Safari Updates

  From Brendan Cremer The last morning of the current safari started with great excitement again. Having been so lucky with the animal interactions we had witnessed over the past few days, especially leopards, we all wondered what today could hold for us. We headed straight to the area where we had seen the leopards and were just looking at the tracks in the ground and deciding to follow them when we heard that the Styx pride of lions were close by. We spent the remainder of the morning with this beautiful pride. The lionesses with older cubs and one really cute 5 month old kept us really busy. They did everything we could wish for. They walked in single file, creating impressive photographic opportunities, then groomed each other, then played, then had mock fights, then rolled on their backs. No-one could ask for more, and we were all disappointed when...

Everyone arrived at Phinda by lunchtime, and after a quick briefing, and lunch, the excited group were ready for their first game drive. Where to go? Phinda is so very diverse, with different ecosystems, all with different attractions .. Reports of a large pride of lion in the Marsh area meant that the decision was not too difficult. On the way, white Rhino posed delightfully for photographs. Then, from the enormous to the not-so-big. Dung beetles were rolling dung, and everyone was keen to get some really creative shots of these busy insects. Finally the group decided to go off to the lions. A pride consisting of two males, two females and six cubs was lolling in the shade. The cubs were every active, climbing all over the adults, suckling, napping, and rolling around. Cameras clicked as they cavorted around, with the adults looking on peacefully, occasionally dealing out a sharp...

Talk about the day of the cheetah! Shortly after leaving the lodge this morning the ODP Safari group caught up with the three cheetahs they had seen yesterday. The cheetahs were hunting and the ODP group followed them, managing to get some superb shots of the busy cats. In the bush, the one certainty is the unexpected, and today was no different. The three cheetahs suddenly looked up, caught sight of another cheetah about 200 meters away, and made a beeline for that one. Uh oh, what now? Approaching closer, it was clear that the fourth cheetah had a fresh kill, not more than a few moments old. What would happen? The three cheetahs sauntered up, and joined the fourth, who readily shared the meal with them. Having watched the cheetahs complete their meal, the ODP group moved on ... and encountered the other cheetah family they had seen yesterday. The...

Today was a dream come true for wildlife photographers. Nature seemed to conspire in every way to provide wonderful conditions combined with sightings that photographers dream about. To begin at the beginning ... The whole ODP Safari group was up and on the vehicles which then left the lodge at 0600. The day started at Lake Ndutu, where a typical, dramatic African sunrise provided a backdrop for the flamingoes in the foreground. Ahhh, the photographs from there! The sun was still barely above the horizon when the group met a cheetah mother with four tiny cubs, not more than 10 inches in height. The group then spent an unbelievable four hours, following, watching, enjoying and photographing the mother and her cubs. The mother was hunting, and went from Grants gazelle to Grants gazelle, showing interest, but the conditions were just not right for her to hunt and catch them. Meanwhile, the...

The oct ODP photographic safari has started with great sightings of a huge  herd of buffalo that went down to dring at big dame in the crepuscular time of day, just as the sun was setting. they waded on the fringes of the waters edge for about 20mins then moved of into the rapidly fading light.

I have just spent 3 days on a ODP private tutoring Safari  at Sabi Sabi were we covered the practical aspects of wildlife photography on the game drives and then spent time on Light room and Photo Shop after breakfast .