Page 25 - Cape-Camera-March-April-2021

Cape Camera March/April 2021

a bar and lounge and the dining room formed the centre of the aged and looked after by some Maasai, an ethnic group that
camp - all tented. It was such a beautiful place, so rustic and yet inhabits Kenya and Tanzania that are well known for their dis-
homely at the same time. The camp didn’t take away from the tinct customs and red dress. I have never met a more peaceful,
fact that you were in and surrounded by nature. It was com- calm and caring people. I spent a lot of my time at camp talking
fortable whilst still allowing nature to consume you. One of my to two of the Maasai, Aggie and Dickson, learning more about
highlights, a 19 year old boy, was that I ate some of the best food their culture, practices and a bit of the language.
I have genuinely ever had – and this was achieved in the middle Kenya truly has a special place in my heart, and I cannot wait to
of the bush! go back as soon as possible. Asante Sana!
The media tent was a superb touch as at the end of each day
all the photographers gathered there to download and edit
their photos. Cameras were cleaned and stored there, and it
was an amazing opportunity to converse with your fellow pho-
tographers. Being able to edit and discuss photos in a group is
a necessity for all photographers – it opens you to other point
of views and creative advice. This is especially when you have a
group of photographers from all over the world, each bringing
with them their own expertise and flare.
And this is the goal of Wild-Eye, to provide the photographer
with an otherworldly experience: the bringing together of peo-
ple who share a common passion and immersing you in nature
as much as possible.
For the next week, we were all out for pretty much the entire
day and lunch was packed each time. Every day was exhila-
rating: never dull, never tiring – just thrilling. We were always
greeted by thousands of wildebeest spread like ants across the
grasslands. Cheetahs and leopards prowled around whilst the
well-fed lions lay lazily in the sun. Giraffes and elephants walked
across the horizon like a tightrope with the setting sun or the
blue twilight as a backdrop. No matter the camera gear I had
with me, some scenes could just never be captured and repro-
duced.

One evening we were out as a storm was brewing, following a
pride of lions – a male and two females. Slowly as the sun set
the sky became an intense blue, almost like purple. Every so
often the magnificent male would lift his head and roar into
the sky. This was the shot we all wanted to get. As the evening
progressed, the sky suddenly exploded in a spectacle of blues,
pinks and purples - and again the lion lifted his head and roared.
If this wasn’t all, several groups of animals had gathered on the
horizon to graze being silhouetted against a brilliant red sky –
the Masai Mara at its very best!
I did not pack lightly to Kenya, bringing with three camera bod-
ies: two Nikon D500 bodies and one Nikon D7200. I brought
with my Nikon 200-500mm, Tokina 10-17mm, Nikon 18-200mm,
Manfrotto Tripod, Manfrotto Monopod, Nisi Filters and obvi-
ously my laptops, external harddrives and any other accessories
needed. I also, gratefully, managed to loan a Nikon 600mm f/4
from Wild Eye for the duration of the trip.
Not only was my trip to Kenya an amazing photographic oppor-
tunity, but also huge cultural opportunity. Our camp was man-

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