Wildlife photography in Africa is generally done from open vehicles. These vehicles drive around on reserves and in wilderness areas searching for animals to photograph. Once a subject is located, the driver then tries to approach the animal with the best photo opportunity in mind. Of course being in a vehicle you are at the whim of light, the terrain and the animal’s response to your approach. As such, it is relatively seldom that all the factors combine to make intimate photographs. In addition, by driving around searching for subjects, the style of photography becomes an off-the-cuff affair, with you the photographer often happening upon a sighting and taking images of what you can get.

We have long had the idea of having photographic hides in near proximity to the urban centres of South Africa. The intention was to allow inbound international clients a night of relaxation before and after their safari. At the same time they could sit in the hides and get excellent images of the animals and birds that visited them. Finding a location of course was essential and we researched the various types of bushveld to see what would be best suited to the species of birds we wanted to attract. This proved harder than expected, as we required an exact type of habitat.