Preparation is key when it comes to planning a trip to Namibia — a true land of extremes that can only be fairly described using hyperbole. As beautiful as Namibia is, to get the most out of your trip, you need to be prepared and well organized. Here are my tips for bringing back the best wildlife and landscape photographs from a trip across Southern Africa. 

Drive, Don’t Fly

Most flights into Namibia land in Windhoek, the capital. There are a handful of direct flights from Europe, or you can fly through Johannesburg. By choosing to fly through Johannesburg, you can rent a car in South Africa and drive to Namibia. It’s a long journey — a minimum of two full days — but you’ll get the chance to see the wonders of southern Namibia, which is an area that doesn’t make many itineraries.

Namibia is an experience enhanced by self-drive. If you fly from one place to the next, you’ll miss the spirit and scope of the land. Namibia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, and the distances are vast. To make the most of your time, a detailed itinerary is vital to determining how long you’re going to spend on the road.

If you’re staying in any of the off-the-beaten-track lodges along the Hoanib Valley or Skeleton Coast, a 4×4 is critical. You will have to navigate riverbeds, salt roads, and sand roads, some very deep. Visiting the shipwrecks on the Skeleton Coast requires driving on deserted beaches. There, you’ll need a vehicle with high clearance and robust tires. Even if you’re not heading into remote areas, a 4×4 is encouraged; the storms we drove through in Etosha, the country’s prime national park, would have pushed a sedan or saloon car to its very limits.

Nobody wants to get stuck in the muck. You can’t really get out for a push in places like this.

If you’re going to Sossusvlei, particularly Dead Vlei, for sunrise, you’ll need to drive yourself or hire a guide. The tour buses don’t leave the main car park until after sunrise. The trail beyond the main car park to get to Dead Vlei is best described as a sandbox, not a road, so make sure you’re comfortable driving a 4×4 and understand how to drive in sand. If you deflate your tires a little, you’ll get better grip, and it’s less likely you’ll dig yourself down to the axles. Once you’ve deflated your tires for the sand, make sure you have a pump to inflate your tires again for when you’re heading back out on the tarmac.

Finally, don’t rely on picking up a map in Namibia or on accessing the internet while you’re on the road. The country is not as well signposted as you might think, and cellular service is spotty at best. A lot of the shipwrecks along the Skeleton Coast are very difficult to find. Even online maps won’t point you to particular wrecks. So, bring a map that you’ve marked up or take screenshots of online maps showing verified satellite views of the ships you’re looking for.

Camera Equipment

Lenses

Like much of Southern Africa, Namibia’s wildlife viewing is based around waterholes. In Etosha, many waterholes are positioned far from the trail, and since you can’t drive off the track, at least a 300mm lens is critical to capture wildlife portraits. If you have the budget, consider bringing an extender as well. I took a Canon 300mm or 400mm f/2.8L alongside a 1.4x III extender. Combining this with the megapixel count of the new Canon mirrorless well let you crop in tight for portraits of distant animals, such as this tired cheetah.

If you are bringing a 300mm or longer lens, don’t try to handhold your shots. Brace yourself on something solid — a bean bag will help you to balance large lenses on your vehicle’s window or door frame.

Rain Covers

Be sure to bring rain covers to protect your cameras from the rain and from the sand.

Those fine particles aren’t friends to the electronics in your equipment. Rain covers will also help if you end up in a storm, which is likely during the rainy season. See my reviews of rain covers, here and here.

Intervalometer

One of Africa’s largest reserves, the NamibRand Nature Reserve, lies in a designated dark sky preserve. Conditions here demand a tripod and intervalometer to get steady and dynamic time-lapse shots. Newer cameras, again, have built-in intervalometers, which make packing much easier.

Drones

Read up on the rules if you’re going to bring a drone. All drones must be registered with the Namibian Civil Aviation Authority and certain hotspots, such as Dead Vlei, have very restrictive rules. I’d love to have had a bird’s-eye view of the dunes and dead camel thorn trees, but you need to enjoy these places without breaking the rules. This shot was taken over the Salt Works in Walvis Bay, with permission of the landowner. 

Sound

Consider bringing a sound recorder if you have room in your bag. The sounds of the massive seal colony and crashing waves at Cape Cross or the singing dunes at Sossusvlei are things you’re going to want to remember. If you’re shooting video, it’s certainly worth getting some properly recorded audio to overlay your images. Namibia is notoriously windy, so splurge on a DeadCat windshield; this will make all the difference by deadening the sound of the blow.

Camera Settings

Wildlife is always much quicker than it appears. Even slow-plodding elephants cover much more ground than you’d expect, never mind a quick-walking cheetah.

