The Wild Photographer

An African photo safari is one of the most extraordinary experiences a wildlife photographer can have. But here's the catch...the best photographic opportunities often happen in seconds, and the difference between getting the shot and missing it can come down to how well you've prepared.
In this episode, I share my complete approach to preparing for an African photo safari, whether it's your first time in Africa or your twentieth. From choosing the right camera gear and practicing before departure to my personal morning game-drive checklist, camera settings, photo backups, and techniques for maximizing wildlife encounters, this episode is designed to help you arrive ready and make the most of every day.
We also dive into specific strategies for African wildlife and landscape photography, including anticipating animal behavior, working with dramatic light, and capturing those spectacular environmental portraits that make Africa such a special photographic destination.
What You'll Learn
Before Your Safari: Gear & Preparation
Why a versatile telephoto zoom (100–400mm, 100–500mm, or 200–600mm) is one of the best investments for safari photography.
The advantages of bringing two camera bodies, especially in dusty safari environments.
How much memory card space to pack (hint: probably more than you think!).
Essential accessories, from lens-cleaning tools to lightweight alternatives to photography beanbags.
Why camera gear belongs in your carry-on, particularly when small aircraft are involved.
How to practice autofocus, shutter speed, burst shooting, and exposure compensation before leaving home.
Every Morning: My Safari Photography Checklist
Before I leave camp, I make sure my camera is ready to photograph wildlife immediately—not five minutes after a sighting begins.
Fully charged battery installed, with spare batteries packed.
Memory card inserted with plenty of available space.
Wildlife telephoto lens attached and ready.
Lens cap off, lens hood on, camera powered on.
Manual exposure mode with Auto ISO selected.
Shutter speed preset for the conditions (often 1/640–1/800 sec in good light, adjusted for darker mornings).
Aperture set toward the wider end of my lens's range.
Autofocus mode selected, with the ability to switch quickly to animal tracking.
High-speed continuous shooting enabled.
RAW image capture confirmed.
Image stabilization turned on.
The goal? When your guide suddenly spots a leopard, you're ready to make a technically solid photograph in about two seconds.
During Your Safari: Making Better Photographs
Take the "insurance shot" first, then experiment creatively.
Work each wildlife sighting with different focal lengths, compositions, and backgrounds.
Anticipate animal behavior rather than simply reacting to it.
Photograph through action sequences to capture the perfect split-second moment.
Don't fear high ISOs when a faster shutter speed is needed.
Use backlighting, dust, and silhouettes for dramatic wildlife photographs.
Remember to zoom out and photograph wildlife within the vast African landscape.
Use both wide-angle and telephoto lenses for spectacular landscape photography.
Evening Preparation & Photo Management
We also cover battery-charging strategies for safari camps with limited electricity, systems for organizing charged and depleted batteries, whether a laptop is worth bringing, and why keeping at least two copies of your photographs is so important.
Links & Resources Mentioned
Related Podcast Episode
A Deep Dive into Memory Cards: Speed, Maintenance, Formatting and More — Everything you need to know about choosing, maintaining, and managing memory cards for an important photography trip.
Gear & Accessories
Nomatic McKinnon Battery Case — The Peter McKinnon battery organizer I discuss, with magnetic closure and handy stickers for distinguishing charged from depleted batteries.
LensPen — A useful little cleaning tool for keeping dust off your lenses while on safari.
I also discuss rocket-style air blowers, microfiber cloths, multi-battery chargers, and travel adapters. The right versions of these will depend on your particular camera system and safari destination.
More Photography Tips
Watch Court Whelan on YouTube — Practical wildlife and landscape photography tutorials, camera settings, gear advice, and lessons from the field.
Visit CourtWhelan.com — More photography, conservation, and travel inspiration.
One Final Thought
Prepare for everything you can control—your gear, settings, batteries, storage, and technique. But when you're finally sitting in that safari vehicle, camera in hand, stay open to the unexpected.
Your favorite photograph from Africa may very well be one you never imagined taking.
And every once in a while, put the camera down and just soak it all in. After all, the better you experience a moment, the better you'll probably photograph it, too.
Happy photographing, and see you out there!
Court's Websites
Check out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
Sign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.com
Follow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
View my camera kit and recommended camera gear
Sponsors and Promo Codes:
MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera Gear
ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design
BayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25) 
ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspired
Arthelper.Ai - Smart tools to promo and showcase your art.
LensRentals.com - WILD15 for 15% off

