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PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKSHOPS: MASHATU GAME RESERVE (BOTSWANA) AND MALAMALA GAME RESERVE (SOUTH AFRICA)

With C4 Images and Safaris

These trips are aimed at the photography enthusiast. If you enjoy photography and would like to learn about outdoor and wildlife photography, then this is the course for you!

Workshops have been planned to bring like-minded people together to enjoy and learn more about nature photography. With award winning host photographers as your guides (a maximum of 4 guests per photo guide), you will be taken out to witness the spectacular wildlife viewing of Mashatu Game Reserve - an extended trip includes world renowned MalaMala Game Reserve too. 

Days comprise morning and evening drives, talks, short lectures and review sessions to discuss and analyze photographs - resulting in excellent on site learning and ultimately, better images.

The course is designed for you to learn and refine photographic skills in spectacular surroundings - ultimately becoming a better photographer in the process.

The group ratio is kept low enough to maximise your individual attention meaning all levels of photographers are catered for.

Please note: This course is aimed at the beginner, intermediate and advanced photography enthusiast who would like to improve their nature and wildlife photographic skills. For the best results, we recommend a minimum of a D-SLR camera.

View the video below for specific information on the course or click here to see a spectacular sequence of images captured during the last photographic workshop by Shem Compion - May 2009

It is our belief at C4 Images and Safaris that many people would like to take their photography a step further, but they don’t have the time, aren’t in the correct environment or don’t have the skill. Addressing this audience, we present this three or seven day adventure of learning and discovery. Your photographic hosts will lead you through a discovery of technical knowledge, nature experiences and practical application. With short instructional lectures designed to stimulate as well as educate, you will be reminded of the photography basics of light, composition and creative effects with the camera.

Landscape, wildlife, bird, macro and action photography each requires its own technique - each addressed over the duration of the workshop. Shem Compion and André Cloete,  both award-winning photographers, will be your hosts. They will share their knowledge of wildlife photography on drives and during talks within the camp. They will also discuss the various techniques of nature photography relating to long lens technique, support systems, iso dilemmas and improvisation methods.

Private vehicles are arranged for photographers - usually four photographers and 1 guide per vehicle. Non-photographers are allowed to join on the photographic vehicle if numbers allow - if not, non-participants will be on their own vehicle with a ranger.

Mashatu Game Reserve is an unheralded gem in a 35000ha wilderness area, situated in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve at the confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo Rivers.  Being an open semi-arid area, game viewing is relatively unrestricted by shrubs and trees - and what game viewing it is! Exceptional sightings of leopard, lion and cheetah herald the large cats, but it is the elephants that the Tuli area is famous for. Once known for their “bad” manners, these elephant are now so docile they walk within a few meters of the safari vehicles.

And if these sightings aren’t enough, then let the giraffe, eland, baboons, kudu, impala, zebra, wildebeest, red hartebeest and birds (a species list of over 350) entice you a bit closer to this wonderland. With a landscape broken by deep lying riverbeds cutting through its rocky surface, Mashatu offers landscapes and scenery that tells of a time gone past and where giants once used to roam.

MalaMala Game Reserve holds a host of ecosystems that will cater to any nature lover’s needs - be it grassy plains, fig tree-lined rivers, boulder strewn hills or large, languidly, meandering rivers. Over the three days, you will be guided on drives to look for animals, birds and other creatures that inhabit this unique reserve. Based in luxurious accommodations, you will enjoy morning and evening game drives in open 4 wheel drive landrovers in the company of an experienced MalaMala ranger and your C4 photographic guide.

MalaMala Game Reserve is acknowledged as being the prime game viewing destination in Southern Africa, and is undoubtedly one of the best destinations in Africa to view predators such as lion and leopard. Both species are territorial, and their regular appearances in the area allow rangers to plot their movements, and to observe their behaviour. Large herds of buffalo, numbering in excess of 300, often find their way to the Sand River which runs north to south through the MalaMala Game Reserve for 13 km (8 miles). Elephants are also seen in large numbers, drawn to the Sand River during the warm days. Over 98% of guests will experience “The Big 5” – very often in one day and sometimes in one drive.

Mashatu Tent Camp

Mashatu Main Camp

MalaMala Main Camp

Rattray’s on MalaMala

We will employ the technique of early morning and late evening game drives to go out in search of photographic subjects. After a morning breakfast / brunch, a lecture will be delivered. This will concentrate on photographic techniques dedicated towards those being used during the weekend.

