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Night PhotographyNight photography can be daunting for many people but you can get amazing photographs of nocturnal animals within the camps if you know which camps to look for which animals.
For most of our nocturnal photography we use the built-in flash on the Nikon D300 or D7000. Most of the animals are very close to our tent or bungalow. The only potential problem is that the flash takes a few seconds to recharge so if you get some action you will not be able to fire your flash. Ideally you will want to use a Nikon SB-800 or SB-900 flashgun. We get superb results from both these flashguns. If the animals are very close we will use the soft-box to spread the light and if they are 50-100 meters away we will use our Better-Beamer to extend the flash reach. Here are the camps that have provided us with the best nocturnal photo opportunities: Kruger Park• Punda Maria – We have photographed civets, genets and bush babies in this camp.
• Olifants – Because Olifants camp is so high up there tends to be minimal animal activity after the sun goes down. However, we have seen genet and this camp is ideal for star-gazing and photographing star-trails and the moon making Olifants an ideal camp for night photography. • Shimuwini – After the sun goes down there tends to be hippo and crocodile activity in the river in front of the cottages. In addition there are scorpions and other creepie crawlies that come out on windy nights and don't forget the star-trails! • Sirheni – At night there is hippo and crocodile activity in the river in front of the cottages. • Lower Sabie – If you stay in the river-view tents you get to see hippos, crocodiles and lots of action on some nights. • Tamboti – All the tents face the dry river so most of the year you get to see animals by day and night in front of your tent. We have seen hyenas, porcupines, kudu and bushbuck from our tent...
Kgalagadi• Kielie Krankie – At night we have seen jackal, gemsbok, leopard, brown hyena, caracal and porcupine drinking. The geckos that live in the dune cabins make good subjects as well - they come out at night to hunt for food...
• Urikaruus – We have seen hyena, lion and cheetah drinking here. We were hoping to see the resident leopard drinking here but no luck. Our advice to you when staying here is to ask the guard to empty his bird bath each night otherwise you’ll be sitting at your cabin watching the waterhole with great anticipation and the leopard will be drinking at the bird bath behind your cabin, which is what happened to us on our last trip!
• Twee Rivieren – This camp is on the border of the park so does not have the animal activity that the other camps have at night. It does, however, have scorpions galore especially on windy nights. You can find them on the sand dunes and even walking around the bungalows. If you have an Ultra Viollet light you can take unusual photographs of the scorpions as they fluoresce white.
• Kalahari Tented Camp – We have seen various antelope, lion and giraffe drinking here at night...
Keep in mind that both Nossob and Mata Mata have hides where you can view and photograph animals at night as the waterholes are floodlit. In addition, Mata Mata has 8 river-facing chalets where you can photograph nocturnal animals drinking. EtoshaNight photography is what Etosha is all about! Here you don't want to go to sleep as there is constant activity at the Halali and Okaukuejo waterholes.
• Okaukuejo
– in winter this waterhole is amazing. There is a constant stream of animals drinking at night from zebras to elephants, black rhinos, lions and hyenas.
PilanesbergNight photography in the Pilanesberg camps tends to be uneventful. There is the odd bushbaby and a few domestic cats. If you want to see nocturnal wildlife we would suggest you go on a night drive or if you stay at Kwa Maritane then you have the hide to visit.
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