Guest Paul Zimmer shares his wonderful and insightful journey experiencing the wonders of Umkumbe Safari Lodge Riverside. Nothing brings us greater joy than experiencing a safari through the eyes (or lens, really) of a guest- except for maybe going on safari ourselves!
Please note that all the images in this post have been taken by Paul*
Spotting a couple of spotted hyena
Situated in the heart of the wildlife-rich Sabie Game Reserve, Umkumbe Safari Lodge offers an unparalleled safari experience. Sabie is the gateway between the Kruger National Park and the Greater Kruger region. It acts as a wild buffer where animals roam freely between the national park and private unfenced reserves. Umkumbe overlooks the seasonal Sand river where incredible wildlife sightings are spotted right from the comfort of camp.
A leopard casually lounging right in front of the lodge
First off, thanks so much for sharing your amazing images with us! Please share a bit about yourself — where are you from and how did your passion for photography begin?
Hi there 🙂 My name is Paul Zimmer, I hail from the United States, born and raised in Southern California, but have been calling Redmond, Washington home for almost 2 decades now. My passion for photography started as a quick way to document memories, events, locations, and friends as early as my first year of college. I had friends at the time who were majoring in photography and tried their best to teach me their ways, but I was too dense to absorb their wisdom back then. It wasn’t until around 2018, I was dating an ex-photojournalist at the time and that sparked my interest in combining my life long love of wildlife with a deep dive into the physics, gear, and artistry of photography. My passion and my shot counts grew rapidly, to the point where I average over 20,000 photos per adventure, but more importantly, I keep impressing my friends with each new travel album. 🙂
Your wildlife shots were absolutely stunning — do you remember the first animal you photographed during your stay? How did that moment feel?
Thank you 🙂 It took me 3 days of travel to finally reach The Umkumbe Riverside Lodge, but once I’d finally arrived, Yuri escorted me around, explaining all the rules and locations. Right behind him were about 2 dozen elephants roaming the riverbed just beyond the camp. I had never seen so many elephants in my life and was having a hard time listening to Yuri while these beautiful beasts were snacking, walking, and playing right behind him.
Mother and calf
Are you a professional photographer? A wildlife photographer? How does wildlife compare other subjects that you might shoot?
I am (sadly) not a professional photographer. I’ve won awards and had prints accepted and sold in various local exhibitions, but I shoot for the fun of it. I’ve tried my hand at every genre of photography, from astro and landscape, to macro and micro, and I’ve learned that my favorite subjects are living creatures. I tend to see every situation like a “Candid Portrait Shoot”, where I’m studying a subject and trying to quickly capture moments in its behaviour without giving any direction or posing them artificially. This approach to photography lends itself to wildlife because wild creatures aren’t known for taking direction. I lose myself in the flow-state of observing and capturing life as it happens.
A kudu grazing
What kind of gear do you usually shoot with? Do you have a go-to lens when you’re in the bush?
For wildlife photography, most already know that a long telephoto lens is basically required, because most critters won’t let you get close to them. But I also happen to love bugs and spiders too, which require you to get up close and personal to see their little details. So I’ve chosen the Tamron 50-400mm and the Sigma 60-600mm for their abilities to both zoom in on distant creatures and magnify the small stuff up close. The Tamron is more portable and my usual go-to for travel, but I made extra room in my luggage for the much bigger Sigma for this trip to maximize my reach.
A starling, darling
Was there a wildlife encounter that really stood out during your time in the Sabie?
There were 2 that stand out. One I’m proud of, and one I’m amazed by:
1) Yuri had heard on the radio that a Leopard was spotted in our area and he raced over to show it to us. As we arrived, the original spotter had lost sight of it in a ravine. Yuri volunteered us to drive into that ravine and find it. As we dove in, slowly creeping through the vegetation, we were all struggling to see anything in the dense greenery. After a minute or two we were starting to think we’d lost the cat for good, but out of pure luck, I caught a glimpse of a tail and 4 legs BEHIND US. I yelled to Yuri, who sounded understandably skeptical that a guest would see what a seasoned driver and paired tracker did not, but he put the jeep in reverse and grilled me for more details on what I had seen. After an exciting few more moments maneuvering backwards, we relocated our Leopard resting just behind a bush and just below the peak of the ravine! We got to spend another 10 glorious minutes with it lounging just a car length away from us.
