fcotterill
Well-known member
For any subject one has to respect and connect with 'it'. This includes landscapes, to capture the moment. Most successful landscapers put in all the research using maps, local knowledge, Photo ephemeris etc and ideally a pre-shoot recce or more. For example, I have a key location lined up for early next year when the sunrise should align optimally... Too often one has wait for optimal atmospherics, and these hold one at their mercy (in effect).
For wildlife, the best who present excellent images in its genres are passionate. And they too often have been outdoors getting muddy, birding, botanizing etc for years; so they've grown up immersed in a decent understanding of the natural history of the subjects. These facts are well known. But if one cannot operate one's gear, you will lessen successes when the moments happen....
This is the exception for too many drivers of the vehicles in African parks taking game viewers, many of whom take photos. The explosion in wildlife tourism first in E Africa attracted many chancers as drivers, and chasing tips became everything... and this is still a problem. Then the industry expanded rapidly in Zimbabwe and Botswana through the 1990s and also S Africa - with some distinct negatives. Nepotistic recruiting is a persistent challenge in some arenas. All three countries have since tidied up their acts a great deal, but this does not mean all at the wheel of gamedrives have the deep-seated knowledge of natural history. The exceptions are Africans who've grown up in rural areas among large mammals and have hunted and gathered across the landscape since they could walk. Quite a few of the Botswana guides are good, and they are also well mannered...This after all is the culture, still fairly traditional. I say this based on the few guides I've met and lectured to. More and more of these guides are getting into wildlife photography, which deserves all encouragement. This applies notably to the Bayei guides in the Okavango ( experts including in a makoro). They all hold a profound understanding of large mammals, hippos especially. Several of these guys are integral members of a research team I work with in Angola etc; and yes, they also stand fast and think fast in an emergency (as this incident just last week, which could have ended very badly for one of our colleagues in the Okavango!).
I rate the Botswana guides far better than most of the trainees and apprentices at the same level in Zimbabwe ie on Guides and Pro Hunting courses seeking full Pro license (which maintains a high standard and takes no prisoners). Basically, the committed graduates excel at their jobs for good reasons, including professional relations with clients. If you explain your aspirations and plans etc, they know the optimal places quite well, and they are sensitive to feedback. I also hear from the guide trainers in Zambia, who I've helped out with curricula etc) that their guiding standards have improved a lot over the past few years as better qualifications are now required in the hospitality industry.
For wildlife, the best who present excellent images in its genres are passionate. And they too often have been outdoors getting muddy, birding, botanizing etc for years; so they've grown up immersed in a decent understanding of the natural history of the subjects. These facts are well known. But if one cannot operate one's gear, you will lessen successes when the moments happen....
This is the exception for too many drivers of the vehicles in African parks taking game viewers, many of whom take photos. The explosion in wildlife tourism first in E Africa attracted many chancers as drivers, and chasing tips became everything... and this is still a problem. Then the industry expanded rapidly in Zimbabwe and Botswana through the 1990s and also S Africa - with some distinct negatives. Nepotistic recruiting is a persistent challenge in some arenas. All three countries have since tidied up their acts a great deal, but this does not mean all at the wheel of gamedrives have the deep-seated knowledge of natural history. The exceptions are Africans who've grown up in rural areas among large mammals and have hunted and gathered across the landscape since they could walk. Quite a few of the Botswana guides are good, and they are also well mannered...This after all is the culture, still fairly traditional. I say this based on the few guides I've met and lectured to. More and more of these guides are getting into wildlife photography, which deserves all encouragement. This applies notably to the Bayei guides in the Okavango ( experts including in a makoro). They all hold a profound understanding of large mammals, hippos especially. Several of these guys are integral members of a research team I work with in Angola etc; and yes, they also stand fast and think fast in an emergency (as this incident just last week, which could have ended very badly for one of our colleagues in the Okavango!).
I rate the Botswana guides far better than most of the trainees and apprentices at the same level in Zimbabwe ie on Guides and Pro Hunting courses seeking full Pro license (which maintains a high standard and takes no prisoners). Basically, the committed graduates excel at their jobs for good reasons, including professional relations with clients. If you explain your aspirations and plans etc, they know the optimal places quite well, and they are sensitive to feedback. I also hear from the guide trainers in Zambia, who I've helped out with curricula etc) that their guiding standards have improved a lot over the past few years as better qualifications are now required in the hospitality industry.
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