Challenging Wildlife Photography

On a recent trip to Estosha, Namibia, Chris took with him Sony's RX10 III and put it to work alongside his professional gear.

“I find photographing the local nature in Namibia fascinating and seeing how the animals have adapted their behaviour to be able to survive is a wonderful story that I want to share with as many people as possible. 

There are specific challenges with photographing every different location but here the dust can be a big problem, particularly when changing lenses but on the upside, the vast planes mean that you can see for very long distances so if you have a good telephoto lens, you can get set-up for some great shots.”

Usually an a99 / a99II user, we asked Chris if he would consider trying out the RX10 III on one of his trips to Namibia.

“This was the first time I had gone out on a professional wildlife shoot with a fixed lens camera. I was curious about the results I would get and I was keen to test the autofocus as this is crucial in wildlife photography. Knowing that I had 24-600mm zoom range to work with gave me confidence but the first thing I thought was actually that it was going to be much nicer not to have to carry around multiple lenses! I was also very happy that even at 600mm, the aperture is F4 as there are other similar bridge cameras available but only with smaller apertures and this meant that I could shoot in fading light or early in the morning without pushing the ISO.”

This shoot took place in January this year, a time of year when the weather can be changeable which offers its own challenges and opportunities.

“The flatness of the planes in Namibia means that you can see sand storms and tornados coming from a long way away. The elements can be harsh on your lenses and so I take care to clean all of mine each evening. Shooting with a fixed lens camera on this occasion shortened this job immeasurably which was a big bonus!”

Despite the harsh conditions, Chris is a big fan of using what he finds to bring his pictures to life.

“When I am shooting in harsh environments, I love using it as part of the story of my pictures. You can see the evolutionary history and beauty of the animals in their movement that culminates in the now.”

We asked Chris how found using the RX10 III.

“The zoom was the standout feature for me and I was especially pleased that the image quality was consistently good throughout the whole range. This real advantage showed itself when we were tracking the white rhino. I had to react quickly and couldn’t get too close, so I was able to use the RX10 III to get some amazing shots.”

For those with aspirations to photographs wild animals in their natural habitats, Chris offered several pieces of advice.

“If you are planning a trip to Africa then do seek out the good trackers as they will be an invaluable aid. You need to be prepared to get up early to attach yourself to a group of animals and be prepared to wait. You also need to make sure carrying a lot of water to keep properly hydrated.”

We asked Chris if he found that he was limited in any way by shooting with a fixed lens camera rather than his usual kit.

“Sometimes when there was back light, it was tough to track the animals with the autofocus but the overall experience was incredibly positive. It surprised me  just how good the dynamic range was! - My next assignment  was in Brazil and Sony's RX10 III went straight in my bag for the trip.”