A sensational shot and close encounter with this elusive and majestic big cat
2) On my first drive back to the lodge after sunset, our tracker was scanning the road and wilderness ahead with his spotlight. Going 15km/h, in pitch darkness, this super human individual spotted a green chameleon in a green bush. Yuri stopped the jeep so we could all struggle to see it, and after a minute, we all eventually spotted it for ourselves and were stunned at the skill it must take to see such a camouflaged creature in those impossible conditions. It’s hard enough in full sunlight to see a green chameleon in a green bush, but at night and at speed seemed to defy the laws of physics. He then did this THREE MORE TIMES during my stay and I will never forget it.
The smaller but no less exciting sightings
How do you balance enjoying the moment versus capturing it through the lens — especially when nature surprises you?
I may be biased due to my love for photography, but in most situations I prioritize “getting the shot”. My rationale for this is, my memory is far from perfect, but I remember events much more vividly when I have a photo to jog it, and those photos keep that memory alive much longer than if I didn’t have one. It’s also much easier to share these memories when the viewer has something to look at while I narrate.
Capturing the perfect moment
What tips would you give to amateur photographers hoping to capture great safari photos — even if they’re just using a phone or basic camera?
I can absolutely share the same tips that were taught to me over the years:
* If you’re on safari with only your phone, instead of taking pictures, record short videos in the highest resolution your phone can do (4k or 8k would be nice). Phones are usually better at videos than taking photos and if you still just want a photo, you can cut out one of the frames of the video anyway.
* Aim your camera at the animal and wait for it to do one of the following: Look at you; Show the full side of its head: Yawn; Lick; Eat; Anything else interesting. Those will be the most appealing shots to share.
* When taking pictures of animals, do your best to make sure the animal’s eyes are in focus. When we look at creatures we usually look at their eyes and if they’re in focus, the whole shot will feel properly focused.
Eagle eyes take on a new meaning
* When you’re in a jeep, you can’t really move around on your own to get the best angle, so, working from wherever you’re sitting, frame the animal(s) and the scenery in such a way that there is always more space in the photo in the direction the animals are looking. So if an animal is looking slightly left, frame the animal slightly to the right in your photo, leaving more room on the left for the animal to look into.
Framing is everything. The charismatic yellow-billed hornbill
* Don’t sweat having to take a photo of every single thing. Sometimes the animal is too far away, or too hidden, or giving you the “African Salute” (A term Yuri taught me, meaning “When an animal turns its back on you.”), so in those moments, just enjoy the fact that you’re on safari, which for most of us is pretty rare and exciting! Take in the scenery, and bide your time for the next critter you’ll have a better angle on.
Outside of photography, what did you love most about the Umkumbe Lodge experience?
Umkumbe left me with nothing I could complain about. The staff were kind, patient, and knowledgeable; The food was delicious and filling (I especially loved the beef tongue jerky); The location is surrounded by creatures that will come and go as they please and let you watch them peacefully; The weather was perfect; The rooms were spacious and comfortable. If I HAVE to pick a favorite it’d be the animals that walked around and inside the camp, like the monkey that liked to drink sap from the central tree, or the little striped lizards that sun themselves on the deck, but run when people show up to do the same.
Cheeky visitors
Playful and inquisitive, vervet monkey
Sun-worshippers
Do you have a social media account for others to follow you?
I don’t really have a social media presence, but I do have a website: www.okbokehphotography.com
Thank you for these exceptional images and your insightful experience, Paul. We love receiving feedback from guests about their experience as well any photography from their time in the wild! If you have anything you’d like to share with us, please don’t hesitate to get in touch here.
Quintessential African sunset
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