Wildlife Photography in the Kruger National Park | Guest Post by Villiers Steyn

Like most South African wildlife photographers, I have been visiting the Kruger National Park for as long as I can remember, and today it remains one of my favourite photography destinations on the continent! The park is easy to reach, very accessible and relatively inexpensive, and on top of that it’s extremely diverse and the size of a small country!

In December 2008 a life-long dream of mine came true as I embarked on an epic 80-day visit to Kruger, visiting all the main camps, starting at Crocodile Bridge and ending at Punda Maria. Andrew, of Moya Wa Tenga Safaris, approached me to do this guest post and share some photographic tips that I picked up on this trip with you.

Equipment

My main camera body is a Canon 1D Mark III. For wildlife photography in Kruger, where the animals are often quite relaxed and close to the vehicle, I generally kept a Canon 70-200mm F2.8 IS lens on this body. This was adequate on most drives, but where the situation called for it, I would use a 2x converter.

For most amateur photographers who use SLR camera bodies a 70-300mm zoom lens is ideal for Kruger. This allows you to get a nice group photo of the lion pride walking down the road, together with a nice portrait shot of the big male as he stares into your eyes…without having to change lenses! The 70-300mm lens is generally too short for bird photography on game drives, but in Kruger’s camps you should be able to get some fantastic bird photos with this lens.  We will discuss camp photography a bit later.

One thing to remember is that closer is not always better! I often drive with a Canon 10-22mm wide-angle lens on a second body (a Canon 20D), which I use to take landscape shots with. This is especially handy when you cross or drive next to large rivers such as the Sabie and Letaba rivers, or when you stop at one of Kruger’s many waterholes.  I always tell people: “Use as many lenses as possible when you go one a game drive! The result will be photographs that tell a story…”

Camera support

When I’m driving I use a massive 8kg U-shaped beanbag that neatly fits over the vehicle’s window. It’s still light enough for me to swing over to the passenger side if I don’t have time to turn the car around. On most occasions, however, I can shoot out of the hand with the 70-200mm lens. The beanbag really comes into play when I use a Canon 300mm F2.8 IS lens with a 2x converter for bird photography.

Photographic opportunities in the Kruger National Park

Many people think you have to visit a private game reserve or extreme wilderness like the Okavango Delta to take great wildlife photographs, but you will be surprised what Kruger can produce if you use your opportunities. Here are a few tips:

Choose the right camp

Certain camps in Kruger are located in better game viewing areas than other! For instance: a person visiting Skukuza in the south has a much better change of photographing the Big 5 than someone that visits Punda Maria in the north. Bare in mind that habitat plays a massive role! Each camp will therefore give you a chance to see certain species. Take some time to research the habitats of Kruger and then choose a camp that gives you the best chance of photographing the animals you want.

Drive the right roads the right time of day

Like in most game reserves timing is everything! Early morning and late afternoon is not only the time animals are most active, but the light is also at it’s best. Try to avoid the hordes in Kruger by choosing the back roads. This will increase your changes of spending time alone with your subjects.

Photograph in camp

Photographing birds and small animals in camp can be very rewarding in the Kruger National Park! These creatures are often very relaxed and allow you to get within centimetres of them. It’s worthwhile searching for birdbaths, birds’ nests and other areas where you know they will gather regularly. Then take the time to observe them before you try to get the money shots. It is always important, however, to respect their personal space, especially around nests.

My personal favourite camps for bird photography are:

• Satara: for starlings, grey go-away-birds, African scops-owls, mourning doves, etc.
• Letaba: for grey-headed and orange-breasted bush-shrikes, woodland kingfishers, paradise flycatchers, red-winged starlings, etc.
• Olifants: for crested barbets, yellow-billed kites, red-winged starlings, etc.

Photographic hotspots in the Kruger National Park

Here are my TOP 5 photography spots/roads in the Kruger National Park:

Shingwedzi low-water bridge

The low-water bridge just outside Shingwedzi camp (at the back of the camp) is my favourite spot for photography when the river is flowing. Herons, egrets, storks and crocodiles gather here to catch passing fish, and they are generally extremely close and relaxed! Elephant are also often found here.

Lake Panic Bird Hide

Lake Panic bird hide is situated on the S42 west of Skukuza camp and is a fantastic hide for bird photography. It’s also a great place to photograph hippos and monitor lizards.

The H4-1 Sabie River road

Although it’s a very busy road for most of the year, the Sabie River road between Skukuza and Lower Sabie is excellent for wildlife photography. Because of the dense vegetation the animals you see are generally close to the road, otherwise you wouldn’t have seen them. Leopard sightings are especially plentiful on this road and I will go as far as to say this is the best road for leopards in the whole Kruger! Bird photography along the H4-1 is also fabulous!

Sunset Dam

Sunset Dam is located on the H4-1 Sabie River road just outside Lower Sabie. Here you have a great opportunity to photograph water birds, as well as crocodiles and hippos. Early mornings you may even have the chance to catch a shot of hippos out of the water as they return from their forays, and in the late afternoons there are generally baboons in the vicinity of Sunset Dam.

Nkumbe lookout point

Nkumbe lookout point is located on the H10 road north of Lower Sabie. The turn-off can easily be missed, because there is no sign for it, so drive slowly through the hilly areas south of Tshokwane picnic site and look for a small viewing area on the western side of the road. The view from Nkumbe is spectacular!!…and with a pair of binoculars you can often spot 5 or 6 species of animals on the plains below.

And if it’s specific species you are looking for, visit the following camps if you want to photograph:

• Lion: Lower Sabie or Crocodile Bridge
• Leopard: Skukuza or Berg-en-Dal
• Elephant: Olifants, Letaba, Mopanie or Shingwedzi
• White Rhino: Crocodile Bridge or Berg-en-Dal
• Buffalo: Satara or Shingwedzi
• Cheetah: Lower Sabie or Satara
• Wild dogs: Skukuza

Just remember…you have to find them first!

I hope some of these photographic tips come in handy on your next visit to the Kruger National Park. Remember to always have your camera handy with a fully charged battery and a memory card with lots of space on it! You never know when it’s your turn to see wild dogs making a kill in the road…

Happy photography!

Villiers Steyn is a wildlife photographer and freelance travel journalist. To see more of Villiers’ photos, click through to www.visionphoto.co.za

Moya Wa Tenga Safaris offers a host of private guided tours to Kruger National Park and many other destinations. For more information on these tours and photogrpahic safaris, contact us via email.

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