Photographic Safaris in Botswana
© Walking safari across the Delta... Just add Camera
Botswana is a wildlife photographer's dream destination, with its diversity of species and incredible landscapes, but there is far more to this amazing country for photographers to enjoy.The wildlife of Botswana is legendary, with its unusual animal behaviour and vast numbers concentrating around water sources, but all this is complimented by beautiful scenery and landscapes, as well as seasons that differ greatly from the norm.
Photography and the Seasons in Botswana
Many people ask what the best time is to travel to Botswana to ensure the best photography, and though this may seem an unnecessary question there are a number of differences in the different times of the year. The light during the day is different throughout the year, and this in turn affects the sunsets and sunrises, with each season as dramatic as the next.
During the dry season the vegetation is sparse and the animals are concentrating around permanent water sources providing for some dramatic footage under the dust and smoke stained sky whilst during the rainy season the clear blue of the rain-washed sky compliments the lush greens of the vegetation. Botswana is the perfect year round photography destination.
Wildlife Photography in Botswana
Botswana provides the perfect place for wildlife photography with its great diversity and beautiful backdrops. The animals in Botswana are also habituated to vehicles and as such they do not move when vehicles approach, allowing for the ultimate close ups. In fact many photographers can vouch for the Botswana as the best eye-to-eye photographic destination.
Botswana provides the photographer with opportunities that do not exist in other parts of Africa, such as Lions and other animals crossing water regularly. In Botswana animals crossing water is a daily occurrence and not an unusual site as in other wilderness areas.
Elephants are regularly seen crossing the Chobe River between Namibia and Botswana providing for dramatic animal behaviour photography and Lions in the Okavango Delta are often seen wading or swimming between the islands at peak flood time.
Photographing Botswana's Landscapes
Botswana is a generally flat country with few hills to break the horizon but this does not detract from what is dramatic landscape. Islands, dry rivers, lagoons and vast wilderness are all part of what defines the landscape of the country.
The landscapes of Botswana are best appreciated and photographed from the air and ample opportunity will exist for this when travelling between camps. Many visitors prefer to sit back in the idea that flights between camps are merely a means of getting from one point to another but some of the most dramatic sights on a Botswana safari are seen from above and the planes fly at the ideal altitude for photographing the vistas below.
Photographic Equipment for a Botswana Safari
Botswana is the ideal photography destination for professionals and novices alike as the beauty is overwhelming and the wildlife is easily accessible. With all today's technology of photographic manipulation any type of camera will be suitable for amateurs to get great safari shots.
By Leigh Kemp
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