insure that camera bags seal effectively, that you bring along cleaning equipment and remember that the sun is very bright, even more in areas like Etosha where the ground is very whitish, so insure that adequate UV and polarized filters accompany you on safari.


Tips for Photography in Namibia
*A good zoom is the key for photographing wildlife 

* Fixed lenses are ultimately better in terms of sharpness, so if you're aiming to win competitions or blow your pictures up into massive prints, go for a long fixed telephoto lens, as long as you can carry. Fixed lenses also work best when photographing birds. 

*As these lenses can be heavy, you will need to bring a tripod, or at least a beanbag, especially handy when traveling by car. 

*For landscapes, the best is a short telephoto lens (110 or 135 for 35mm/ 150 for medium format), and wide angle for certain shots. Take note that the wide angle has limitations when it comes to landscapes. It's better suited for trees and buildings and other elements that are the focus of an image. 

*If you're into close-ups, bring a good micro/macro lens rather than close-up filters. Extension tubes, although tedious, also do the job.

*Close-up photography can be very rewarding in Namibia as there are many interesting insects and small reptiles, amazing textures, plants with intriguing flowers, seeds and leaves, lichen and so on. Even sand grains look great through a macro lens. 

*The best time of day to shoot is early morning or late afternoon. This is when the colors become really deep, the atmosphere has a glow (early morning light can be bleak) and if you're into sunsets, this is the time to shoot, as there's a lot of dust hanging around for strong reds and oranges and silhouettes become spectacular. 
However, this does not mean that you must never take photographs in the middle of the day. If the scene looks good to you, take the picture, because what you see is what you get. Which, incidentally, means you can take pictures of mirages although they are optical illusions. They are at their most striking in the middle of the day.