It has now become common practice at CNP to travel with diverse groups. Photographers come from all continents with totally different skill levels, ages and professions. I will not blame anybody who thinks that this can never work but let me tell you that without any exemption they all return home with photographs that are in many cases worthy of being part of any professional portfolio. The magical ingredient is passion. Our client’s passion to take home great images and our passion to help them succeed. Ok, that is not all! There is absolutely no doubt that photographing from the CNP boat, working from the comfort of a 360-degree swivelling chair with gas struts and gimbal heads facing your subject all the time. And finally shooting from eye level or below allows for photographs that will not be achieved in any other way, add to this the in-depth experience of the CNP Tour Leader (eish this was my 87th trip with clients on the Chobe!!) on the Chobe and throw in a bit of good light and we are all home and dry.
Wonderful and Happy Group of CNP clients!
Please note that all the photographers on the trip captured great images of all the scenes that are depicted below. The photographs selected below does not necessarily depict the best of a specific scene and that the action images of similar species were not captured in the same scenes. I choose photographs to allow Chobe to tell its own amazing stories. Furthermore, there were so many scenes worthy of a blog post that does not feature in this post at all.
Rudi Heinlein
Nikon D500 | Tamron 150 – 600mm G2 @ 450mm | 1/8000sec at f6 | ISO 1250 | EV -1.3
Nikon D700 | Nikon 600mm F4 @ 600mm | 1/1000sec at f8 | ISO 800 | EV -2.0
CNP Note:
I can truthfully say that I meet a lot of wildlife photographers that after many years of photography do not have an action photograph of Egyptian Geese remotely close to what Rudi achieved on his first attempt. Rudi’s sunset photograph of two Open-billed Storks would be appreciated by most photographers. Well done Rudi and Bon Voyage!
Photographer’s Note:
I have the privilege to have a lot of wildlife on my farms that I on a regular basis enjoy viewing. Further to this, I have also travelled on numerous rivers in Africa that are still rich with wildlife but none of this prepared me for what I experienced on the Chobe with CNP. There is this incredible variety of wildlife that one experience up close and personal operating on the water at a low level. The one thing that will stay with me most is the ability of our CNP tour leader to constantly draw our attention to the small details that I would normally pass. Even more impressive was the fact that we would arrive on a scene with literally nothing happening. Lou would tell us to be patient because something is going to happen. Suddenly all hell will break loose and we all took great photographs. Experiencing wildlife not as a tourist or a rifle sight but through a telephoto lens was a profound and life-changing experience. “Rudi we enjoyed every bit of your contribution to making this a memorable trip for the whole group.”
Bibi Andrews
Canon 5D Mark III | Tamron 150-600mm G2 @ 350mm | 1/6400sec at f8 | ISO 800 | EV -1.0
Canon 5D Mark III | Tamron 150-600mm G2 @ 600mm | 1/5000sec at f6.3 | ISO 800 | EV -1.0
CNP Note:
She is smart, witty, beautiful and 80 years old. She also suffers from arthritis and she shoots this kind of action! Enough said….we salute you Bibi!
Photographers Note:
For me the accommodation and food were great. I never experienced a large herd of buffalo at eye level in the water all around me such as the way we did on this trip. The weather did not always play ball but I really enjoyed photographing the large troop of Chachma Baboons in good early African light. The interaction between the baboons and Banded Mongoose was surreal. The Mongoose fighting is also something that I never photographed before and I am really happy with the results. I really loved the group of people we travelled with. Simply put, to be able to shoot the action with a long telephoto lens that I was able to shoot on this trip at my age would not have been possible in any other way than being with a highly skilled photographic tour leader and shooting from the comfort of a CNP photographic chair.
