CHANGING ANGLES AT MASHATU

"Changing your angle" is one of the techniques we teach during our photographic workshops. It means photographing from a different angle than normal, usually from a lower angle, close to the ground, capturing the subject eye-level with a soft background to create more striking photographs. With the right subject and conditions, this technique can help you make a good photo, GREAT!

Leopard King

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mm | 1/20sec at f/4, ISO 800

During C4 Images' last Mashatu workshop for 2010, in early December, we focussed on applying this technique - with great success I might add. It's not just the freedom that a place like Mashatu Game Reserve gives us to get out the vehicles and try different techniques, but also the number of photographic opportunities that makes Mashatu such a productive photographic destination. It always delivers unique and spectacular subjects and environments.

Saddle-billed Stork Looking for Breakfast

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Nikon D3s | 200mm (200-400mm) | 1/1600sec at f/4, ISO 400

During the photographic workshop, our clients thoroughly enjoyed exploring all genres of photography. It was not only the striking images we got from changing our angle and photographing laying flat on the ground on numerous occasions, but also one afternoon's spectacular thunderstorm with photographs of lightning and landscapes that had everybody very excited. A great sighting of a leopard on a log and lions with very small playful cubs rounded off a very successful five days spent in the bush.

Low Angle Hyena

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Nikon D3s | 320mm (200-400mm) | 1/320sec at f/4, ISO 400

Mashatu always deliver spectacular subjects in unique environments. C4 Images are looking forward to 2011 and our workshops to this wonderful place!

Low Angle Photography

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 5D Mark II | 16mm (16-35mm) | 1/250sec at f/8, ISO 800

Mopani Contrast

Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark III | 150mm | 1/20sec at f/22, ISO 400

ROUNDING OFF THE YEAR WITH THE MAGIC OF CHIEFS CAMP

The scenic beauty and wilderness feeling that Chiefs Island offers makes it one of my favorite places in Africa to visit. It was quite fitting to end the year for C4 Workshops at such a great location.

Typical delta

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 5D Mark II | 16-35mmf/2.8 | 1/3200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 200

Shake it off

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 + 1.4tc | 1/200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 800

With the early December rains, the area has transformed into beautiful green, different from what we had seen five weeks earlier on our previous workshop to the island. It was quite noticeable how much more water was around from the local rains they've had - a beautiful sight to see and exactly what one always envisage the Okavango Delta to look like.

Painted snipe

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 + 1.4tc | 1/1250 sec at f/5.6, ISO 800

Feeding time

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 + 1.4tc | 1/2000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 2500

The workshop was a great success - from the flight into the lodge over the Okavango Delta that gets the excitement going at the beginning of the workshop, to the sharing of photos during our afternoon informal workshop sessions. Anywhere in the bush where you have great game-viewing and a relaxed atmosphere is a great place to learn and put the theory of wildlife photography into practice.

Who's looking at me?

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 + 1.4tc | 1/160 sec at f/5.6, ISO 800

Horns of the bushveld

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Nikon D3s | 200-400mmf/4 | 1/500 sec at f/4, ISO 400

December in the Okavango Delta means lots of birds, and we had great sightings of raptors, waders and the all the migrant species. Some of our highlights included seeing Pygmy Geese and Rosy-throated Longclaw, and in addition we got great photos of kingfishers and the African Painted Snipe to name a few.


We made the most of the variable weather conditions we experienced as we photographed everything from early morning backlit buffalo, carmine bee-eaters in the rain, to lions shaking their head after the rain. I loved the variable weather and mild temperatures and I like in particular how it forces you to be creative and experiment with all the different genres of photography to make the most of the trip.

Striped kingfisher

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 1D Mark IV | 600mmf/4 + 1.4tc | 1/200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640

Transport

Okavango Delta, Botswana

Canon 5D Mark II | 16-35mmf/2.8 | 1/200 sec at f/8, ISO 800

Chiefs Camp is one of the best camps in Africa. Having cocktails on the deck while watching elephants bathing in the water right in front of you makes you realize that this is a special camp. It's not just the location, the luxury, the quality of the service or the food, but also the homey feeling that it provides that people always enjoy the most. Besides game drives, the camp also offer a variety of other activities. A flip over the swamps with a helicopter was a great way to end our workshop and we were all very sad to leave Chiefs Island. We are already looking forward to visiting there next year again. We'd like to say a big thanks to Rory, Jade, Basil, Petra, the rest of the camp staff, and our fantastic driver guides Rex and Jonathan who made this such a memorable trip for us all!