August 15

The Top 6 iPhoneography Tricks for Safaris

By Jemma Brewitt on August 15, 2017

If you don’t have pictures of that lion kill, did you really see it? Okay maybe you did, but where’s the hard evidence for when that one colleague of yours puts you on the stand? Make sure you have your iPhone within hands reach on your next safari.

You’ll be sure to take home a collection of beautiful safari photos with these handy tips:

Black and white photo of a giraffe in the road
Photo credit: Tippy Brewitt

1. The old iPhone through the binoculars trick

Wanting that great close-up shot of a lion cub? Getting a quality zoomed-in shot can be tricky and this little secret tip, used by frequent safari goers such as our CEO, is the solution. Holding the camera a small distance behind the lens of your binoculars you’re able to capture really interesting close-up shots of wildlife. Impress your friends with the clarity and detail in your close-ups of your favourite furry creatures.

iPhone photography of a rhino , using binoculars

2. Time-lapse
Here’s another feature capturing those magical motions experienced on your safari. Burst Mode can sometimes be a little too fast-paced for your needs. When that’s the case. try Time-Lapse mode. It takes a picture every few seconds and shows static scenes that gradually change. Just press the red ‘record’ button to start and again to stop it. It works best if the phone is still, so if you don’t have a sturdy hand, try and rest it on something or make a little makeshift tripod. Top tip: get the sun or clouds in motion in the background creating an unforgettable shot.

3. Burst Mode
This is perfect for an action scene out on the dusty plains when it’s critical that you don’t miss out on any unbelievable photo opportunities. This setting can be a little heavy on your phone’s gallery space but it’s a wonderful setting to use if you want to capture the high-speed commotion of a hunt. Simply keep your finger down on the shutter button and choose your best shot later. It’s best to clear up some space in your photo gallery in anticipation of all those actions shots.iPhone photography of a stork using burst mode and binoculars iPhone photography of a stork using burst mode and binoculars iPhone photography of a stork using burst mode and binoculars

4. HDR Mode

Say goodbye to dark images and hello to more detail and clarity. High Dynamic Range means the contrast between the light and dark areas of your photos are less dramatic. This setting works by taking three images in the space of one and stitches them together to create a better representation of what your eye sees in real life. Get a magnificent African sunset or mountain range shot with figures in the foreground with this setting.

iPhone photography using HDR mode
Photo credit: Tippy Brewitt

5. The Selfie Stick
No, this piece of apparatus is not only for teenage girls. Not only useful for group and individual shots, the selfie stick, can also be turned around and used as a simple extension of your arm depicting a range of perspectives. It brings some really interesting angles to your photography and in turn creates  unique and creative pieces compared to everyday shots taken from chest height. For example, capturing small cute animals like meerkats that are too low to reach normally.

6. Get familiar with the photo editing options
You don’t need to be a expert photographer to effectively edit a shot. There are actually a ton of different ways you can subtly edit your pictures, over and above simply picking a fancy filter. With black and white images, you can alter the intensity, grain, tone and neutral areas and you can even make saturation changes to the colour of your pics. Experiment with your safari memories for an enhanced portrayal of your holiday.

iPhone photography of zebra in black & white
Photo credit: Carmen Brewitt

Now that you’ve mastered safari iPhoneography, it’s time to take it a step further.

Go on, don’t be shy – Instagram a couple of your masterpieces.


Tags

Wildlife


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About the author 

Jemma Brewitt

Jemma's love for nature and culture grew while growing up on her family's dairy farm in the Natal Midlands. Since then she has been a ski lift operator in the Sierra Nevada, an Au Pair in London, an English teacher in Vietnam and is now writing about her favourite continent - Africa.

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