Double check your shutter speed; you should be shooting moving animals at fast speeds, around 1/1,600th of a second. Anything slower is going to drastically reduce your keeper rate. Likewise, consider stopping down. I realize that soft bokeh is all the rage, but at a shallow depth of field like f/2.8, a cat’s eyes will drift in and out of focus as they breathe. Consider stopping down to ensure tack focus. If you’re able, get closer to eye level through a window instead of a pop-up roof. This will help the background blur out even if your aperture is stopped down a little. 

Planning and Itineraries

I know that we all try to cram as much in as possible, but consider spending more than one day at each location, as this will give you time to scout out your best shots. For example, I’d suggest getting two permits for Kolmanskop, the ghost town that is now being taken over by the dunes. Wandering around at sunrise or sunset will be difficult if you haven’t scouted in daylight and so don’t know where you’re going.

Likewise, if you have the opportunity, try to visit these incredible locations at different times of the day. Sossusvlei, for instance, deserves a visit in the early morning and the late afternoon. The turn of a few hours makes it feel like a totally different place.

What Images to Look For

Namibia is home to many uniquely adapted desert animals, such as desert adapted elephant, lion, and giraffe.

Try to capture the animals in their environment to differentiate your images from those taken in other spots on the continent.

As noted, and unlike east Africa, Namibia’s wildlife viewing is centered around waterholes. If you don’t immediately see something, resist the urge to drive from hole to hole, be patient. From my perspective, this is one of the most important skills related to wildlife photography. The animals need to drink, and eventually, they will come to the holes for water. Driving in circles means you’ll spend time on the trails when you could be setting up in wait for the animals, and you could miss your opportunity. If you can, talk to a local expert about which holes are seeing the most action during your visit. It’s also not a bad idea to consider hiring a wildlife guide or spotter to make sure you’re at the right locations.

While driving, consider stopping to take images of signs and roadside attractions. These b-roll images will help to tell the story of your trip as much as a prized lion or elephant shot.

Editing Midday Sun

When you get to the editing stage, try out a black and white edit to accentuate textures. It’s always great to shoot in the hours around sunrise and sunset, but you’re still likely to be out midday. Sure, the landscape and wildlife are colourful, but you might be surprised at what the sun’s strong contrast can illuminate in black and white.

A Few Notes on Namibia’s Fragility

Namibia’s most stark and beautiful places are fragile, so consider your impact.

• Stay on the roads or approved tracks to avoid destroying lichen that could be thousands of years old.
• The trees at Dead Vlei aren’t props. Don’t touch or lean on them; IG is full of fools doing this. At 600+ years old, they will break.  
• Don’t graffiti or leave marks in the ghost towns: these places aren’t playgrounds. Respect the environment as it is, without shoveling or throwing sand about to get “the shot.” Leave these fragile places as you found them. 
• Finally, be mindful of where you stop to get out. Even the desert has lions and other dangerous wildlife.

All images provided by let us go photo.

Social media is a necessary evil for a lot of photographers, as it is the place where many potential clients will see your work and first contact you. However, with so many platforms and the need for continued, consistent posting, you might wonder where your time and efforts are best spent. This great video features a filmmaker discussing the results from a two-week experiment of posting to TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. 

Coming to you from YCImaging, this interesting video discusses an experiment in which he posted to TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts for two weeks and measured his growth on each platform. While some photographers can go entire careers without engaging with social media, it is a necessary business tool for many others. Even though I rarely post, I still get many of my inquiries through accounts, as people often use platforms like Instagram as their starting point in seeking out video and imagery. As such, it is worth having at least a presence on one or two platforms, though you do not need to be the obsessive who spends multiple hours a day making and posting content. A carefully planned and regular content strategy is often most effective, as many platforms reward consistency with increased reach. Check out the video above for the full rundown.

Pace University will host At a Point of Change II, an outdoor student photography exhibition, which will be on view in front of One Pace Plaza from May 1–15 before moving to Pace’s Westchester campus until October 1.

At a Point of Change II features photography from two Pace alumni, as well as 14 undergraduate students enrolled in the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences interdisciplinary course entitled “Seeing the World Differently…Through Economics and Photography,” which combines economics concepts with photographic principles.

“The goal of this exhibit is to create a powerful visual statement that Pace is committed to sustainability, equity, and inclusion,” said Associate Professor of Economics Anna Shostya, PhD, who co-teaches the course with Associate Professor of Art, Inbal Abergil, MFA.

The course and the students’ work focus on using photography to represent the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, a group of 17 objectives set to be achieved by 2030 to better our world, centering on issues such as immigration, equality, climate action, and sustainable economic growth.

