Photography by Randy Hanna » Serengeti

Safari Update – What Worked Well On My Last Safari

Randy Hanna — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 04:00:28 +0000

After each safari I consult my travelers and make a list of what went well, as well as those things that need improvement. For this post, I will highlight what worked well for us or those things that made our lives on safari just a bit better (or a lot in some cases). Before we get to the list, I would like to share the photo below. I seldom have my photo taken, but Steve was able to capture my sheer joy of being in the bush. If I had my way, I often wonder if I could find a way to simply live there.

That Safari Grin

The top fifteen tips or observations of what worked well on the last safari:

Ramadan did not pose a problem while in Dubai. Before you go, spend time learning to work around cultural events in foreign countries.
While Fairview was nice and always my first choice for lodging in Kenya however, you need to stay in the main building (rooms 3 and 5).
Transfers with additional camera equipment between Kenya and Tanzania with Precision Air, was relatively painless.
All coordinated transfers were painless.
Packing and planning well in advance for differing conditions reduced shooting stress.
Mobile camp at Senera (unit) was really special – fast response by Thomson’s to alter location to better support photography clients (BIG PLUS – these guys are simply the best).
Mobile camp at Kekogona was perfect for northern work and river crossings.
Inverters in the trucks are great support.
Amod tracking device was flawless, and worked well on rechargeable batteries.
Hyperspace worked great, less the combat card issue and having one of the units dropped which fractured the hard drive connection point.
Jerimah Beach Hotel in Dubai is THE place to stay (not cheapest)
The maps that Thomson’s provided was used often buy all of the travelers – great resource.
Difficult but rewarding hike up the side of Mount Meru. This was an optional trip for some of my travelers. Great to do if you are in shape.
English-Swahili ‘Useful Phrases, TMP Book Department – TABORA’ – the best book I’ve seen thus far.
A visit to Shangaa, was rewarding as usual.

Cheers and happy photo’ing

Safari update 24 Aug

Randy Hanna — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 04:47:37 +0000

Kogakuria Camp Site

24 Aug 2011

Weather: Clear skies, cool with a light breeze.

Today was about wonderful landscapes and a drive deep into the plains of the northern Serengeti in search of cheetah and rhino. Crossing the Bolognja River, it was classic cheetah country. Green rolling hillsides dotted with trees and rock outcroppings. As we paralleled the Bolognja River, we were treated to a 5 meter long Black Momba on the top of an ant mount. This makes two mombas that we have seen on this trip (green and black). With the speed that this snake went into the deserted ant mound, it is very clear to me why ant mounts should be avoided at all costs. With the Nyamalumbwa Hills on the left and Barakupes Hills to the right, we continued our drive toward the turn-off to Klein’s Camp Gate for lunch. In the distance, Kick Rock Lodge (Kenya) to the left and the rolling Barakupes Hills to rear, we could see for miles and miles. In the the morning, wildebeests were everywhere dotting the hillsides. By our return, they had moved south to a point that there numbers were very few. Returning to camp about 4pm, it was time to repack and ready ourselves for our charter flight tomorrow from the northern Serengeti to Arusha and later on-ward to Kenya. What a great day for viewing this wonderful countryside. I hope to return to do some serious landscape work around these rolling hills and kopjes.

A Sad Day in the Serengeti

Randy Hanna — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 04:32:52 +0000

I usually don’t post news items however, after some personal turmoil, I decided to link to a story that ran on the 16th of December. Having personally seen the areas were these Rhinos are being released, it simply pains me greatly to read of such things. Here is the link for the story with the headline “DAR ES SALAAM — Poachers have killed one of five critically endangered east African black rhinos that were relocated to their natural habitat in Tanzania’s Serengeti park from South Africa in May”. Take time to explore the other links in the story that discuss the huge relocation effort currently underway to save the Rhinos.

Cheers and happy photo’ing.

National Geographic’s “Born To Move” series

Randy Hanna — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 06:53:51 +0000

National Geographic is airing a new seven part series on great migrations around the globe and examining the driving principles that create migrations. No migration is more iconic than the movements of over 1 million wildebeest along with a couple hundred thousand zebra and gazelles throughout the Serengeti ecosystem including Serengeti National Parka and surrounding areas in Tanzania and Kenya’s Masai Mara Reserve.

As this spectacle has long been called the Great Migration it of course features in this series as part of the very first segment called Born to Move airing on November 7th on the National Geographic Channel. The wildebeest migration will also feature on November 9th on the Science of Great Migrations Episode.Guide to episodes, photos and video previews can be accessed here

Family of Six

Randy Hanna — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 04:32:09 +0000

Mother and Six Cubs

Nikon D2x, 500mm, f 5.6 at 1/500 sec

One of my all time favorite shots from my 2008 Safari. While it is not uncommon to see a mother Cheetah and a couple of cubs, not often do you see six cubs. Our guides estimated the age of the cubs to be about two months. The great event was seeing the same mother and five of the six cubs in 2009 as they chased down a Reed Buck.

