{"id":446,"date":"2014-06-21T00:46:06","date_gmt":"2014-06-21T00:46:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.photoparadiso.com\/africa2014\/?p=446"},"modified":"2014-08-09T12:24:05","modified_gmt":"2014-08-09T12:24:05","slug":"day-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.photoparadiso.com\/africa2014\/?p=446","title":{"rendered":"Day 3"},"content":{"rendered":"
June 4, 2014: The Story<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Photo Gallery<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Videos<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Mobile Gallery<\/a><\/div>\n

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Our campsite is nestled\u00a0just outside the Serengeti National Park. Most days, the setting sun wrings out its last rays across our camp, rinsing everything in orange and pink. Jeff spends his downtime backing up photos in the tech tent or taking his quadcopter and GoPro<\/a> out for a spin, much to the delight of the camp staff who gather outside and watch. I feel like I should be spending more time chatting with Randy about post-production, reviewing pics with Jeff, or sharing a beer with our tour companions. But when the sun decides to soak the grass in orange and pink, I spend my time alone, walking around, taking photos.<\/p>\n

The Serengeti Nyumba Camp<\/a> (\u201cnyumba\u201d means \u201chome”) is a row of private tents and a main lodge open to all guests for dining and relaxing. Facing a beautiful view of tall grass and a kopje<\/a> in the distance, the campsite has no fence separating itself from wildlife. Only a guard watches over at night. That leaves animals free to wander close by at night, sometimes grazing alongside our tents.<\/p>\n

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In the evenings, we collect at the tech table for our photography lessons given by Randy. Not only do we go over camera\u00a0settings best suited for safari shooting, we are briefed a little bit on animal behavior and movement. It\u2019s pretty evident that, each day, Jeff and I are improving our own skill set. Especially Jeff, who is not only\u00a0advancing\u00a0his technique but also is getting the hang of spotting animals that are normally well-concealed in the grass. This morning, we excitedly spot a cheetah who makes a mad dash away from us, probably more interested in finding food or water. Although we lose sight of it quickly, Jeff is able to track it again, even when it has begun moving further and further away from us til it becomes a near speck on the horizon. Although I am unable to capture down a snapshot or two, I\u2019m excited to see the cheetah\u2014 lounging, observing, running, and pausing. It is really a beautifully shaped creature, and moves with grace.<\/p>\n

-k<\/p>\n

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