There’s no mistaking it. You hear it in the silence; the profound presence of Nature extending abundantly all around you. It breathes magnificence into your bones, reminding you wordlessly of who you really are and how intrinsically you belong. This is the gift of the Kruger National Park, which at 19,485 square kilometres is one of the largest game reserves in Africa.
We returned here recently in the chill of mid winter to film and photograph the final week of our national Safari Guide of The Year competition, for the third time in a row. Accordingly, our focus was on capturing the essence of the event, which brimmed with action, adventure and non-stop discovery via the vast experience and insight of the finalists as well as the judges; all experts in their field.
However, simply being present in the African bushveld among its amazing wildlife is an irresistible call to capture its own, ever-changing magic. Dave and I each joined game drives and guided walks with DSLRs and video cameras eagerly in hand. We were rewarded with a host of breathtaking sightings, from the little wonders to the legendary Big Five, often on foot, including the thrill of finding a pride of lions while we were walking.
Slotting into the tight schedule meant that we didn’t have the luxury of much time for our shots. Instead it was largely a case of shooting from the hip. All the more reason to check our settings in advance and optimise them for the conditions. Happily, we were treated to special sunrises and sunsets, among my favourite subjects to shoot. There were a few moments available to compose the sunset photo above, as we were driving back to our base at Nkambeni Safari Camp, and a few more during an evening drinks stop in the park, where the natural splendour stretched as far as we could see:
Browse krugerpark.com to find out more about this treasure and be sure to take your camera when you visit. For more about our action-packed week, read our 2015 Safari Guide of The Year article and view our OV&P Facebook albums. And stay tuned for the video, which is coming soon!