Capture: Summertime in South Luangwa

T LUANGWA he green version of South Luangwa National Park, from November through to April when the rain falls, is no doubt the most spectacular time of the year. With October dust out of the way and crystal-clear air that is perfect for photography, how to capture summer’s lively nature at its best? As a wildlife photographer, I often shoot at a faster shutter speed to ‘freeze’ a split-second scene or to fuse together an extended period of time.

By: Kirsten Gottenkieny Photos: Peter Geraerdts

A faster shutter speed also helps when shooting from a safari vehicle – after all not the most stable location from which to shoot. In general I suggest shutter speeds ranging from 1/100 sec. for a static animal, 1/640 sec. for a slow-moving animal like a walking lion, 1/1000 sec. for a fast moving animal, 1/1250 sec. for a flying bird and 1/1600 sec. for small birds like bee-eaters. In any case, always try to use a beanbag for support. For hand-held shooting you might need a slightly higher shutter speed and you can achieve this by reducing your lens opening (larger f-stop) or increasing your ISO. To capture movement you can also pan the camera with the moving subject. Sometimes the blur of panning gives a better sense of the action than a ‘frozen’ picture.

In order for your subject to really pop out from the picture use a wider lens opening (smaller f-stop) like I have done with this picture of the hamerkop.

The background lets the hamerkop stand out in this image and the bright green indicates summertime, creating an interesting contrast to the subject. In general a lens opening of f/5.6 or f/7.1 will work for your subject to be sharply in focus while also allowing some recognizable details in your foreground and background.

On the other hand, when photographing summer landscapes, I usually select a smaller lens opening (larger f-stop), allowing for the whole picture to be sharp to give the viewer an impression of the animals’ homeland. Start around f/8 and work up to f/13 or higher to achieve the correct result.

When it comes to capturing the action and taking pictures, take a lot! Action can be difficult to capture and best to set your camera settings on the highest continuous setting and keep shooting. However, don’t let capturing the moment stop you from living it. South Luangwa is a magical place at this time of the year, so experience it to the full.