If you are going to spend seven or eight days in a top game viewing area experiencing thrilling sightings it makes sense to familiarise yourself with your equipment as far as possible before the safari so you can not miss a single opportunity. This is not to say that you need to know everything, but here are 10 essential skills which can help you get up to speed before you arrive. I am always there to help you with your questions — before, during, or after the safari. Here is a quick quiz to test some basic camera skills. Can you
1. Change from auto to aperture priority or shutter priority mode?
2. Set ISO and WB and know what they do?
3. Change from single servo to continuous focus so you can track the movement of birds and animals?
4. Lock your focus so that it does not move when you recompose?
5. Change your camera from auto to manual focus?
6. Change the position of the single point focus screen so that you can pin point the exact point where the camera is taking its focus?
7. Increase the burst speed from single to continuous?
8. Change from spot meter to centre-weighted metering?
9. Lock your exposure and recompose?
10. Bracket your exposure readings up and down using the AE+/- buttons and your flash using the flash +/- buttons?
If you are having difficulties in doing any of these things and need some advice before the safari please do not hesitate to contact me.
