Maasai Mara – Kenya – 2015
Kenya Safari Photo Adventure
August 23 – 29, 2015
Aug 30 – Sept 5, 2015
The Maasai Mara National Reserve is a large game reserve in Kenya, which is named after the indigenous people of the area – The Maasai people. It is also well known for its exceptional population of lions, leopards and cheetahs, and the annual migration of zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, and wildebeest to and from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, known as the Great Migration.
Many say it is the most spectacular wildlife event on earth. We tend to agree. During the Great Migration about 1,500,000 wildebeest and 500,000 zebra are seeking fresh pastures in the Mara and Serengeti Reserves separated by the Mara River. This is obviously a feast for predators and they are never far behind. Thousands of animals trying to cross the Mara River from small passages create bottlenecks where lions and crocodiles are waiting. This is an amazing spectacle that will be etched in your mind forever. Lions and hyenas are never far away and with a bit of luck we will also be able to see the elusive leopard and the cheetah – the fastest land animal on earth.
Although nothing can ever be taken for granted when talking about wild animals, we will most definitely see elephants, Cape buffalo, hippo, ostrich, eland, giraffe, loads of birds and with quite a bit of luck also the rhinoceros. So potentially we have the possibility to experience and photograph all of the so-called Big 5. (Lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros)
Rather than staying in a normal hotel-style accommodation we have opted for a more close-to-nature approach with tented camps. Listening to the call of a leopard or the grunts of a hippo during the night, sometimes right outside your tent is an experience not easily matched. Although a tented camp, this Hemingway-style accommodation is not the average tent. Tents have hot showers, regular beds, WC etc. and the food in the camp is second to none.
We travel in AWD style with each photographer having their own row of seat in the vehicle. This ensures that each photographer can photograph from a window on either side of the vehicle or from the roof hatch. It also ensures that plenty of room is available for gear etc.
This safari adventure is designed not only to guide you to the most photogenic locations carefully planned for the best light, but to aid you in mentally visualizing a scene before capturing the decisive moment. Our aim is to raise your awareness and spark your creativity so that you not only go home with images to be proud of, but use your new found skills to improve and expand your photographic technique in general. Apart from the technical aspect of learning your camera settings and capabilities, you will learn how to turn an ordinary image into an extraordinary image by using your own creativity.
In addition, you will become knowledgeable on how to photograph wildlife as well as survey the landscape, utilize and approach your environment, photograph people indigenous to the region and the cultural considerations and challenges of photographing in a foreign country. Our week together will include individual and group discussions, inspiring ideas and great fun. It will be hard to find a better photo safari then our Kenya Maasai Mara Safari.