Can using a tripod actually make you a worse photographer? Are $15,000 super-telephoto lenses really worth it? And could a crop-sensor camera actually be better than full-frame for wildlife photography?
Photographers have surprisingly strong opinions about gear. But after years of guiding photography expeditions around the world, I've come to realize that some of the most passionately debated pieces of equipment don't have a clear right or wrong answer.
In this episode of The Wild Photographer, I'm diving into five surprisingly "controversial" pieces of camera gear, exploring why some photographers swear by them while others avoid them entirely. From giant wildlife lenses and teleconverters to tripods, crop sensors, and polarizing filters, I'll break down the advantages, disadvantages, and my own field-tested opinions.
The goal isn't to convince you to buy more gear—or throw anything out. It's to help you think more critically about the equipment you already have and make better decisions for the photography you actually do.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
Tripods: Essential or creativity killers? Why tripods are indispensable for long exposures, astrophotography, and certain landscapes, but can also slow you down and discourage experimentation with composition.
Giant super-telephoto primes vs. zoom lenses: The extraordinary image quality and low-light advantages of 400mm f/2.8 and 600mm f/4 lenses versus the versatility, portability, and freedom of telephoto zooms.
Crop sensors vs. full-frame for wildlife: Understanding crop factors, pixel density, the myth of "extra reach," and when a smaller sensor might actually put more useful pixels on your subject.
Teleconverters: Brilliant innovation or optical compromise? Why I'm much more enthusiastic about 1.4x teleconverters than 2x versions, and when cropping your image might be the better solution.
Circular polarizers: Amazing tools that are often overused: How polarizers can eliminate reflections and improve landscapes in ways editing software can't easily replicate—and why permanently leaving one on your lens might be a mistake.
Bonus: The great UV-filter debate. Why I use high-quality protective filters on most of my lenses, despite understanding why other photographers won't touch them.
Links & Resources Mentioned
Related Podcast Episodes and Photographers
Talking with Will Patino: The 4 Pillars of Landscape Photography, Simple Editing Techniques, and Why He Ditched the Tripod — My conversation with landscape photographer Will Patino, including his remarkable handheld landscape photography techniques.
Will Patino Photography — Will's landscape photography, workshops, and educational resources.
UV Filters Explained: Worth It, Overrated, or Essential Lens Protection? — My full deep dive into the pros, cons, and considerations of using protective filters.
All About Camera Sensors: Understand Them and Improve Your Photography — A deeper explanation of sensor size, pixels, ISO, and image quality.
Landscape Photography 101 & 102: Tips to Instantly Elevate Your Landscape Photos — More about tripod use, composition, and camera settings for landscapes.
Lenses and Teleconverters Discussed
These are examples of the types of equipment discussed in the episode, rather than a definitive shopping list.
Canon RF 400mm f/2.8 L IS USM
Canon RF 600mm f/4 L IS USM
Canon RF 100–500mm f/4.5–7.1 L IS USM
Tamron SP 150–600mm f/5–6.3 G2
Canon RF 1.4x Teleconverter
Canon RF 2x Teleconverter
Polarizing and Protective Filters
A few of the filter manufacturers and options I discuss:
PolarPro QuartzLine Filters — Circular polarizers and UV filters.
Hoya HD3 UV Filters — Premium multi-coated protective filters.
B+W UV and Clear Protection Filters — Including the MASTER series.
Singh-Ray Filters — Premium specialty filters.
Keep Learning Photography
For more photography tutorials, editing demonstrations, gear discussions, and lessons from the field, check out my YouTube channel, Court Whelan.
And I'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode! What's a piece of photography gear you absolutely love that everyone else seems to hate? Or something you think is completely overrated?
Head over to my YouTube channel and leave a comment. Your answer might just inspire a Part Two!
Remember: The best piece of camera gear isn't necessarily the most expensive, the sharpest, or the one other photographers tell you to buy. It's the one that helps you make the photograph you actually want to make.

Court's Websites
Check out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
Sign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.com
Follow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
View my camera kit and recommended camera gear
Sponsors and Promo Codes:
MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera Gear
ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design
BayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25) 
ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspired
Arthelper.Ai - Smart tools to promo and showcase your art.
LensRentals.com - WILD15 for 15% off

