We love featuring the inspiring people of Africa, and on a recent safari to the Lion Sands Game Reserve, we encountered a game ranger who impressed us not only with his incredible knowledge of the bush, but in particular his love for wildlife photography.

Cameron Scott is a guide at Lion Sands River Lodge, one of our all time favorite lodges in the predator rich Sabi Sands. What a studio to work in, and what amazing subject matter! Imagine coming across all the big cats such as leopard and lion on a daily basis. Besides thrilling the guests on his vehicle, Cameron is generous with his advice on how best to capture these awesome animals on camera. His enthusiasm was so infectious that we decided to feature him on this blog post.

cameron scott game ranger
Not only is Cameron Scott a suberb game ranger at Lion Sands River Lodge, but also an extremely talented wildlife photographer

We asked Cameron where it all started, what inspires him, what he dreams about, and what Photography Tips he’d like to share with us.

‘My love for the African bush started as a young child visiting the Kruger with my father! The bush was my escape, my temple, my home.’

‘My love for wildlife and conservation introduced me to many things but I developed a passion for photography. I had to capture the moments that meant so much to me and share them. Not only to introduce them to the unrivaled beauty the African bush has to offer but to also create an awareness of the natural world and to give a voice to those who could not be heard.’

Leopard (photo credit Cameron Scott)
The elusive leopard beautifully captured by Cameron

‘My dream is to take my love for guiding people and my love for photography and combine them into photographic safaris. I’ve believed from as early as five years old that I would be a professional wildlife photographer, and I’ve never looked back! My parents are my biggest supporters, and none of this would be possible without their love and guidance.’

‘Its an extremely rewarding job as I get to see my guest’s excitement and reactions when looking upon all that I am so passionate about!’

Here are Cameron’s top tips for shooting wildlife:

  1. I recommend a lens with a focal length of 200mm or more when shooting wildlife as animals are unpredictable, and distance can sometimes be an issue.
  2. It’s best to shoot during “The Golden Hour” which occurs during the early morning and late afternoon. This light is perfect for adding mood to one’s images and always try keep the sun behind you shining on your intended target.
  3. I like to picture an image I want to capture and what I want that image to say, so try not fire 50 shots of one animal and hope for one or two good images. I have found a little thought and patience will go a long way when photographing wildlife!
  4. Don’t be afraid to be creative, try shoot from a lower angle, get down and dirty if need be to be able to capture the perfect shot from the animals perspective!
  5. Be ready with your equipment, animals wait for no man so having your equipment ready to perform is a must and shooting using a bean bag or stabilizer of some sort always helps.
Lion (photo credit Cameron Scott)
The king of Africa captured by Cameron Scott

It gives us great pleasure to feature someone who loves what he does and has such a passion for Africa and the Lion Sands Game Reserve in particular. So much so, that we asked Cameron to become a regular contributor to our Facebook page, and so we look forward to many incredible wildlife images from this top wildlife photographer.

Leopard (photo credit Cameron Scott)
The rare sight of a leopard with its kill taken by Cameron