The business of wildlife photography Nikon Workshop

Join wildlife photographer, Shem Compion and Nikon South Africa for a talk on what is means to run a successful business in wildlife photography. Shem, the owner of C4 Photo Safaris, is an internationally recognized award winning photographer with an expansive knowledge on nature and brand building. Shem will share his invaluable knowledge of how to successfully combine nature and business with photography.

Come and join Shem as he shares his knowledge on how to run a successful photography business on Saturday, the 20 February 2016 from 09h00 - 13h00. For more information and to make a booking please click here.

Topics to be covered:

• How to start a business
• Brand uniqueness in a saturated market
• Freelance or Full time?
• Selling images vs a brand
• Marketing and branding
• Pro’s and Con’s
• Photographic business etiquette

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C4 Private Guided Safaris, Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve- By Trevor Kleyn

Recently photo guide Trevor Kleyn returned from a private guided safari to Tswalu Kalahari. 

An incredibly unique safari experience can be had Tswalu, with the opportunity to view and photograph some of Africa's rare species including meerkats, aardvark, pangolin, cape fox, aardwolf, brown hyena and the endangered african wild dog.

The following gallery is a selection of images by Trevor from the trip, enjoy!

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Premier Predator Tour - November 2015 - By Charlotte Blanchet

A wonderful image galley by C4 Photo Safari guest Charlotte Blanchet. Charlotte, recently traveled with C4 and Greg du Toit to Mashatu Game Reserve, Mala Mala and finally ended off at Tswalu Kalahari.  

These are a selection of images from Mashatu Game Reserve, allot of which where captured at the C4 Photo Hides. We had the most unbelievable hide activity for the month of November yet, as the reserve was so extremely dry animals and birds (including all the migrants), where flocking on mass to the waterhole. 

Thanks to Charlotte for sharing this beautiful collection of images from your trip!

If you would like to join Greg du Toit on a Premier Predator Safari next year, see our website for more details HERE!

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Mashatu Photo Workshop - November 2015, By Kyle De Nobrega

With the threat of drought and the presence of its unforgiving hand, the reserve is stuck in the middle of a transformation. The early rains in September have conned the trees into prematurely using up vital energy, and the contrast of the barren soil lying lifeless beneath a canopy of sprouting leaves has created drama on Mashatu. 

Dynamics have shifted to adapt to drier times and the scarcity of water is putting pressure in dwindling pockets of life across the reserve. The threat of rain is present, but the joy of its power has only been unforgiving. Life has carried on and birds abound competing for nest sites, or protecting ones that have already been in occupation. Impala ewes are heavy bellied awaiting the signal of rain to lamb, predators constrict in ambush near the remaining pools of water and elephants cover the breadth of ancient valleys in search of valuable resources.

Harsh and unforgiving, this unique time of year and its present circumstances is rare and special on its own terms. Life abounds yet around the next corner it merely hangs on with only faith for rain.

The 6 days during our last C4 Photo Workshop and Private Photo Vehicle extension for the year has been nothing but diverse and truly spectacular. Some of the highlights have been:

. Incredibly productive hide sessions

. Elephants at the hide with cloud formations as the backdrop

. Mating pair of leopards

. 2 cheetah kills in the same day

. A huge but brief dust storm followed by a spout of rain whilst out on drive

. Multiple Jackal den sites

. A nest of little bee eaters

. The milky way over an ancient Baobab tree

. An exceptional group of guests who walked away with exceptional images

As I post this, the rains have fallen heavily leaving the dry riverbeds swelling and bursting their banks with water. The time of struggle and drought has passed and may saplings sprout and grass seeds germinate to transform the reserve into true summer full of life.

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C4 Photo Hides October - By Trevor Kleyn

Recently, photo guide Trevor Kleyn spent some time manning the C4 Photo Hides. We have come to realise that October, being the buffer month between winter and summer, is the month that the wildlife pluck up the courage to get themselves properly involved at the waterholes. To escape the soaring temperatures of the day elephant, warthog and hyena spend  allot of their day submerged in the water, we also have unusual sightings such as monitor lizards and mongoose who eventually have to ditch their fear of being out in the open all for a sip of water.

Here are a few images from Trevor Kleyn of some of the interesting sightings he had from the hides over the 2 weeks he spent at Mashatu Game Reserve.

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Mount Mahale Magic

Africa has many beautiful places in it to visit that many people know about. Yet there are a few places in Africa that are extremely beautiful and offer brilliant wildlife encounters. Recently Shem Compion led a group of photographers into the Mahale Mountains to find wild chimpanzees in the forests and discovered a magical beach called Greystoke.

Situated on the shores of lake Tanganyika, Greystoke beach makes you feel as if you have found a lost treasure island. Clean white sand, deep blue water in the worlds second deepest freshwater lake and palm trees above instantly turn the hardest safari goers into a beach lover. The fact that there are chimps in the forests above you makes for a Jurassic park feel- their pant hoots booming through the foliage in the course of a day. It all adds to a tremendous sense of excitement when you have settled in and waiting to go trekking.

