HOW TO NAIL NIGHT-DRIVE SHOTS

Capture stunning images of nocturnal wildlife with these tips from Getaway’s TEAGAN CUNNIFFE, inspired by this capture from wildlife photographer Mark Dumbleton

Mark says…

Sabi Sands Game Reserve is a magnificent place to photograph leopards at night. One evening we found this male patrolling his territory. We followed him with a preconceived idea of the type of image we wanted to create. The vehicle next to us was in the perfect position to light him from the side, creating a sense of depth. Equipment Settings Nikon D3X, Nikon 200- 400mm f/4, ISO 200, f/4 and 1/250 sec

MARK’S TIP

Familiarise yourself with your camera’s controls and learn how to quickly adapt your exposure to the scene as the animal moves closer to, or further away from, the spotlight.

Good locations

Kruger National Park– great for big cats, owls and spotted hyena. Addo Elephant Park– guided sunset drives last into the evenings. Look out for elephant and jackal. iSimangaliso Wetlands Park – in season you can take a guided night drive on the beach to look for turtles. Augrabies Falls and Mokala National Parks – great for unusual creatures such as aardvark and aardwolf.

Take it yourself

Knowing your equipment and exactly what you want are the key to getting good nocturnal shots. Here’s how to make the most of them EQUIPMENT DSLR Zoom lenses with wide apertures (f/4 and wider) work best. A 70-200mm f/2.8 is perfect. Compact Switching to night-scene mode (most new compact cameras have one) is your best option, but the slow shutter speed may result in blurry images. SETTINGS Set your camera to manual mode, shutter speed to 1/125 sec, aperture to f/4 and ISO to 400. Take a test shot. If the image is still too dark, increase your ISO or widen your aperture (don’t reduce your shutter speed) until the brightest part of your image is decently exposed. Take care not to increase your ISO too much. Higher ISO settings result in grainier images. Test your camera’s limits by taking shots on ascending settings (400, 800, 1600 etc) and zooming in to evaluate the grain. Use a bean bag to reduce camera shake. PRACTICAL Tell your guide what you want to capture. They are trained in locating and safely lighting animals after dark. Ask your guide to bounce torch light off foliage or water to indirectly illuminate your subject. Reflected light makes for better ambience (but most often requires higher ISO settings) and is easier on your subject’s eyes. Set up a ‘low-key’ portrait (explained on the next page in ‘Know your Stuff’). Zoom in to exclude any distracting background elements, keeping focus on the animal’s eyes and face. STARTER TIP Use burst mode. Multiple shots in quick succession will increase your chance of getting a sharp capture. AMATEUR TIP Exclude man-made elements (such as roads) as much as possible to keep the focus on wildlife and its environment. PRO TIP Experiment with sidelighting and backlighting (using light from another vehicle, like Mark has done in this image, is the best way to do this) to create drama and interest in your wildlife portraits.