What camera gear do you actually need for getting into wildlife photography? And perhaps just as importantly, what don’t you need?
In this episode, Court sits down with Allison McLaughlin for a deep dive into building a wildlife photography kit, particularly for beginner and intermediate photographers. They cover everything from why autofocus tracking and telephoto reach matter so much for wildlife, to the advantages of crop sensors, zoom lenses, used gear, and even sticking with a DSLR for a little longer.
They also get very specific, working through approachable camera bodies and wildlife lenses from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, and OM System/Micro Four Thirds. Along the way, Court and Allison talk about how much telephoto reach you really need, why a 600mm lens isn't automatically better than a 400mm lens, and why the wide end of a telephoto zoom can be every bit as important as the long end.
Perhaps the biggest lesson from this conversation is that your next camera does not have to be your final camera. Wildlife photography gear can get expensive very quickly, but there is a huge amount of excellent equipment available one or two generations back, particularly on the used market.
Connect with Allison: https://www.reddit.com/user/mpbcom/
Cameras Mentioned
Canon
Canon EOS R50
View the Canon EOS R50
Canon EOS R10
View the Canon EOS R10
Canon EOS 7D Mark II
View the Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
View the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Nikon
Nikon Z50 II
View the Nikon Z50 II
Nikon D500
View the Nikon D500
Nikon Z8
View the Nikon Z8
Sony
Sony A6100
View the Sony A6100
Sony A6400
View the Sony A6400
Sony A6600
View the Sony A6600
Sony A1
View the Sony A1
Sony A1 II
View the Sony A1 II
Fujifilm
Fujifilm X-T30 II
View the Fujifilm X-T30 II
Fujifilm X-S10
View the Fujifilm X-S10
OM System
OM System OM-5
View the OM System OM-5
Lenses Mentioned
Canon
Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM
A lightweight, relatively affordable RF wildlife zoom that Allison specifically highlights as a strong starting point.
View the Canon RF 100-400mm
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
The transcript does not specify which generation of the EF 100-400mm, so both versions are included here.
View the original Canon EF 100-400mm
View the Canon EF 100-400mm II
Nikon
Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD for Nikon Z
One of Allison's budget-conscious recommendations for someone building a Nikon Z wildlife kit.
View the Tamron 70-300mm Nikon Z
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
An older F-mount wildlife favorite that can also be adapted to Nikon Z bodies.
View the Nikon 200-500mm
Sony
Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS
Allison's standout recommendation for Sony APS-C wildlife shooters.
View the Sony 70-350mm G OSS
Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS
Discussed as an excellent example of the versatile long-telephoto range that works especially well for wildlife and birds.
View the Sony 200-600mm
Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS
An example of just how much reach modern wildlife lenses can provide, while also illustrating why the minimum focal length of a zoom matters.
View the Sony 400-800mm
Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS
The Sony 100-400mm is also discussed when comparing versatile wildlife zoom ranges.
View the Sony 100-400mm GM OSS
Fujifilm
Fujifilm XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 R LM OIS WR
Allison's pick for a compact Fuji wildlife setup, with stabilization and weather resistance.
View the Fujifilm XF 70-300mm
Micro Four Thirds / OM System
Olympus M.Zuiko 150-400mm f/4.5 TC1.25X IS PRO
The lens Court used in Namibia, giving a tremendous effective focal range on the Micro Four Thirds system.
View the Olympus 150-400mm
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 75-300mm
Allison recommends the 75-300mm range as an especially compact way to get roughly a 150-600mm full-frame equivalent field of view. The episode does not specify which generation.
View the original Olympus 75-300mm
View the Olympus 75-300mm II
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 100-300mm
Another Micro Four Thirds option discussed for getting substantial wildlife reach without carrying a huge lens. The specific generation is not identified in the conversation.
View the original Panasonic 100-300mm
View the Panasonic 100-300mm II
Lens Adapters Mentioned
Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R
Allows Canon EF DSLR lenses to be used on Canon RF mirrorless bodies.
View the Canon EF-EOS R Adapter
Nikon FTZ Mount Adapter
Allows compatible Nikon F-mount DSLR lenses to be used on Nikon Z mirrorless cameras.
View the Nikon FTZ Adapter

Court's Websites
Check out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
Sign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.com
Follow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
View my camera kit and recommended camera gear
Sponsors and Promo Codes:
MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera Gear
ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design
BayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25) 
ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspired
Arthelper.Ai - Smart tools to promo and showcase your art.
LensRentals.com - WILD15 for 15% off

