A ride on the wild side

Join Adam Waring on a once-in-a-lifetime experience, photographing 'the Big Five' on a safari game drive

- Adam Waring

Project three: Essential gear skills

The Mission - Shoot a safari

Time - One week!

Skill level - Intermediate

Kit needed - Two camera bodies  - Telephoto zoom - Super-telephoto zoom

Going on a safari is a wildlife photographer's dream. The opportunity to photograph exotic creatures of all shapes and sizes in their natural habitat, from big cats to the biggest land-dweller of them all, the mighty African elephant, is likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip for most of us; so it pays to make sure that you maximize your chances of returning with images that do your adventure justice.

Long lenses are a must, but these can be rather expensive pieces of glass, so consider hiring rather than buying. We'd also recommend taking more than one camera body so that you can switch to a different lens without having to first unscrew it from the camera body. If you've upgraded cameras over the years, then you could take an older Nikon as your second body; but, again, hiring a camera for the duration of your trip costs a fraction of buying it outright.

We went to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya for a week-long safari. Straddling the equator and in the shadow of Mount Kenya, the park is the size of the Isle of Wight and is home to a wide variety of African wildlife, including 'the Big Five' (see page 49) that's at the top of every wildlife photographer's wish list. Find out more about Ol Pejeta at www.olpejetaconservancy.org

Of course, if going on a safari isn't an option, a visit to a safari park is the next best thing - and is perfect for honing your skills until you can make it to the African continent yourself. And the tips here can be equally applied to a safari closer to home.

Let's off-road!