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Masai Mara Digital Photography
Workshop
October 2007
Carl Palazzolo, DVM
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In October of 2007 I
will be leading a
digital
photography workshop in Kenya to view the wildebeest migration, which
will
be my 4th time to Africa. It is a
tremendous opportunity to view and photograph the age old drama of
these animals and their interaction with the predators they encounter
during the migration. All adults over 18 are
welcome, and even if you are not interested in photography, you are
encouraged to join us. You will be able to do what you want without any
pressure to take photos or learn about photography.
This is a custom trip designed to keep us away
from hoards of tourists from Peoria, wearing Lands End safari
hats, bouncing along in crowded vans, and who don't know a lion
from a tiger. We will be with expert guides in an exquisite
setting during the wildebeest migration. This will give you
the maximum opportunity in a short time to see the wildlife
you envision when you think of Africa. Since most people go
on a trip like this only once in their life, we are planning
far in advance for everyone to get the most out of it and make
it the Africa you dream of. If you do go on this little excursion,
upon your return, you will wonder why you waited so long, and
you will start planning your next adventure.
If you are interested in photography though, there will be an
opportunity to increase your level of expertise dramatically,
and have a fun and rewarding time doing it. It all
boils down to "keepers". Anybody can shoot hundreds of photos
and get an occasional "keeper". You will go far beyond this
hit or miss approach, and when you return home you will have
much more than the occasional "keeper" as memories. After our days of wildlife viewing and shooting we will gather around
at night, share exaggerated stories of our daily exploits, and
look at everyone's best photos while I am teaching you how to
edit using Photoshop CS3. If you want to bring a personal computer
you will get more out of this when we edit your photos each
day. We will have electricity to charge your batteries. Rumor
has it there might even be a photo contest......
One of the many unique aspects of this trip is the fact
you will be given access to the best professional cameras and lenses Canon has to offer, and also learn
what it is like to use this equipment to increase your chance of
getting exquisite photos. Who knows, you might even
bring back some pictures that don't bore your friends and family. We
will even practice embellishing your stories to make your pictures even
more impressive. A list of this equipment is further down this page.
The photography aspect will be for 5 days when you first arrive
at our luxury camp. You will be part of a group of 10 people
maximum at each camp. After the 5 days with me in the photographic
part of the trip you will spend another 3 nights in a different
location without me. If you prefer, on the way in or out of
Africa, you can spend time in London or Amsterdam (the two most
common gateway cities from the United States), for a few days,
and make a great 14 day trip overall. As of August 1st there
is room for 2 more people only in Group 1. Exact dates, prices,
and itinerary are at the bottom of this page. You will be given
3 options. In each option you will spend 5 nights with me at
one of 2 different camps depending on the date, then everyone
will spend 3 nights at Wilderness Trails/Lewa without me. This
will give you a chance to practice what you have learned and
get a nice change of scenery. Contact information is at the
end of this page.
Oh, and don't forget to pack your sense of
humor. You will use it more often than most of the other junk you put
in your luggage and never pull out.
Typical Photos
This is a photographic workshop,
and if you want to be a part of this aspect of our trip, then
photos we will be taking! Here are a just a few
of the numerous photos taken on my prior Africa trips. They
will give you an
idea
of the interaction you will have with the wildlife, people, and
scenery. My goal is to teach you how to get photos that express how you see Africa. The best photograph
in the world is not on the cover of National Geographic. It is the
photo that you take, that you like, and that has meaning to you as you
show it to your friends or look at it on your wall.
We want to move beyond photos of wildlife that can be taken in any zoo,
and get those shots that give life to the people, scenery, and animals
of this continent. Once we get past all the technical mumbo jumbo of
our sophisticated equipment we will will be spending most of our time
on the "art of photography". This is the part were will go slow and
take our time setting up the shot you envision. Our emphasis will be on
quality over
quantity. There will be times when this is not possible though, so you
might have to
rapidly change your mindset to what is going on around you, especially
if the predators start moving!
The Area Around Camp
Our setting will be the vast
expanse
of the Masai Mara during the season when over 1.5 million wildebeests,
zebras, and antelope make their annual migration.
This is a wildbeest, also known as a Gnu. This is the culprit that
causes most of the commotion you will see (and hear).
You know this is a zebra, but do you know what kind of Zebra?
Hint: its not a Grevy's
Because
of this migration the predatorswill be ready and waiting.
Of
course, being cats and all, during
the heat of the day this
is what lions do best.
While the adults are snoozing the cubs will entertain by stalking
us
We will visit the Mara river often to see just who is waiting for
the zebras and
wildebeests to cross
You will be in an individual vehicle with only 1-2 other people
besides
your driver.
Depending on where we are and what the guides say,
we will leave the vehicles and go on walking tours throughout the Mara
The animals are habituated to vehicles, and the guides have eagle
eyes,
so you will get very close to the action. By all means bring
your point
and shoot camera for those
candid shots.
Most days will start early since that is when wildlife viewing and
photography is
at
its best. Gathering first thing in the AM for coffee or tea in
the cool morning
air is very stimulating, especially as we plan our day's shoot, and
decide which guest
is going to be bait for the day by walking ahead of the vehicle to
entice the
predators
closer to us.
