In May 2018, Alan joined me on our Zimanga photography safari holiday. His primary objective was to photograph the notable birdlife that Zimanga has to offer, but as it turns out, he also enjoyed a spot of mammal photography too! He sent in so many beautiful images that I have decided to dedicate a series of blog posts to showcase his images.
The birds in Zimanga can be photographed from the hides & while you are out & about on a game drive. All the hide sessions are timed to take advantage of the gorgeous light at dawn & dusk.
Alan’s first photography session was an afternoon in the Lagoon hide. In order to access this hide, you have to walk along a screened walkway that leads to a 30m long & pipe with a 1.5m diameter which you have to walk through. The internal concrete wall of the pipe is decorated with the signatures of every photographer who has ever visited Lagoon hide. How cool is that?
The hide is placed off-centre in the Lagoon which means that there is a long & a shorter distance available for photography. For the afternoon session, the longer distance was better for the light & Alan found that his Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 IS II USM was the perfect lens to use in this hide.
I think it would be safe to say that Alan really enjoyed his time in this hide. Just look at these strong images of the three-ringed plover, wagtail & Egyptian geese! The lighting was just perfect for producing such colourful photos.
This green backed heron was a source of much amusement for everyone who was in the hide with Alan. He was forever present & determined to make sure that we photographed him on every possible perch.
On his final day at Zimanga, Alan returned to the Lagoon hide for a morning session where he captured this lovely image of a pied kingfisher in flight. The rising sun cast a gorgeous pink glow on this egret as it searched for food.
To read part 2 of Alan’s Zimanga photography safari holiday & see more of his gorgeous images, please click here.
- NaturesLens wildlife photography holidays are structured around photographic opportunity — every schedule decision is made around light, behaviour, & access.
- Small groups of 4–8 photographers ensure unhurried positions & individual guidance.
- Single occupancy accommodation is included as standard across the majority of our trips.