Cheers and happy photo’ing

New Safari Dates Just Announced for 2011

Randy Hanna — Mon, 24 May 2010 01:07:55 +0000

I will be leading two safaris into Tanzania during 2011. These will offer two distinct seasons of Africa and both will feature opportunities for viewing and photographing one of the great wonders of the world, the great wildebeest migration (as long as Mother Nature cooperates). We will also pursue photography of Cheetahs, Lions, and Leopards as well as huge elephants herds and the incredibility wildlife rich and scenic Serengeti Plains. February 2011 will offer that magic splash of green that comes after the fall rains, while August brings the classic African tans and browns in the landscape. As with all of my Tanzanian safaris, I will be using Thomson Safaris for my logistical and travel support. I have used Thomson’s since my very first adventure into Tanzania and the are simply the best of the best. The proof of this is in the numerous awards that they receive and their ever-constant commitment ecotourism as well as their commitment to the indigenous people of Tanzania. Their most recent awards include the National Geographic Best Adventure Outfitters on Earth for 2008 and 2009 and the Conde Nast World Savers Award for 2008.

Jan 27 – Feb 8, 2011

Aug 14-26, 2011

Africa in 6 Days

Randy Hanna — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:23:03 +0000

Yes, it is 6 days before wheels up and the start of another wonderful photo safari into Tanzania. This Feb will bring a farily small but very focused group of photo safari enthusiasts to the wilds of Africa. At this point I always start checking weather and migration status realizing that the rains in the the Serengeti will drive the herds in a variety of directions. It is not uncommon for these herds to move some 30 miles or more per day to reach the fresh grass that is reach in nitrogen, which will spawn the brith of hundreds of thousands of young wildebeest. From the current weather patterns, it looks like we will be right in the middle of the migration. Seeing millions of Wildebeest across the Serengeti Plains is a sight that simply can not be adequately described in words.

For a great summary of the migration check out WATCHwild.com. This link presents a great annual summary along with a flash based interactive map of the migration path.

For now, I am busy doing some dry runs on packing and figuring out how to address the new bag restrictions associated with travel from Europe to the US (see previous post). For the first time, I am seriously consdering checking my Nikon 600mm. Not very happy about that, but I guess that is why I have insurance! I am also in the final days of delivering a number of large high-res prints in support of a beauty salon in Seattle. It has been a fun and challenging time in the studio and I continue to learn more and more about throwing light in the studio.

Looking at my safari schedule, I will have very limited email access so live postings will not be as frequent as usual. Those of you that have my sat phone, use it if you need it.

With lots of personal events happening this past year, I intend to find time to do some personal reflection as I sit around the camp fire looking at the stars and pondering life. Other than Namibia, I can think of no other place that I have been to that has clear skies and stars so bright that a flashlight is not needed during the night hours. What a great place for reflection.

Cheers and happy Photo’ing

Photo of the Week

Randy Hanna — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:08:55 +0000

Proud Massai Warrior on the Serengeti Plains

Nikon D300, 17-55mm @ 31mm, ISO 200, 1/200 sec @ f8

BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition

Randy Hanna — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:23:41 +0000

After a late night in Seattle visiting some friends that reside on Maui and were in town on the ship World, I found a message in my email stating that two out of my four submitted images had made it to the Semi-Final level of the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition. These two images were taken from my 2008 and 2009 safaris to Tanzania and are presented below:

Nikon D300, 200-400VR @400, March 2009

Nikon D300, 500mm+1.4 TC, Feb 2008

As a final note, the email stated that there were some 93,000 entries for the 2009 competition. I am happy!

BTW, there is still room for the 2010 safari adventure to Tanzania.

Enjoy and happy Photo’ing.

Parting shots from the Ngorongoro Crater

Randy Hanna — Sun, 03 May 2009 01:29:27 +0000

After a brief lull in my photography, I’m back at posting some of the shots from my Feb 2009 Safari to Tanzania. The Ngorongoro Crater is always a magical place for me. With the rich diversity of wildlife confined to an area about 10 miles square, I am always surprised as to what I will see and the animal interactions. So before moving on to the Serengeti, here are a few additional images from the crater and our camp site. Photo credits: Larry B – photos 1 & 5; DeAnne B – photo 6; Katherine H – photos 9 & 10.

After all day in the crater, we are treated to a wonderful sunset from our camp site.

Noon at our camp site

Kelio, our expert guide, was always checking on something for me.

Hippo pool

Flamingo lift-off

Yellow bark acacia tree close up

Running wildebeest

Mother's first kiss

When not shooting, eating or sleeping, we were in the camera tent.

Many photographers, like Larry, tried hard to escape the camera tent.

As we depart the crater, I treat you to the often-seen tourist view of zebras.

After 1 1/2 days in the crater, we say so long to the 8th wonder of the world. and begin our trek to the Serengeti