In late September 2024 I was delighted to have my panel of 15 African safari wildlife images assessed as meeting the standards for the Associateship of the Royal Photographic Society (ARPS).
I had been awarded the RPS Licentiate (LRPS) back in March 2019. The ‘A’ is more detailed, specialised and technically demanding, and the candidate submits a print panel of 15 images in one of 9 genres, comprising a coherent body of work or project, a written Statement of Intent and a Presentation Layout.
The genre I chose was Natural History Photography: “photography which illustrates an element of the natural world within an unrestricted, uncultivated and untamed environment”.
Below I have posted the panel layout, my Statement of Intent and the individual images, captioned with some detail about their content and where they were taken.
I’d especially like to thank and acknowledge the great expertise of my 1:1 mentor Ann Miles FRPS, fellow member of Cambridge Camera Club, whose patience and guidance were absolutely crucial to my photographic development to achieve the award. I’m also extremely grateful to members of Cambridge Camera Club’s ‘Photo Forum’ for very helpful discussion of individual images, especially Dr Ian Wilson ARPS, and to Mick Durham FRPS and Andrew McCarthy FRPS who ran the Advisory Day I attended.
Layout of the 15 prints in my panel.
My Statement of Intent:
“I have been captivated by African wildlife since my first visit to the continent in 2011, and my aim in this print panel is to illustrate a selection of the animals that can be seen on safaris in Southern and East Africa.
My objective is to include portraits and images of typical behaviour in the creatures’ natural environments. Between 2018 and 2022 I photographed from vehicles, from boats and on foot in 10 wildlife reserves and conservancies in South Africa, Botswana and Kenya.
I worked in collaboration with my local driver/guides to maximise the photographic potential of each sighting while complying with reserve restrictions and causing the least possible disturbance to the animals and their ecosystems. No images were taken in hides, no baiting was used and none of the images are from set-ups.”
Image 01: In early morning light, a Thompson’s gazelle crosses one of the shallow lakes near the airstrip in the Amboseli Wildlife Reserve in southern Kenya. Amboseli can give stunning views of Mt Kilimanjaro (in Tanzania): despite being 130 miles away, this 19,700’ peak is a major environmental feature in the area and is often attractively reflected in local bodies of water. October 2022.
Image 02: Elephant cross the dried-up bed of Lake Amboseli in the later afternoon. Accompanied by their calves, they make the daily walk between feeding in woodland and wallowing in the marsh, sometimes covering a distance of 20 miles. Amboseli is heaven for elephant photographers: those staying at a couple of safari camps are allowed out of their vehicles under the strict supervision of the guide. You can lie on the dusty ground to get towering images of these wonderful creatures walking calmly past. October 2022.
Image 03: Giraffe drinking and watchful at the main waterhole at Lake Amboseli. The area was gripped by a fierce drought at the time we were there: we were sitting on the ground by the vehicle, eating a packed lunch and watching a photogenic stream of creatures approach and drink. October 2022.
Image 04: A mother cheetah brings a juvenile Thompson’s gazelle for her cubs, one of whom reaches towards the kill in anticipation. Mara Triangle Conservancy, Maasai Mara, Kenya. October 2022.
Image 05: A group of Zebra are surprised by a huge Nile Crocodile as they attempt a crossing of the Mara River to reach fresh grass growth on the other side. Great Migration, Mara Triangle Conservancy, Kenya. August 2019.
Image 06: A pride of lion wait while their dominant male has first pickings of an impala, killed shortly before by the lioness. I was pleased to achive good visual separation of the pride members, and to keep all the animals’ faces visible. Amboseli Wildlife Reserve, Kenya. October 2022.
Image 07: Wildebeest cross the Mara River in lovely early-morning light. Great Migration, Mara Triangle Conservancy, Maasai Mara, Kenya. August 2019.
Image 08: A beautiful leopard pauses with his impala kill before pulling it into the tree to protect it from scavengers overnight. Olare Motorogi Conservancy, Maasai Mara, Kenya. October 2022.
Image 09: White Rhino mother with calf. I love seeing rhino with intact horns. Nairobi National Park, Kenya. October 2022.
Image 10: Juvenile Spotted Hyena plays with a stick. Despite this behaviour, hyenas are actually most closely related to felines and mongooses. Savute, Okavango Delta, Botswana. September 2018.
Image 11: Roan antelope carrying yellow-billed oxpeckers. Oxpeckers are tolerated by many large mammals, since they remove ticks and other parasites from their skin and fur. Savute, Okavango Delta, Botswana. September 2018.
Image 12: Elephant group sheltering a small calf in the shade. Savute, Okavango Delta, Botswana. September 2018.
Image 13: Red Lechwe. Lechwe live in marshes and areas of tall grass, where their long, powerful hind legs enable them to leap over tussocks and escape predators. Moremi Game Reserve, Okavango Delta, Botswana. September 2018.
Image 14: Male Chacma baboons squabble for dominance. Chobe National Park, Botswana. September 2018.
Image 15: A female Cheetah stands on a termite mound scanning for prey, while her cubs interact beneath. Mara Triangle Conservancy, Maasai Mara, October 2022.