After the lecture we will have discussion sessions regarding the principals discussed in the lecture. Practical demonstrations will also demonstrate such principals.

There will be about an hour break before afternoon tea where-after we head out for our evening game drive.

Open vehicles will have a maximum of four photographers (1 host and 4 photographers per vehicle).

CHECKLIST

Participants are required to bring :

Digital Camera
Lenses
Tripod / Monopod
Memory cards
Fully charged batteries – bring spare if necessary
Laptop computer or portable hard drives.
NB    :  Download cables from camera to computer

PHOTOGRAHIC WORKSHOP DATES

Mashatu Game Reserve - Mashatu Tent Camp  - 4 nights.

04 – 08 November 2009
25 – 29 November 2009
18 – 22 March 2010
01 – 05 April 2010
23 – 27 April 2010
16 – 20 June 2010
05 – 09 August 2010
23 – 27 September 2010
18 – 22 November 2010
01 – 05 December 2010

Mashatu Game Reserve – Mashatu Main Camp  - 4 nights.

26-30 September 2009


MalaMala Game Reserve (MalaMala Main Camp) and Mashatu Game Reserve (Mashatu Main Camp) – 8 nights.
 
05 – 12 December 2009 (Maximum 12 guests only)
23 – 30 January 2009 (Maximum 12 guests only)
10 – 17 April 2010 (Maximum 12 guests only)

Mashatu Tent Camp :

Per person Sharing : US$ 1 200.00
Per Person Single     : US$ 1 700.00

** Based on a minimum of 4 guests.

Mashatu Main Camp :

Per person Sharing : US$ 1 700.00
Per Person Single     : US$ 2450.00

** Based on a minimum of 4 guests.

MalaMala Main Camp & Mashatu Main Camp

Per person Sharing : US$ 4 640.00
Per Person Single   : US$ 6 540.00

** Based on a minimum of 4 guests

Includes

Excludes

MASHATU GAME RESERVE

March : Visit Mashatu during perhaps its best season. The heat has cooled down, but the green of summer is still very prevalent. The Devil thorn flowers carpet the whole of Mashatu in bright green and yellow. This provides a beautiful setting for landscape and wildlife photography. All the seed eating birds, and especially the monotonous larks, are chirping in abundance and enjoying the short grass and the Mojale and Pitsane rivers will have ample pools of water in them. This means that animal activity will be high in the central areas of the reserve. As usual, the predator viewing here is exceptional. With open areas and little infringing bush, leopard, lion and cheetah photography is remarkably easier. Elephant numbers should be high due to the high water levels, meaning close encounters with breeding herds.
At camp, the summer birds will still be around and the water bath (3m from the lounge) will be attracting species like meyer's parrots, Green-winged pytilias, grey go-away birds, starlings, tropical bou bous, grey headed shrike and red headed weavers. Small raptors such as gabar goshawk and little sparrowhawk are also common in camp, especially near the water bath. The swamp area in the south will have all manner of egrets, ibis's, ducks, geese and storks on its fringes; while deeper in the reeds, elephants will be splashing around.

April : - Every April, Mashatu receives its late rains, causing one last spurt of growth and greenery. Days are milder and game concentrations are at perhaps the highest in the reserve. Photographically, it is a great season. Most of the devil thorns' flowers have died down, and the mopane and is just starting to turn a beautiful rusty-green colour. The Limpopo valley sandstone kopjes at this time of year are a beautiful sight and excellent for landscapes. The late rains will have filled up the pools of water in the Mojale River, keeping the game concentrations high in the reserve. Grass cover is only about a foot in height; excellent for photographing animals. The numerous grass seeds attract large flocks of nomadic finch larks and sparrows. Plains game concentrations are high and the impala herds tend to stay near the major water sources. This keeps the leopards very happy and sightings along the riverbeds are common. Cheetah and lion are regular occurrences, with cheetah being seen more in the open areas. The Lions are attracted to the birthing of the Giraffes in May, meaning action and sightings are good. The elephant breeding herds are still in strong numbers, enjoying the purple pod terminalia seeds. Days are mild and evenings cool. The sun is starting to dip lower in the sky, allowing longer shooting hours. As per usual, the viewing is intimate, close up and as always, action packed.

