BRUCE ALLEN

Canon 5D Mark III Canon 100 – 400 mm lens

BRUCE WRITES: I took this photo late one afternoon in the Khama Rhino Sanctuary near Serowe in Botswana. The dust in the air had been kicked up by rhino running around – it created a wonderful, warm atmosphere. I used a high ISO of 2000, which in turn gave me a fast shutter speed of 1/2500 second to keep the photo sharp. The high ISO also allowed me to use a narrow aperture of f14 to get most elements in the frame in focus.

TOAST SAYS: Khama Rhino Sanctuary is one of the lesserknown reserves in Botswana but as its name suggests, it’s the best place in that country to see rhino. The reserve is home to other game too, and Bruce’s shot demonstrates that you can take great photos there if you get creative. When the sun is at a low angle – early in the morning or late in the afternoon – the rays illuminate particles of dust in the air, giving your photo real ambience. Smoke, humidity (like fog or mist) and even fine grass seeds in the air can produce the same effect. The sun is behind the antelope, which creates an effect known as “rim lighting” – when a silhouette is outlined in bright, sharp light. In terms of composition, note how Bruce has given the impala space on the right side of the frame, in front of its nose. Always give your subject some room to “move into” so that your composition doesn’t feel too cramped.