Botswana photographic safari

This is an ideal opportunity to learn how to create the perfect picture. This nine-day safari workshop in the Chobe with leading photographers and authors Roger and Pat De La Harpe offers, not only the chance to get tips from the pros on how to compose pictures and get the technical aspects dead right, but also how to enhance your images using a computer to create the perfect image.

Roger and Pat are among Southern Africa’s elite photographers and authors with eighteen coffee table books to their name. And the list of magazines that they are published in reads like a whose-who of the best regarded publications in the world.

This is the first opportunity to visit the famed Chobe National Park, the true home of the elephant, in the company of a specialist photographer where you can immediately learn to enhance your images professionally – the ideal start to your African Safari, as your newly acquired skills will improve any photographs you take on the rest of your trip.

Situated in the northeastern corner of Botswana, where the 4 countries of Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana meet, is the small town of Kasane, located on the banks of the Chobe River and very close to its confluence with the mighty Zambezi. During the winter months, which is when we hold our workshops here, the floodwaters caused by the summer rains in Angola, finally reach the Kasane region, push back up the Chobe River and flood the low lying areas. The arrival of all this water attracts Chobe's large elephant herds and there are times when it appears that every elephant on the planet is down at the Chobe River slacking its thirst! Fantastic images are almost a foregone conclusion, more so when the awesome Botswana sunsets turn the landscape a brilliant crimson.

During our 9-day/8-night workshops in this area we base ourselves in the town of Kasane and take early morning and late afternoon game drives into the Chobe National Park, spending a night or two in the park and a night at Livingstone in Zambia to photograph the Victoria Falls. Peter and Salome Comley of Safari Guide Services (SGS Botswana) are our hosts and one could not wish for more experienced people as they have successfully taken safaris into Africa for more than 20 years.

Boat cruise on the Chobe and the chance to practice what you have learnt during the week.

Roger and Pat say: ‘Hi. We’ve recently spent some time in the Chobe National Park and find it to be one of the most rewarding game viewing areas in Botswana. The elephants and sunsets are hugely photogenic and getting great imagery is almost assured.

We have found Safari and Guide Services extremely knowledgeable about the region and most professional – you couldn’t wish for better hosts!’

The price for the trip starting and ending in Johannesburg is US4230 per person sharing. There is a single supplement of US$1560. Prices are subject to change.

1. A SLR Digital Camera preferably with removable lenses (a fixed lens camera will work but will limit what we can do to a certain degree). An advanced point and shoot camera will be fine for beginners, but it should have a fairly long lens, as we will be doing wildlife photography (e.g. Canon G6, G7 or S3, Nikon P3, P4 or something similar)

2. Zoom lenses – the selection is broad but at least 2 zoom lenses are recommended, one wide angle and one medium to long telephoto, which should preferably have some form of image stabilization.

5. A laptop computer with either Photoshop or Photoshop Elements loaded on to it. This is essential. Instruction will be in Photoshop Elements 5. It is recommended that you have some form of backup medium - DVD's or a portable hard drive. We will have copies of Photoshop for sale at the workshop and also free versions various other programs with us to load onto your computer.

6. A memory card reader or computer cables to connect your camera to your laptop.

Roger and Pat de la Harpe.

From their base in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, South Africa, freelance photographers and writers, Roger and Pat de la Harpe, have over the years made frequent excursions into various regions of the African continent. They share a passion for natural history, wild places and different cultures and their work on these subjects has featured in numerous publications around the world, most notably BBC Wildlife, Geo and National Geographic. Previously employed as a ranger and photographer by the Natal Parks Board (now Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife), Roger turned professional in 1997 and has never looked back. He and Pat have published some 18 coffee table books, including Zulu, Top Touring Spots of South Africa, Tuli-Land of Giants and their latest book Scenic KwaZulu Natal. They are soon to begin work on a new book about the wild dogs of Southern Africa.

Roger and Pat undertake brochure photography for lodges and guest houses and their work to date has included such establishments as MalaMala, Mashatu, Tuli Safari Lodge, Nitani, Isibindi Lodge, Thonga Beach Lodge and Baines’ River Camp.

They also do photographic workshops, which have proved extremely popular in their hometown of Howick in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Ndumo Game Reserve in Northern KwaZulu Natal, on the banks of the Zambezi River at Baines’ River Camp in Zambia and now also, in conjunction with Peter and Salome Comley of Safari and Guide Services, in the world famous Chobe National Park in Botswana.

Apart from Africa Imagery, Roger and Pat own and manage Africa In Prints, a company that sells limited edition art prints. With an eye on current decorating trends they have carefully selected some 335 of their images, which have the aesthetics and mood to enhance any home or business. Individually signed, the prints are of a high quality, are sought after and exclusive. The range, which encompasses African wildlife, scenery and culture, includes several suggested collections that are sure to appeal.

Their work can be viewed on websites:

Picture Perfect