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| 21st January 2010, Birding in Ethiopia: |
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| Trip |
| Ethiopia 2nd January 2010 - 17th January 2010 |
| Participants: Tour Leader Dick Forsman, 13 participants from Finland, one from Poland |
| Traveling route: Addis Abeba - Solalta Plain - Langano - Awassa - Yabelo - Wondo Genet - Langano - Awash - Addis Abeba |
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After visiting Kenya very many years ago I have been waiting for this one. Ethiopia sorted out me as a manageable country with trip organized by one
of the most skillfull guides for the area. Luckily we have also some time for photography and I couldn't be happier how smoothly everything went,
especially considering Africa is not the most easy continent to travel around. Varying accommodations and a few stomach problems are worth suffering if
that enables a visit a couple of the remote birding areas in Ethiopia. Afterall we saw ca. 435 bird species in two weeks. People are generally friendly, but there can be a minor nuisance when you find more than a few kids following you where ever you go ;) |
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| Photography gear: To some extent bird photography is very easy in Africa: abundance of light and approachable birds everywhere. I felt 700mm focal length too long on many occasions and shoot hand held with EF 500/4L more than ever before. Noon light is too harsh for good pictures and also birds are inactive, so early afternoon was the right time to have a lunch and change locations. I photographed landscapes and people with 5DMKII attached with EF 17-40/4L: it worked o.k, but sometimes I felt I sorely needed 70-200/4 for short tele, maybe next time. |
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People photography: Do not kid yourself for candid style shooting in Ethiopia. People are observing you everywhere and generally they do not tolerate pictures taken, at least
if there is no compensation involved. With remote shepherd tribes it is not a good idea to photograph tribe people or their cattle
without their authorization. As an example Afar people are carrying assault rifles and they do not tolerate pictures taken of their camels at any circumstances, period.
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Bird Photography: As stated earlier: Be prepared to wagonloads of more keepers compared to some other places you have been visiting.
Carry enough cards/back up with you. Be prepared to use also shorter focal lengths than what your longest lens have.
Dust can be a serious problem: have your cameras and optics protected with some bag or cover, especially on vehicles.
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Copyright Jussi Vakkala jussi vakkala at luukku com |