A Picture Perfect Safari!

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I love my job!  This past weekend, I decided to visit Phinda where I was guided by our Specialist Photographic guide, Marc Lindsay-Rae.

At twenty-six, Marc, who hails from the little town of Empangeni in the Kwa Zulu Natal area of South Africa, already has extensive experience in the African bush. Since starting his guiding career early in 2006, he steadily climbed the ranks at Madikwe Safari Lodge, and was appointed as head ranger in October 2008. A passion for wildlife photography has accompanied him along the way, culminating in winning the 2010 Africa Geographic / Canon Photographic Competition for rangers, as well as the 2010/2011 Wildside Nikon All Africa Competition.

To take a look at his award winning photos click here.  You will love what you see!

Here is some insight into what makes him tick, as well as some highlights from his time in the wild!

Q: What fascinating work you do, Marc. Please tell us a bit about your background and how you got involved in game ranging?

A: As far back as I can remember I knew that I would work in the bush, so it was a natural choice to do a game ranging and lodge management diploma, and approach And Beyond after qualifying. Once I’d passed their selection phase and relevant training, they offered me a job at Madikwe Safari Lodge, and now I have moved to Phinda Private Game Reserve to specailise in photographic safaris.

Q: And when did your photography start?

A: In addition to the bush, I always had an interest in photography, which I began to take seriously when my parents gave me a camera for my 21^st birthday in May 2006.  Initially, Lara and Anthony Tranter helped me with the basic technical side of trying to take a good image (If only I listened to them then). When I look back now I realise how bad I was; images with animals’ legs cut off, tails missing and completely incorrect exposure, but I still thought they were the bees’ knees. Little did I know.

For 2 years I had a great time taking pictures, slowly learning the art until I met my mentor/coach Peter Delaney, a brilliant wildlife photographer who was our guest at Madikwe. At the time I didn’t realise how devastating this new friendship was going to be to my bank account. A month later I had a new professional camera body and a fancy new lens to go with it. Time and time again Peter would visit the reserve and stay at the lodge, going on drives exclusively with me.

It got to the point where if there was an interesting activity happening in the reserve like wild dogs at their den with new pups or amazing hyena/Jackal interaction on a rhino kill, I would call him and he would get into his car and drive the 12 hours to get there. After each drive we would sit down at the computers and he would tutor me as to how to process an image properly and help me crit and analyse our pictures, figuring out what we could have done better under those circumstances.

I have also become very close friends with two other guests who stayed at our lodge in Oct 2009, Dave & Naomi Estment. They are both professional photographers and do some amazing work. I see them very regularly and they are now my new coaches. Without the help of these friends my photography would be nowhere today. I can’t thank them enough.

Q: Wow, that hyena/Jackal interaction on a rhino kill sounds pretty exciting. Can you tell us more about that, and any other experiences that really stand out for you, such as the one with those rhino’s in your incredible winning photo!

A: The interaction was amazing to watch but what really caught our attention was the shadows that were being cast on the rhinos skin while they were all competing for a bit of meat. The situation made for some very interesting photos to be taken. It is little things like noticing the shadows to photograph that make a opportunity like this very unique.

The rhino situation was an experience I will never forget. In brief I and the guest Peter Delaney were photographing some small Jackal pups in the South of Madikwe game reserve. It just so happened that in the same open clearing there was a pride of lions on Wildebeest kill. While all of this was going on two black rhino arrived on the scene. The lions took interest in them and started to stalk the mother Rhino and calf. Unfortunately they spotted us and came charging at us at full force. It was a toss up to keep photographing the full sequence but I had to stop at one point. I was shouting and smashing the door with my hand and thank goodness they screeched to a halt and turned off to the right with the lions in hot pursuit. Heart stopping moment.

Q: It’s certainly clear from these pictures that you’re no longer a beginner photographer! How did you progress to this point?

A: For the last two years I have been particularly dedicated to my photography. During some of my free time I studied professional photographer’s work – people like Frans Lanting, Art Wolf, Andy Rouse and Steve Bloom – to find out what works and what doesn’t in taking award winning images.

It’s amazing how far I have come to today. When I pick up my camera my mind clicks over into artistic mode and I look at the scene and subject in a completely different view to non- photographers. My mind starts analysing the light, terrain, positioning and composure of the subject to make it work to my advantage. I must be able to walk away from the scene knowing that I got the best pictures I could have for the circumstances.

At the beginning of this year I started entering some of my top pictures into photographic competitions to try and build my name on the South African photographer’s scene. I have been placed first in two international ones: Africa Geographic / Canon Field Guides Competition and Wildside Nikon All Africa Competition. Davland Calendars and Art publishers have also purchased some of my images to include in their 2012/2013 calendars of wildlife in action, which is sold internationally.

Q: So where do you go from here?

A: Well now that I am making a name for myself I am setting up specialist photographic safaris with And Beyond and market these on a broader scale, going with guests to whichever lodge they please as their specialist guide. This will entail going on game drives with guests and teaching them the fundamental aspects of taking quality pictures. Between drives we will take an hour or two to workshop our pictures together and discuss what we can do to improve them.

One my regular guests has recently just done a photographic safari with Marc – click here to see her wonderful photographs that she took during her safari with Marc as her tutor.