One of the questions I’m often asked about my photography is, “How do you capture such amazing light?” It’s a relevant question because cameras perceive light differently than our eyes. Preserving the enchanting essence of beautiful light can be tricky without a solid grasp of how to capture it. This difficulty is especially notable for photographers who mainly use histograms and automatic modes (auto ISO!) without utilizing EV Compensation. Despite the advancements in camera technology, some manual adjustments are crucial since cameras tend to standardize details; automatic modes look for medium grey to make the perfect exposure.

You must evaluate the light and ensure the background works for it before you raise your camera, plant your feet, or stop the motor of a safari vehicle. Your guide must also be well-trained to understand your goals in capturing the light.

Light and background are the top two elements out of my five for capturing stunning images! Those of you who have attended my workshops on the ranch know my mantra: “What’s your light, and what’s your background?”

Flare light happens only for the first few minutes when the sun cracks the horizon or just before it touches it at the end of the day. If this is your goal, you will need to be out at first light, have a good network of information to find your subject, and be in position before sunrise. Capturing your subject in the flare light is a very narrow window, especially if you have a moving subject. A moving subject will first have rim light only, which is a different exposure than when they hit the flare light, and again after, they will have rim light. Therefore, you must manually work through your exposure compensation while the subject is in motion. Usually slightly stopped down (protecting the highlights) to correct exposure and back to stopping down.

Having an experienced guide who understands light, background, and goals is critical to your success. Two crown cranes flew in at the last few minutes of the light. They were illuminated perfectly, and we got off a few shots, but the light flaring on the other side was pure magic. They were moving quickly, and we had to reposition quickly if we were going to capture it. It would have been very challenging working with a guide who did not understand the outcome we wished to capture.

I am often accused of not photographing birds, which is not true. I do not photograph a subject. I photograph light. I do not sit and wait for a lion to get up or photograph a pretty bird sitting on a branch. I seek out the light and photograph the subject in it.

The flare and rim light are very short-lived, especially if you are near or on the equator. In Kenya, the sun shoots up and down in a matter of minutes. Next, you want to work the side light, which creates shadows and gives shape to your image, making it much more interesting to the viewer. This is the light I want to work in for at least of my images, if not more. Again, an experienced guide who understands every minute counts for the first and last 30 minutes of each day, is one of the most critical elements for your success.

“Light makes photography. Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography.” – George Eastman

Lastly, I seek the remaining shadows of the contrast light. First, you need a dark shadowed background. Second, you need light filtering through trees; then, of course, you need a subject perfectly in the filtered light. This is much more difficult because it is essential to anticipate the movement of the animal and be ready to click when the light hits them perfectly.