On some mornings we will get carry outs from Denny's and eat our
Grand Slam
Sluggers breakfast out in the bush
The camps we stay at have all the ambiance of the "Out of Africa"
experience most
people think about. We will gather together every evening to share our
day's exploits
and try to outdo each with stories (both fiction and nonfiction are
allowed) on what
we saw that day.
This
comraderie is one of the more enjoyable and enduring parts
of the trip.
The food is great (snake tastes good when cooked over an open
fire), and evening
meals will be gourmet dining.
Shooting the Wildlife
Wildlife photography is unscripted and unpredictable, posing a
unique
set of challenges to say the least. They appear when least expected,
are oftentimes behind a branch or tree, sometimes appear in droves,
while other times you look all day to no
avail.
There will be long moments of down time with nothing happening,
interspersed
with moments where you can't keep up with all the action. When
something is imminently happening there is no time to carefully prepare
the shot, and you have to make do with whatever "art of photography"
you are able to cram in as you push on that shutter button and try to
track the action. It will give you an appreciation of just how good
those
sports photographers are!
You need to stay on the alert
at all times and have your camera ready.
In my case, that means remembering to take the lens cap off!
If you are like me you will be constantly looking, even if
everyone
else is in
the vehicle and nodding off to sleep after a long day. If you want to
see widlife
plan on being out in the bush all day long- you will
probably be rewarded if you do.
Early evening sun is just as
important as morning sun for its warm
effect. These
cows are surrounding their calves in a defense posture as
we rafted past.
You need to be quick on the draw because a pose like this does not
last
long.
One of my axioms of photography is "get the shot". We will be
practicing this
technique
often, so get used to hearing" hurry up and shoot"!
Unlike the lions that hunt at
night and rest during the
day, cheetahs
are
day hunters, and are constantly on the alert for any movement.
Our
guides know how to get us
close, and with the lenses I will be
bringing, photos like the following ones are
possible.
Male lion resting with his pride
Male lion warning us not to get
much
closer
In a moments notice the predators go from stupor to keenly alert
and with
twitching tail, especially when they are hungry and prey is
present
Don't forget to look up, there is lots of action in the
air
If we get out early we can catch the lions while morning mist is
still in the air
A little flash helps get a surreal effect when the light reflects off
their eyes
Our last shot of the day before the sun called it quits.
After the sun goes down we might bring out the spotlight, put
those
flashes on our cameras, and see what we can capture. This is a Serval.
Do you know what this night creature is?
During your stay I highly recommend an optional hot air balloon
ride over
the Mara. You will have to arise at 4 AM to get there on time.
My Last Two Africa Trips
For more details
on Africa I have links to my
two
prior Africa trips. Both of them were research projects, which is not
what we will be doing on this upcoming trip. We will be doing research,
but this time it well be on how many sundowners
we can drink each evening after a full days work shooting photographs!
In the Lions of Tsavo
trip
are many photos of the Masai Mara halfway
through the page, some of them in large size as you
link to the corresponding page.
These photos will indoctrinate you to
the names of the wildlife we will encounter.
Lions
of
Tsavo
I went to Zimbabwe in 1995 to
help in my small way regarding the plight of this
highly
endangered species. Zimbabwe is not a place for
travel at the current
time.
Black
Rhino of
Zimbabwe
And if you can't make this trip to
Africa I plan on another Alaska trip in the near
future, along with New Zealand. Here is what it is like to go to Alaska
and
get close to some really big bears as they fatten up for hibernation
Camera Equipment
This is just a sampling of the
professional equipment I own. I will bring most of this equipment on
the Kenya workshop in 2007 for all to
use with my supervision and personal training. The heavier lenses will
be used in the vehicles, the lighter
lenses will go for us on walks. If you bring a Canon SLR on the trip
you will get to use some of these lenses on your own, some of this
equipment will be used only when you are with me personally.
This will give workshop attendees a unique
opportunity to learn
how to use professional cameras and lenses while getting
those once-in-a-lifetime shots. If you are contemplating the purchase
of a nice SLR camera with a good lens this is your chance to get
hands-on experience.
Canon 5D
Canon EOS 1D Mark II N
Canon 70-200mm f/4
Canon 70-200mm
f/2.8 Image Stabilized (IS)
Canon 24-105mm f/4
Canon 500 mm f/4 IS
To learn the nuts and bolts of digital
photography follow these links
to my lectures:
Beginning
Digital Photography
Intermediate
Digital Photography
Itinerary
The cost of this trip is $6,000. This pretty much includes
everything but your airfare to Nairobi, and a few incidentals, which
are explained in each of the options below. This price also includes
the photography workshop.
We have a professional travel agent intimately familiar with Africa
that has made all our arrangements. They are responsble for the
trip once you get on African soil. My role will be to teach you
photography. I will be at each of the camps before you get there,
will greet you on your arrival at the airfield in the Mara, and
will also drive with you to the airfield when you leave the Mara
as you depart to Wilderness Trails/Lewa.
Please note: As of August 1st
there are two spots left in group 1 only.
Option #1
Rekero
Camp October 2-11, 2007
Option #2
Ol Seki Camp
October 8-17, 2007
Option #3
Rekero Camp
October 14-23, 2007
Web links to each of the camps for further information:
Rekero
Camp
Ol Seki
Camp
Wilderness Trails/Lewa
Contact Information
You can contact me at:
562-434-9966
carlp@lbah.com
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