Once you are amongst the chimps the magic becomes a reality. These animals, totally habituated to humans move through the jungle forest with a grace and speed akin to a fish in water. Their expressions endear and their antics fill you with laughter. They are exceptionally charismatic and photogenic. The experience is 100% a natural history experience as well as being a 100% photographically rich one. There are very few places like that in the world.

Mahale has become my new favourite location in Africa. A 4-hour plane flight and 90 minutes boat cruise are now a joy to head towards to as I know that I am heading very far away from the rest of the tourist circuit and very close to the heart of Africa!

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Wild Shots Event 2016

With the Cape Town event going down a huge success, the bar has been set high for the Johannesburg Wild Shots Event which will be held later this month.

The day was truly inspirational, show casing a wide variety of topics including our very own C4 Photo Safaris Underground Hides, fine art in wildlife photography, exciting new destinations, marine and landscape photography, to name a few.

I think I can speak on behalf of all the delegates who attended that Cape Town event that we left the day feeling excited, inspired and full of motivation to pick up our cameras and start channeling our own personal creativity through imagery.

Be sure to not to miss out on the Johannesburg event, which will be show casing some more fantastic speakers such as Obie Oberholzer, Kim Woulhuter, Heinrich van den Berg and C4's Shem Compion.

Book your tickets HERE!

Cape Town's keynote speaker, Art Wolf "Earth is my Witness"

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Masai Mara Seasons Best, 2015

C4 Photo Safaris has over 13 years of experience in the Maasai Mara, hence why we take the utmost pride in sharing this wilderness wonderland with our valued clients, nature lovers and co wildlife photographers.

2015 did not disappoint, from season start to finish our clients where entertained by action packed game drives and endless scenic landscapes. This year saw the wildebeest migration herd numbers at its best, along with a huge number of hungry predators that naturally followed the herds in pursuit. To add to the abundance of life, new life was in plenty too with sightings of leopard, lion and cheetah cubs almost every day. 

The Maasai Mara at this time of year is one of nature’s greatest spectacles; thus being why travellers from around the globe have dubbed it ‘the greatest show on earth’. This year C4 Photo Safaris sent a total of 8 photographic guides to the Mara to host and guide our clients, here is a collection of images from Shem Compion, Isak Pretorius, Andre Cloete, Heinrich Van den Berg, Albie Venter, Kyle de Nobrega and RuthNussbaum.

The Masai Mara dates for 2016 are up, so make sure you book your seat to "the greatest show on earth".

 

Masai Mara Exclusive Photo Safari:              Masai Mara Classsic Photo Safaris: 

 

18 - 25 September 2016                                                      3 - 10 September 2016

24 September - 1 October 2016                                         9 - 16 September 2016

30 September - 7 October 2016

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Mashatu Workshop, Sept 2015 - By Trevor Kleyn

Yet another successful photographic workshop hosted at the prime wildlife destination, Mashatu Game Reserve. The C4 Photo Safaris group where hosted at the beautiful Tent Camp by photo guide Trevor Kleyn. Here are a few of Trevor’s shots from the workshop:

 

 

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The Season End: Masai Mara 2015

Much to our groups dismay, 7 days in paradise flew by in no time at all. This may have been due to the fact that every single game drive was filled with some sort of action packed wilderness theatre.

To start off the string off exciting events that where to follow our arrival, we were treated to an aerial crossing of about 3000 wildebeest bounding their way through the Talek River. To say the least, the sighting really set the tone for the rest of the trip. Some of our highlights over the next 7 days included:

·         Viewing the famous cheetah Malaika and her three, 12 week old cubs.

·         Watching a female Cheetah kill a Thompson’s gazelle from start to finish, folloed by her 3 tiny cubs practising the art of hunting

·         Lions, lions, and more lions, seen around every bush and on every single game drive

·         4 Wildebeest crossings

·         3 fantastic sightings of Lorian the leopard and her 2 month old cub playing out in the open, of which all 3 sightings where almost exclusively enjoyed by just our 3 vehicles

·         The endless skies and stormy breathtaking sunsets, that seemed to improve by the day

·          Viewing a relaxed bat-eared fox out in the open plains.

·         On our last morning witnessing a clan of 16 Hyena taking down a young wildebeest.

·         Hundreds and hundreds of animals dotted throughout the open plains of the Mara.

·         The incredible and friendly staff of Entim Camp

·         Traditional Masai song and dance around a campfire on our last night

·         Mostly, the fantastic group of clients that we had the privilege of guiding in this magic destination

To top off the incredible time we had whilst on game drive we were always welcomed home to the friendly faces of Entim Camp. With the private camp to our selves we spent our afternoons editing images, sharing stories and just relaxing to the chorus of birds around camp.

The following is a selection of images from the trips photo guides, Shem Compion, Andre Cloete, Kyle de Nobrega and Ruth Nussbaum:

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