“The issue of sustainable development is critical in our world today, and what better way to raise it and call for action than to educate people about it,” said Jack Nierenberg ’25, Art. “This course not only educated me and my fellow students but gave us the opportunity to do the same for the public.”

This year marks the halfway point between the introduction of the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 target. Shostya notes that this exhibit reflects Pace students’ understanding of the success stories that have flourished since the goals were launched, as well as the challenges that continue to lie ahead.

“This exhibition creates a platform for students to connect to these subject matters on a personal level and highlights the power of photography and storytelling,” added Abergil.

Each photograph in the exhibit is accompanied by a written piece, showcasing the students’ understanding and creative interpretation of the underlying principles of the goals.

“This class gave me the opportunity to expand my perspective on the interconnectedness of the world,” said Tasfia Rahim ’23, Economics and Political Science.“Professor Shostya and Professor Abergil have found a way to connect two seemingly unrelated subjects and spark conversations.”

About Pace Unviversity

Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique programs that combine immersive academics and real-world experiences. Pace is ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the University provides.

About Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

Pace University’s liberal arts college, Dyson College, offers more than 50 programs, spanning the arts and humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and pre-professional programs (including pre-medicine, pre-veterinary, and pre-law), as well as many courses that fulfill core curriculum requirements. The College offers access to numerous opportunities for internships, cooperative education and other hands-on learning experiences that complement in-class learning in preparing graduates for career and graduate/professional education choices.

… on the way back home from West Sedona this afternoon, I stopped by the columbarium at Church of The Red Rocks for a short visit … it was quiet except for the sound of the wind soughing in the trees … remembering the life I lived with Cork and the friends with whom we spent many a day sharing life and laughter with, now silent. The view is beautiful and the life I continue to live is magnificent with a new sense of richness shared with friends and family still here. Without question my life is blessed!

The photo above I took at the end of a great soaring day … Cathedral Rock is slipping beneath my nose and the airport is above it …on the horizon from the left is Sitgreaves Mountain, Kendrick Peak, the San Francisco Peaks and Mt. Elden. Few things in life can compare with slipping through the air on silent wings and you are one with all that is.

Below is an Osprey making his get away with dinner firmly in his talons and the sound of the attack and escape covered by the sound of the aerators pumping water into the air only to splash down in the pond.

Have a beautiful day, keep breathing and smiling … you are here and with choices to make!

Cheers,

Ted

Therefore, while yet you have
the strength, cherish a desire to do
some useful work in your
little corner of the world, and
have the steadfastness to labor.
For this is the way to the
happy life; with health and
endearing ties, it is the way to the
glorious life.

excerpt from Happiness by Max Ehrmann

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The easiest way to reach Mr. Grussing is by email: ted@tedgrussing.com

In addition to sales of photographs already taken Ted does special shoots for patrons on request and also does air-to-air photography for those who want photographs of their airplanes in flight. All special photographic sessions are billed on an hourly basis.

Ted also does one-on-one workshops for those interested in learning the techniques he uses.  By special arrangement Ted will do one-on-one aerial photography workshops which will include actual photo sessions in the air.

More about Ted Grussing …

Delightful and full of exuberant whimsy, photographer Jared Schoenemann’s series Anthropromophism, is a charming spectacle of stuffed animals bustling with playful souls.

In a quest to appreciate each of his daughter’s “stuffies” just as she does, Schoenemann was inspired to make a kind of visual encyclopedia to not only keep track of the many toys but to meet his daughter’s approval of the unique personalities she sees in them.

“The inspiration was my forgetfulness. My daughter loves her stuffed animals, therefore they are very important to our family, of course. After I got the business for forgetting a few of their names one too many times (on last count she had 137), I decided I should take them into the studio for some portraits.” Schoenemann says, speaking to PetaPixel.

With a background in cinematography and athleticism, Schoenemann has a long-held appreciation for what photography has allowed him to personally express and the atmosphere of community it fosters.

“Photography connected all the right dots, (and) allowed me to produce a higher quality of work and collaborate with some wonderful people,” he says.

Utilizing the medium as a means of deeper connection with his daughter and intrigued by the challenge of capturing the “personalities” of each stuffed animal — while appeasing a tough critic — Schoenemann approached the task of photographing her many toys just as he would when shooting live animal portraits. Using a simplistic background, and no props or distractions, the photographer simply just captured the observations and implemented input from his daughter.

“I could talk it up with fancy words but it’s just a simple project anyone can do. My daughter chose her favorites and the ones with the most expressive features, and we got shooting. No props. I wanted just the animal alone, removed from any distractions (similar to my regular animal work). They were shot as they are. Not fresh and new, but well loved.”

