Great photography tips for the scenic National Parks in Uganda
Uganda’s national parks are perfect for photographers—there are green forests, wild animals, misty areas and golden plains that change with the sun. No matter if you have a top-end camera or just a smartphone, Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable, Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth and Kidepo Valley parks provide excellent wildlife photography opportunities. However, getting the perfect shot at these places requires being at the right place and time, as well as understanding what and who you’re shooting.
You can use these expert tips to improve your photos on a safari or nature tour in Uganda’s best parks.
1. Find out when the best time is to see animals and capture great photos.
Both light and animals are more visible during the golden hours in the morning and late afternoon. The light at morning and evening makes the details of nature and wildlife stand out more gently than during the day. Many animals—for instance, lions, elephants, and hippos—are most likely to be active at night. While visiting Queen Elizabeth National Park or Murchison Falls, try to take pictures of predators during their hunt and herbivores at their meals.
2. Select equipment that fits the kind of terrain you are on.
A flexible camera setup is very important in Uganda. To photograph wildlife, a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a telephoto is best, but for landscapes, forest views and sunsets in Lake Albert or the Nile area, a wide-angle lens is better. It’s useful to have a tripod for photographing waterfalls and forest canopy paths, especially in Murchison Falls, Kibale or Bwindi.
3. Use the Unique Environments Available
Every park has a unique environment, so take photos accordingly. Take close-up shots of the gorillas and remember to capture the moody atmosphere of the forest in Bwindi. In Kidepo, you can create amazing images of dry areas and striking sky views. Murchison Falls features exciting shots of the Nile flowing through tight gorges and Queen Elizabeth’s Kazinga Channel allows you to photograph birds and hippos from a boat.
4. Be respectful of wildlife and make sure to stay far from it.
You can use a long lens to get excellent pictures from a distance and not scare the animals. Stick to your guide’s advice and make sure not to make sudden sounds or movements. In ethical photography, you do not use flash around animals and you never tempt them with food. At places like Kibale, chimpanzees might react to flashes or loud noise and in Bwindi, groups of gorillas should always be kept at least 7 meters away.
5. Become skilled at taking pictures in dim light and in the rainforest.
Tropical forests such as Bwindi and Kibale are usually not very bright and tend to be covered in mist, which makes it hard to take pictures. Set the ISO higher and use a big aperture (about f/2.8–f/4) so the camera can get more light without making the shot blurry. When taking pictures of primates, concentrate on their eyes and make sure to use burst mode to get quick expressions and movements. In case of sudden rain, your camera and lenses can be damaged, so you should use rain covers, especially in spring and autumn.
6. Film sequences that tell a story.
It’s better to tell a story with your shots: focus on the surroundings, their actions and their relationships. Capture elephants shaking dust off themselves in Queen Elizabeth and antelopes jumping through the grasslands of Lake Mburo on film. Add people from the area into your story—guides, rangers or experiences with culture at Mount Elgon or Semuliki give your story more meaning.
7. Ensure that taking photos of birds is a priority in Uganda’s main birding sites.
Uganda is famous among birders because it has over 1,000 bird species. If you want to take great bird pictures, buy a lens with a long focal length and good autofocus (at least 300mm). The shoebill stork gives Mabamba Swamp its fame and Semuliki and Mgahinga parks are great places to find Albertine Rift species that live nowhere else. When you can, set the shutter speed high to freeze the bird in flight and pick clean backgrounds.
8. Boat safaris give you new and different ways to photograph wildlife.
Sailing on the Nile in Murchison or the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth lets you photograph elephants, buffaloes and hippos from a very interesting perspective. Make sure to protect your camera from the spray and activate continuous autofocus when tracking moving animals or birds.
Include the Landscape and Culture in Your Photos
Though the focus is on wildlife, the country’s landscapes and its people also have a big impact on your pictures. Visit the crater lakes in the early morning in Fort Portal, see the tea plantations close to Kibale or admire the steep hills of Kidepo. If you are around Karamoja or by Lake Bunyonyi, try taking photos of people and ask if it is okay with them first.
10. Get ready for dust, humidity and bumpy roads.
You need to clean your gear on a regular basis due to tough field conditions. Keep some silica gel packs with you to control humidity and remember to carry extra batteries and memory cards. Having a camera bag that is padded and protects from the weather helps a lot when you’re transferring from one lodge to another or on a long game drive.
To sum up, the camera should guide the audience through the story.
Along with different types of safaris, Uganda’s national parks tell stories of how people have worked hard to preserve nature and its beauty. When you are prepared, patient and caring the environment, your photos can save the beautiful aspects of the “Pearl of Africa” and encourage others to protect them.
Therefore, as you try to photograph sunshine in Murchison or watch out for silverbacks in Bwindi, let your shutter sounds carry the beat of Uganda’s wilderness.
