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Camera Settings for Safaris

Started Nov 23, 2018 | Discussions thread
MRK83 Senior Member • Posts: 1,133
Re: Camera Settings for Safaris
1

I have been to Africa a number of times. Most recent trip here :

My default setting (not using a myset) is shutter priority, auto iso. Then I set the shutter speed based on conditions, with selected shutter speed based on focal length and whether the subject is moving.

I do have a myset for birds in flight - all focus points, highest speed burst that allows continuous focus and continuous auto focus selected.

From my observation of photos that people display after a safari, the most common problem is little or no attention paid to composition. You might not be inclined to do this, but I have seen many potentially good photos ruined by the animal's face being in the middle of the frame, with part of the animal cut off and a large amount of empty space above and in front of the animal.

That's not so say you shouldn't zoom in for a portrait, or include negative space, or some other object in the frame if the scene requires it, of course. I think your idea of practising at the zoo is a very good one.

Enjoy your trip.

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Michael Kilpatrick

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