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| Photography Tips |  As your film may be damaged by X-rays, consider buying a lead-lined "Film Shield" bag, and always ask customs inspectors to check your camera equipment by hand. Your camera is to be protected from vibration and dust. Consider taking a foam-lined camera bag, which should be put on the floor of a moving vehicle, as the vibration may loosen screws or cause damage in other way. Put your cameras on a vacant seat or carry them with you on the laps. And take a sufficient amount of plastic bags and rubber bands to keep dust off.
And now about the film. As film is expensive in Africa, buy all your film before you leave. When photographing Africans, do not forget that dark skins reflect very little light, so do open the aperture by at least on stop. Advice with your driver should be sought before taking pictures of local people. While some Masai like to pose for shots, the others believe that their souls are be stolen when they are being photographed. The driver makes frequent stops for close-up shots of animals and birds. You will not need camera supports as photographing is done from inside the safari buses. However, you may need a bean bag to steady the lens. If there will be any sunroofs in the mini-buses that will enable you to stand for shots, and the lighting at the game lodges is perfect for evening photography. Protect your camera when you do not use it by putting it into a dust-proof bag. Here is a list of the essentials which you will need to have with you: Minimum of 12 to 15 rolls of film, 2 lenses (50 mm and zoom), lens tissue, dust-off, extra batteries, film type 30% fast (400), 70% asa 64/100, camera bag, skylight filter and a polarized filter can be helpful to those who have more experience in photographing.
 Using your equipment. The first and the most important rule is that you should not take on safari camera equipment that is new to you. Bring equipment that can be used readily and do not waste a lot of money for apparatus whose operation you can’t understand. Take all the necessities with you need, as you may not find a place in Africa where you can rent or replace any items.
The 35mm single lens reflex may be called the most appropriate and flexible kind of camera for safari photography. It can be easily held in hands, accepts different lenses and shows in the viewfinder an image that is rather close to what the final print or slide will look like. Take the camera which has a built-in light meter for easy exposure setting. All modern models offer automatic exposure, which is disputable, as many professionals prefer to make all regulations manually. But in most cases you will see that you will be able to take about 80 percent of your pictures with the automatic camera, as it often saves precious time when you try to take a picture in a hurry.
If you really want to head for a photographing safari you would be heartbroken if your camera will be broken and you will miss out on any photo opportunities, you should consider taking a second camera of the same model as your first one, or at least accepting the same lenses. It is obvious that you won’t have any major camera repair done quickly while you are on safari. Another plus of a second camera is that you will be able to keep a second type of film and another lens ready for use at the first necessity. A small screwdriver is also very useful for fulfilling minor repairs along the way.
Video gear
If you carry a video recorder on a safari, you will be well rewarded. Make sure to take equipment as light in weight as possible. The only problem you may have is with battery power. Most minibuses have cigarette lighters which may be used for operating your camera. But it may happen that several people would like to use the lighter simultaneously. It also may not always be possible to reload batteries at the lodges. You will need an adapter for 220-240 volt current, along with converters for two-pin round and three-pin square plugs. Another solution is to bring with you sufficient amount of fresh batteries to last the entire trip, although that may be a massive and expensive way-out.
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