June is the onset of the dry season. Water starts to become a premium,causing tensions around the water sources. Predator viewing is brilliant with a lot of day activity. With the dry season starting to take effect, the colours of Mashatu have changed to red and yellow, interspersed with soft greens. Along the rivers however, it remains very green and it is not uncommon to find leopard reclining in one of the large Mashatu trees. Predator viewing at is at its best now. The soft rays of the winter sun make lion,leopard and cheetah really glow. As usual, the cheetah are found on the open areas, allowing for easy, close up viewing. Water is starting to become a premium and it is not uncommon to find elephants digging in the river-beds for water, which lies just below the surface. At the waterholes, doves and guinea fowl come down each day to drink. This attracts birds of prey and gabar goshawk (also melanistic) and tawny eagles are commonly seen. With the birth of giraffe in May, there are always a few deaths- this always attracts black backed jackal, spotted hyaena, white backed vulture, lappet-faced vulture and even cape vultures. The water bath in camp is a hive of birding activity and offers probably the most comfortable bird photography ever from the lounge, 3m away!

August & September is the real dry season in Mashatu. This means congregations of animals at the waterholes and with them, come the predators. Simply, this time of year is a 'must' for photographers. These moths herald the beginning of the 'real' dry season in Southern Africa. Gone are the hot, humid and rainy days. Now there is a chill in the morning air and gone too is the lush summer fodder and the abundant free-lying water from the rains. The Mojale River has become a ribbon of life attracting all manner of animals and birds to its waters. The cliffs house baboon troops not willing to leave the water and the plains are filled with grazers milling around: all situations very conducive for an ambush by predators. This is 'Classic Africa' season. The light is excellent- with the sun setting as a red orb, animals are still in good condition and the sun remains low on the horizon throughout the day, making for longer photography hours. What more could a photographer want?

November & December  - Spring has sprung in a big way in Mashatu. Fresh, fluorescent-green Mopane leaves are budding and the devils thorn flowers cover the plains in a carpet of yellow and green. It is time of new beginnings in this wildlife paradise. Spring is a time of courting and breeding in the animal world. It is no different at Mashatu. While a green flush spreads across the plains and through the trees, the birds start their courtship rituals while the first Impala foals start appearing. Photographically, it is a feast. Nesting red headed and masked weavers in camp offer great action photos, while out in the bush Lilac breasted rollers fly morsels back to the nest. The green carpet of Devils-thorn flowers attracts the elephants, who can't resist their sweet nourishment. Hundreds of Elephants are found here during this season and a morning spent following a relaxed herd is an unforgettable experience; especially that many of the elephants time their babies at this time of year. If you want to experience a world anew after the dry and dust, Mashatu in spring is the order of the day.

MALAMALA GAME RESERVE

May to October : Dry season
As the grass dries away and the non-perennial rivers dry up, animals start to congregate along the sand rivers permanent waters. This increases animal numbers in the reserve, making viewing of animals and witnessing spectacular action that much easier. Lions sun themselves on the open plains and leopard lounge in their trees in the early morning - basking in the warm winter sunshine. It really is predator season!

October – December : Spring
As the first rains fall on MalaMala a transformation occurs that boggles the eye, but pleases the camera. Green colours sprout up everywhere and makes for pleasing backgrounds for those leopard portraits. The impala drop their young after the first full rains with the wildebeest following suit soon after. This is the baby season- and nothing could be better to photograph than young antelope on the green plains- a quintessential African scene. Of course, the increased numbers of young animals also attracts the predators and leopard; lion as well as cheetah and wild dog all take advantage of the season’s offerings.

January – April : Summer
The lush green of MalaMala Game Reserve forms a perfect backdrop for picture perfect scenes. All the large animals are in excellent condition and the predators too and this is the best season to photograph them all. The summer migrant birds are all around and they provide excellent opportunities to photograph colourful bee-eaters, king fishers and raptors. The camp is a veritable hive of bird activity and days can be spent chasing and photographing birds within the confines of camp. The classic large thunderclouds that build up over the horizon provide striking backdrops over the sand river flowing into the distance. Even when it does rain, photographic opportunities present themselves in capturing antelope with drops of rain falling past them.

Contact C4 Images:

  Tel: + 27 (0) 87 805 7641      
Fax: + 27 (0) 12 993 0335    
Email: shem@c4images-safaris.co.za
Website: www.c4images-safaris.co.za

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