Photography is supposed to be fun. But somewhere along the way, as we get better at it, acquire more gear, learn more techniques, and start expecting more from every photograph, some of that original excitement can fade.
In this episode, Court explores how to bring some of that playfulness, curiosity, experimentation, and excitement back into photography. This isn't really an episode about taking technically better photographs. In fact, that's sort of the point. It's about enjoying the process, trying things without worrying whether they'll work, and occasionally giving yourself permission to make some genuinely bad photos along the way.
From simplifying your camera kit and creating photo assignments to breaking your own habits, printing photographs, shooting with friends, and sometimes leaving the camera at home altogether, Court shares practical ways to reset your photographic brain and rediscover some of the excitement that probably got you hooked on photography in the first place.
In This Episode
Simplify your gear. Try heading out with one camera and one lens. Removing choices forces you to work a little harder creatively and spend less time managing equipment.
Give yourself a very specific photo assignment. Photograph only shadows, reflections, textures, one color, things in motion, or subjects less than a foot off the ground.
Limit yourself to one focal length. Even with a zoom lens, pick something like 35mm and don't touch the zoom ring.
Pretend you're shooting film. Give yourself exactly 24 photographs, or tell a complete photo story using only five images.
Make photographs you never intend to share. Take Instagram, portfolios, competitions, and other people's opinions completely out of the equation.
Break your normal photographic habits. Photograph wildlife wide, landscapes with a telephoto, moving subjects at slow shutter speeds, or scenes at apertures you'd normally avoid.
Learn one small new technique. Try focus stacking, panoramas, intentional camera movement, exposure bracketing, astrophotography, macro, or black-and-white photography.
Try a completely different genre. Wildlife photographers can photograph architecture. Landscape photographers can try street photography. Travel photographers can spend an hour chasing insects and wildflowers.
Stop waiting for perfect conditions. Instead of asking whether the light or weather is "good," ask what kind of photography those conditions make possible.
Spend more time with fewer subjects. Pick one tree, flower, bird, landscape, or street corner and photograph it for 15 or 20 minutes. The interesting photographs often start after you've exhausted the obvious ones.
Observe wildlife instead of simply collecting photographs of it. Once you've "got the shot," keep watching. Behavior, light, composition, and interactions can change quickly.
Print your photographs. Even a simple 4x6, 5x7, or small collection of prints can completely change your relationship with an image.
Photograph with other people. Seeing what catches another photographer's eye can reveal compositions and ideas you would have walked right past.
Occasionally leave the camera at home. Experience a hike, sunset, wildlife sighting, or beautiful place without constantly evaluating it as a photograph.
Remember why you started. Photography becomes a lot more interesting when you start asking "What if?" again.
Mentioned in the Episode
Court Whelan on YouTube
Search "Court Whelan Photography" on YouTube for photography tutorials, editing videos, techniques, and photo-travel content.
https://www.youtube.com/@courtwhelan
FoxPrint
Small Polaroid-style photo prints and other easy ways to turn digital photographs into something physical.
https://www.foxprint.com/collections/square-prints

Court's Websites
Check out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
Sign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.com
Follow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
View my camera kit and recommended camera gear
Sponsors and Promo Codes:
MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera Gear
ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design
BayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25) 
ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspired
Arthelper.Ai - Smart tools to promo and showcase your art.
LensRentals.com - WILD15 for 15% off

In this episode of The Wild Photographer, Court sits down with fellow photographer, naturalist and expedition leader Pete Ramsden for a wide-ranging conversation about what it actually takes to make great photographs in some of the more challenging environments on the planet.
They start in the rainforests of Borneo, where heat, humidity, and surprisingly low light can be challenging for both photographers and their gear. Pete shares some of the systems he has developed over years of guiding, including using silica gel and dry bags to fight moisture, acclimating cameras before heading outside, keeping lens cloths dry, and taking advantage of modern image stabilization to shoot at shutter speeds that would have seemed impossible not long ago. From there, the conversation moves north to the Arctic, with a deep dive into light painting and northern lights photography, including focusing in near-total darkness, composing around the aurora and experimenting with long exposures.
Court and Pete also get into the bigger picture of photography today. What does it mean to actually be "successful" as a photographer? How important is social media? How should photographers approach editing, culling thousands of images and traveling with increasingly complicated camera kits? Pete shares his Lightroom workflow, favorite travel tricks, current Sony setup and the one piece of gear that has become an unexpected game changer in the field.
Links & Resources Mentioned
Pete Ramsden
Pete Ramsden's Nat Hab bio, photography and upcoming trips
Nat Hab Borneo Wildlife Photo Expedition
Light Painting
Light Painting Brushes
Light Painting Brushes Starter Kits
Luminosify Choobs light-painting tubes
Travel & Camera Carrying Gear
Pelican 1535 Air Carry-On Case
Cotton Carrier G3 Camera Harness
Peak Design Capture Camera Clip
Pete's Camera Gear
Sony Alpha 7R V
Sony Alpha 7 V
Sony FE 200–600mm f/5.6–6.3 G OSS
Sony FE 70–200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II
Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM
Sony 2x Teleconverter
Sigma 24–70mm f/2.8 DG DN II Art
Gear Court Mentions
Canon RF100–300mm f/2.8 L IS USM
Court's Websites
Check out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
Sign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.com
Follow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
View my camera kit and recommended camera gear
Sponsors and Promo Codes:
MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera Gear
ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design
BayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25) 
ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspired
Arthelper.Ai - Smart tools to promo and showcase your art.
LensRentals.com - WILD15 for 15% off