Sorentia Heinlein
Nikon D500 | Tamron 150 – 600mm G2 @ 400mm | 1/8000sec at f7.1 | ISO 1250 | EV -1.7
Nikon D500 | Tamron 150 – 600mm G2 @ 270mm | 1/4000sec at f6.3 | ISO 320 | EV -2.0
CNP Note:
Although she is still a junior photographer in terms of her age the same cannot be said about Sorentia’s photography. I have chosen two of her action bird images for you to enjoy here. What is more amazing is that photographers who have a clean shot of a Night Heron in flight and in good light are truly few and far between no matter how long they have been in the game.
Photographers Note:
Photographing from the waterside view was amazing. Not only were we able to get up very close with elephant bulls but seconds later we photographed Pied Kingfishers hovering directly above us. The constant bombardment of opportunities coming my way is something that I have not experienced before Closer
Ken van Wyk
Nikon D500 | Nikon 70-200mm F2.8 @ 105mm | 1/8000sec at f8 | ISO 1600 | EV -1.5
Nikon D850 | Nikon 400mm F2.8 + 1.4x Teleconverter @ 550mm | 1/6400sec at f4 | ISO 200 | EV -1.5
CNP Note:
I am constantly impressed with Ken’s devotion to photography and his hunger to constantly learn and improve and it shows in his photography. Great storytelling shots Ken!
Photographers Note;
I really enjoyed our stay at Chobe Bush Lodge. The rooms were great and spacious. The food at Chobe Safari Lodge where we had most of our meals was superb-and to much! I will keep on revisiting the Chobe with CNP because the variety of species is simply amazing. CNP’s trip organisation and execution were simply flawless. Lou’s technical feedback on my images and guidance on the river will stay with me forever. I once again learned a lot. “Pleasure’s all mine, Ken”
Karen Seidel
Nikon D5 | Nikon 600mm F4 + 1.4x Teleconverter @ 840mm | 1/1600sec at f9 | ISO 640 | EV -0.7
Nikon D850 | Nikon 600mm F4 @ 600mm | 1/8000sec at f9 | ISO 800 | EV -1.3
CNP Note:
I remember, just like it was yesterday, the first time Karen photographed from the CNP Photography Boat with me many years ago and she will forgive me when I say that she at that stage only knew where to switch on her camera. In her own words “she knew nothing”, but how that has all changed!
She is focussed, dedicated and shoot with the best. Well done Karen I enjoy your growth immensely!
Photographers Note:
I enjoyed my stay at Chobe Bush Lodge. The group dynamics were great and we had a lot of fun. From a photographic perspective, I am over the moon. The Chobe delivered as per usual. For me the great game changer was Lou. Lou, I appreciated your daily evaluation of my photographs immensely and the way you helped me implement this during our time on the boat. You have the ability to work a scene and help us achieve results that were just not there when we started. After all, this is the reason I am travelling with CNP and nobody else. “ Wow, Karen I would have paid for this generous feedback!”
Jeany Heinlein
Nikon D850 | Tamron 150 – 600mm G2 @ 500mm | 1/8000sec at f6.3 | ISO 1250 | EV -1.3
Nikon D850 | Tamron 15 – 30mm F2.8 @ 22mm | 1/2000sec at f22| ISO 800 | EV -1.3
CNP Note:
To think that Jeany only actively started with wildlife photography in September 2017. World class images from an extreme wide angle up till telephoto with a high res D850 and shot to virtual perfection. Jeany you clearly paid attention in class. Well done!
Photographers Note:
Photographing from the CNP Photography Boat was amazing. The custom chair was comfortable and allowed me to take shots that I never dreamed of. The Chobe must be the best bird photography destination on earth. Being amongst the birds and at eye level photographing their behaviour and interaction was totally amazing. CNP 5 out of 5 … plus!
To imagine that in the middle of winter we had only around 40% good African sun light and just look what all our clients have achieved. Heart warming to say the least. At CNP we came up with ingenious ways to make the amazing Chobe River more accessible to photographers at prices comparable to those of a decade ago. Please talk to us so that we can show you how you can experience this extraordinary place.
Warmest photography regards. Lou