Africa’s animals are kind of a big deal. Between the Big 5, the Little 5, thousands of birds, insects, reptiles, amphibians and everything in between, this continent is home to some of the most majestic creatures on the planet. Whether you’re impatiently biding the time until your safari trip, reminiscing over past journeys or simply dreaming of Africa, here are some of the top wildlife Instagrammers you should be following:
1. Shannon Benson: @shannon__wild
Shannon Benson is an Australian wildlife photographer, cinematographer, author, and conservationist based in Africa. Her feed largely features African wildlife and behind-the-scenes shots and videos of her trips. Shannon holds photographic safaris and workshops all over the world and is an ambassador for organisations such as WildAid, Wild Tomorrow Fund, and The Perfect World Foundation among others. If you’re into animals, location shots, and conservation, Shannon’s feed will be right up your street.
2. Russel McLaughlin: @russ_wildlife
Wildlife film-maker and photographer, Russel McLaughlin is a South African with an obvious love of Africa and her animals. His black and white or colour images tend to feature African animals the most, but also show off the various animals he encounters on his travels. Russel has filmed documentaries for National Geographic and Animal Planet, is an expert guide with both photographic and environmental knowledge, and is also a passionate conservationist, working closely with WildAid, an organisation with a mission to end illegal wildlife trade.
That infamous Black Rhino charge… #africa #kenya #solio #savetherhino @thesafaricollection @wildaid @hahnelindustries @lexarmemory_sa @sonyprousa @sonyalpha @natgeocreative A photo posted by Russell MacLaughlin (@russ_wildlife) on
3. Will Burrard-Lucas: @willbl
UK wildlife photographer and innovator Will Burrard-Lucas has an Instagram feed that is, for the most part, dedicated to African wildlife. He is the founder of Camtraptions, a company that has developed BeetleCams and Camera Traps — products that help photographers capture wildlife in new ways. Will is also the founder of WildlifePhoto.com, a website that offers resources, services and products for wildlife photographers. His feed is dominated by spectacular colours and unbelievable close-up images, many of which have been captured using his innovative products.
4. Margot Raggett: @margotraggettphotography
After buying her first DSLR camera in 2010 for a trip to the Maasai Mara, Margot Raggett fell in love with wildlife photography and with Africa. She is the founder of the Remembering Elephants project, a fundraising book that combines photographs taken by 65 of the best wildlife photographers — 100% of the proceeds go towards fighting elephant poaching.
Sometimes you know little ones are up to no good! ❤️? #rememberingelephants @world_wildlife A photo posted by Wildlife By Margot Raggett (@margotraggettphotography) on
5. Marina Cano: @marinacano
Although she is based in Cantabria, Spain, Marina Cano’s Instagram feed features plenty of African wildlife. She has published two books as well as an e-book and hosts numerous photographic workshops in Spain as well as safaris in and around Africa.
6. Keith Connelly: @ingwe911
Keith Connelly’s Instagram can be described as a combination of close-ups, dramatic lighting, soft colours and black and white. He started his career as a wildlife guide and is now a professional photographer and photographic guide specialising in, you guessed it, wildlife and nature photography.
7. James Suter: @jamessuter
Both a photographer and a film-maker, James Suter’s Instagram features both stills and video of African wildlife. He is a photographic guide and a co-owner of a film production company, Black Bean Productions, in Cape Town.
8. Gerry van der Walt: @gerryvanderwalt
Gerry van der Walt’s feed has a bit of everything; wildlife from Africa as well as from other parts of the world, videos, stills, and even the occasional Snapchat. The South African is a specialist photographic safari guide, wildlife photographer, educator, public speaker, and co-founder of Wild Eye, a photographic safari company.
Zebra and flamingoes – a scene from yesterday in Amboseli. . Details in my IG story. ?? . #PrivateGuide #Kenya #Africa #WildEyeSA A photo posted by Gerry van der Walt (@gerryvanderwalt) on
9. Elliot Neep: @elliottneep
Although he doesn’t only focus on African wildlife, Elliot Neep’s Instagram is a must-follow. A professional photographer and ORYX photography safari guide, Elliot’s photographs tend to fit into three broad categories: intimate portraits, action-filled behaviour imagery, and wildscapes. He also has his own column in Practical Photography magazine, one of Britain’s leading photography monthlies.
10. David Lloyd: @davidlloyd
David Lloyd manages to capture both the harsh and soft side of nature in his “fine art wildlife photography” — something that comes through strongly on his Instagram. His best piece of advice is “to stay with your subject for as long as possible”.
Mother’s Touch A photo posted by David Lloyd | Wildlife (@davidlloyd) on
11. Burak Dogansoysal: @burakdogansoysal
A self-proclaimed Africa addict, Burak Dogansoysal’s Instagram mostly features African wildlife, with occasional portraits of people and location shots scattered in between. Starting out in business, Burak is now a professional photographer and has travelled through 64 countries.
12. Brendon Cremer: @brendoncremer
A professional wildlife photographer, Brendon Cremer leads photography safaris, tours, and workshops. Brendon has a passion for and deep understanding of big cats, something that comes through strongly in his feed.
Once again the leopards have been on great form at Elephant Plains. It was great to spend some time with this youngster this morning #naturephotography #nature #wildlifephotography #wildlife #livingthedream #photosafari #photography #leopard #cat #bigcat #panthera #tuskphoto #brendoncremer #wildlifephotographer #portrait #southafrica #africa #elephantplains A photo posted by Brendon Cremer (@brendoncremer) on