When peering into the eyes of one of the stuffed critters it’s easy to become increasingly enchanted by the subtle yet vivacious “spirit” and quirky aura captured in every one of Schoenemann’s shots, attributes that he also credits to the toy maker’s skills,

“The designers of these stuffed animals are very talented and did a great job creating them. All I had to do was find the right angle, light them well, and not mess up their work. There was hardly any post-processing except for removing some dust and errant strings. The background is as it was shot, shadows and all, and that was that. I encourage others to do the same with their kid’s toys. It’s tons of fun.” Schoenemann shares.

As for challenges, despite some slight trepidation from his daughter and a few undesirable subjects, the photographer was resolute.

“The biggest challenge was finding the proper angle to reveal their personality. Often they had to be pinned or posed, not unlike other work. Some had no personality or were difficult, and were kindly asked to leave (not unlike other work),” he continues.

“My daughter was a bit apprehensive about letting me shoot them, but once she saw their faces popping up on the monitor, she was all in. Oddly enough, their personalities do shine through, so the project was titled Anthropomorphism,” Schoenemann says. “The Nikon 60mm was optically great, but I did pine for smoother focus and was tempted to pick up the Zeiss 50mm macro.”

Other equipment Schoenemann uses for his other work, he expresses his affinity for Nikon and Zeiss Lenses.

“I use Nikon bodies, Zeiss lenses, and Einstein strobes. For most of my close work, I use the Milvus 100mm, but for the stuffies, I wanted less of a telephoto feel. Browsing Craigslist, I found an old medical Nikkor 60mm AF-D in like-new condition that caught my eye also, it’s super-glued into manual focus, so no one wanted it. I got it for $60 and decided to give it a go for the project. It worked very well,” he muses.

The results of Schoenemann’s series are a homage to photography and reality, rather than “pictures.”

“To me, a great photo is a genuine moment, captured and processed well, that reminds the viewer of the good times of life on earth. No fakery. No AI. I’m not interested in cartoons, filters, or fabrications. Hence in my mind, there’s a clear distinction between pictures and photography. We all have our faults, one of mine is my understanding of photography and its importance in capturing memorable moments. Time is short. I prefer to focus on what’s real. Who wants to remember a fake moment? Like Seinfeld said, ‘You don’t aspire to reach the nose.’”

The series also contributes to his desire to capture memorable moments that can be appreciated well into the future, moments that his daughter could foreseeably connect with.

“Most importantly, she loves the work, and when she eventually outgrows stuffed animals and the ones that don’t get saved are donated, we’ll be happy to have the memories. What started as a silly idea ended up quite nice, and when printed large on fine art paper, they take on a living, breathing, emotive quality. “

As for the response to the series, it has been positive. While Schoenemann simply enjoys the fun-loving nature of it, he does acknowledge and accepts that it won’t suit everyone’s tastes,

“The response has been wonderful. Friends and family love it, my daughter loves it and tells me the stuffies love it, too. Internet people probably won’t. People with kids like it. I’ve heard that it makes some want to photograph their kid’s toys more and that’s great to hear. It is always nice when your silly projects are enjoyed by others. And I understand why it could be totally lame to others. That’s how it goes.”

As Schoenemann moves on to other projects, he keeps his love of community and connection front in center in his life and ambitions.

“Go and hug your kids, tell them you love them, call your parents, apologize for your teenage years, and tell them you love them. We’re here now, with free will to make good choices or bad ones. Make good ones — like photographing what’s real and memorable.”

For more from Jared Schoenemann, make sure to visit his website

Image credits: Jared Schoenemann

Cameras are more complex and customizable than ever before, allowing users to tweak buttons and settings until everything is mapped to the photographer’s personal workflow. In this video, watch how to change settings to how you work.

For years I would get a new camera and leave it on default settings for every button and dial. Then, as back-button focus became integral to how I shoot, revolutionizing the way I use my camera, I grew curious as to what else I might be able to improve. This sent me down a rabbit hole of creating custom functions, assigning new buttons, and reassigning old ones. In fact, I used to create so many that I’d forget much of what I’d done and go about doing a single button’s work the long-winded, manual way.

Nevertheless, I now have lots of custom functions that I use regularly and it’s important to my efficiency when shooting. The issue with many videos showing you how to “setup your camera” is that the photographer showing you is actually setting up their camera to their tastes. This video by Omar Gonzalez is a higher-level version of those videos, teaching you your options rather than being prescriptive. So, grab your Sony body and get customizing!