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Wildlife Close-Up Pictures

The pictures here show some of Africa's better-known wildlife species from close range, highlighting the rich diversity of colours and textures one sees while on safari.

To capture close-up pictures of wildlife - similar to the view you get through a good pair of binoculars - you'll need a camera with powerful telephoto lens, usually 300mm or more.

With larger animals like giraffe and elephant, you can get by with something like a 70-210mm zoom on your camera, particularly when photographing from a safari vehicle.

PHOTO GALLERIES:

Introduction

Lion Pictures

Leopard Pictures

Cheetah Pictures

Elephant Pictures

Buffalo Pictures

Rhino Pictures

Hippo Pictures

Giraffe Pictures

Zebra Pictures

Antelope Pictures

Hyena Pictures

Monkey Pictures

Baboon Pictures

Baby Animals

Mongoose Pictures

Bird Pictures

Wildlife Close-Ups

Warthog Pictures

Wildlife Prints

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African Colors
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Wildlife Close-up Captions

Row 1:
1.Close-up of leopard's coat showing spots in rosette pattern
2.Close-up of giraffe's hide showing patchwork coloring
3.Close-up of zebra group, showing stripe patterns

Row 2:
1.Close-up of a rhino's hide, showing folds of thick skin
2.Close-up of buffalo bull's horns showing the "boss"
3.Close-up of elephant's trunk pulling leaves from thorn tree

Row 3:
1.Close-up of elephant's trunk plucking leaves and thorns
2.Close-up of lion licking its paw
3.Close-up of giraffe's face showing mouth and nostrils

Row 4:
1.Close-up of elephant's hide
2.Close-up of elephant's head
3.Close-up of male lion, showing mouth and lower teeth

Use of Gallery Pictures

Photographs on this page are published for readers' enjoyment. They may only be downloaded for personal use and non-commercial educational or conservation purposes. Please read Terms of Use.

Digital Cameras
Many current digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex) cameras have a built-in magnification or "crop factor", usually around 50% to 60%.

So on a Canon 350D for example, your 300mm lens gives you the same magnification as would a 480mm lens on a 35mm film camera, while a 400mm lens is like using a 640mm.

This is a huge bonus for wildlife photography as it brings your subject that much closer. The picture of the lion licking its paw (Row 3 middle pic) was not taken in a zoo, but from a game drive vehicle in Botswana with the equivalent of a 640mm lens.

Although it is a crop of a bigger picture, this is the detail one can get with today's digital cameras.

Of course the downside with this degree of magnification is image blur from camera shake.

To counteract this, it's advisable to push up your ISO rating and use as fast a shutter speed as possible, combined with a solid tripod, or good beanbag if shooting from a vehicle.

Mutual Respect Is Advisable
Animals in game parks become accustomed to vehicles and it's tempting, when on safari, to approach ever closer.

It's worth remembering however that these are still "wild" animals and their space should be respected.

An elephant or rhino, if suddenly spooked or irritated by your presence, will reach a stationery vehicle in seconds.

Better to keep a safe distance and enjoy the sighting through binoculars.

To find out more about African wildlife, try the search box below:

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Contact Details: Scotch Macaskill, 18 Strawberry Fields, 36 College Rd, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Tel: +27 33 3422811 Privacy: Your privacy is guaranteed. No personal information will be sold or passed to third parties - see our Privacy Policy for more. Updated: April 2008. Copyright © 2002 - 2008 Scotch Macaskill