The six shots
01
Lions on a kopje at first light
The iconic Serengeti frame. Low angle, warm side light raking across the rock and the pride.
02
A calving-season newborn
A wildebeest calf with its mother on the southern plains (February). Tender behaviour, shot at eye level.
03
A northern river crossing
The Mara or Grumeti, August–October. Anticipate the bank, fast shutter, hold the whole line of animals.
04
A cheetah hunt on the short grass
The open plains give the runway. Pan at 1/1600s for motion, or freeze at 1/2500s+ for the reach and the dust.
05
A leopard in an acacia
Seronera's tree-resting leopards. Find the clean gap through the branches and expose for the cat in dappled light.
06
The plains animalscape
A lone acacia against a storm sky, or a horizon line of migration. The wide frame that carries the scale of the place.
Gear: a 200-600 / 180-600 for reach on open plains; a 24-105 for landscapes; a high-ISO body; a beanbag.
Before you go
The settings and kit decisions this trip will ask of you.
Before you goThe Best Lens for a First African SafariFor most first safaris, one versatile telephoto in the 100-500 / 200-600 / 180-600 class covers it, and a 150-600 does it on a budget. How to choose by reach, weight and money.Read the write-up →Before you goBest Camera Settings for an African SafariThe all-round settings for an African safari: shutter, aperture, ISO, metering and autofocus for dust, harsh midday, backlight and a bouncing vehicle. Plus how to tune them to your body.Read the write-up →Before you goBest Focal Length for Safari: 400, 500, 600 or 800mm?How much reach an African safari really needs. What 400, 500, 600 and 800mm each give you, park by park, and why more is not always better.Read the write-up →
Common questions
When is the best time to photograph Serengeti?
Calving & predators (south) Jan–Mar; river crossings (north) Aug–Oct; Seronera big cats year-round
What is the best light in Serengeti?
Golden hours; the kopjes catch warm early side light with lions atop them
What gear should I take to Serengeti?
a 200-600 / 180-600 for reach on open plains; a 24-105 for landscapes; a high-ISO body; a beanbag.
Your own brief
Plan your own Serengeti brief
Ten shots, the conditions, the gear and the questions to ask your guide — built for your dates, your kit and your subjects.
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