I feel like the stars have really aligned for me to get to where I am today. Last year I found myself living in the bush part time and totally falling in love with the lifestyle. Just when I had realised that city life wasn’t for me and was dreading the move, I was given the opportunity to come and join the Londolozi family in the Creative Hub. I had to listen to my heart and follow my dreams. I remember my father saying that working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress but working hard for something we love is called passion. I can now say that I have been given the opportunity to live stress free and follow my passion, photography.
The Xidulu young male leopard glances up as a vulture flies overhead. This was my first ever leopard sighting at Londolozi and so a photograph I consider special. Photograph by Kylie Jones
From an early age I have had a love for animals, the bush and nature, but I am also a social animal. Here, in the Londolozi Studio those passions coincide. What better place to wake up each morning with the adventure of new experiences than in the heart of the Sabi Sands. Here I can spend time with interesting people from all over the world, help them to select the right photographic equipment, see them capture their favourite moments and sightings and then help them to enhance their creations into lasting memories of their safari experience through editing and printing canvases for them to cherish forever.
An inside look at the Londolozi Creative Hub.
Whilst the photography out in the bush takes place under the guidance of our photographically experienced rangers and trackers, the rentals, post-processing and printing all take place in our state-of-the-art Londolozi Studio.
Londolozi guests photograph an elephant out on game drive.
This is a place where you can explore your creative mind, editing images from your safari and embedding lasting memories of your time with us.
The Xidulu young male rests on a Marula branch. This is one of my favourite images that I’ve captured at Londolozi thus far. Photograph by Kylie Jones
The good news for both aspiring photographers and seasoned veterans who visit Londolozi is that you no longer have to commit half your travel budget to your photographic gear and lug it all the way around the world. Londolozi’s photographic gear rental studio ensures that all your equipment needs are fulfilled, saving you time as well as valuable packing space. A wide range of professional grade lenses, camera bodies and photographic mounts are available, which should cover any photographic opportunity that could arise while out on safari.
Once having been out on game drive and selected your favourite images, you will head up to The Studio. This is where me or one of our other qualified Lightroom professionals will take you through all the ins and outs of image processing – from photographic principles to a more detailed understanding of the editing software.
Guests enjoying themselves in The Studio.
Then once you’ve created your artwork, you’ll have the opportunity to take this piece of your adventure home with you. We offer high quality canvas printing of either your own images or – if you prefer, you can choose a photograph from our Fine Art Gallery. The rest will be left up to us while you go back out on safari later in the afternoon. Your canvas will be printed and delivered to you, and specially packaged in a secure tube to fit easily into your luggage.
Once you’ve chosen your favourite image and edited it with our specially trained team, you can then print your memory on canvas. This way you can take a piece of the Londolozi experience home with you.
When I arrived at Londolozi I was blown away by the amount of smiles and friendliness from everyone who works here and it gives me such great pleasure now to be able to give our guests that same experience. Although they already come to me having had an amazing time, I feel like the studio adds another unique layer to the Londolozi experience. It’s been so much fun helping to trigger and cultivate our guests creativity and to see them leave with big smiles and beautiful momentos of their time here.
The Apple legend, Steve Jobs said “the only way to do great work is to love what you do”. Well I can certainly say that Londolozi has provided me with the opportunity to do great work!
Written by Kylie Jones
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Kylie, thanks for the great info on the studio and what’s available to guests.
Its a pleasure Dawn, I hope this inspires you to capture and edit beautiful images.
I had the good fortune to rent a wonderful Nikon camera with an 800mm zoom lens during our three days at Lonolozi earlier this year. On the last day of our stay I spent an hour in the Creative Studio, getting my favourite snaps made into professional pictures. All of my friends think that I am an amazing photographer, if only they knew!
So, I cannot recommend this service highly enough and I am already looking forward to our next visit in 2018.
I am very glad to hear that you enjoyed renting the Nikon 800mm lens, another great lens is the fixed 400mm. Have you tried this lens?
Thank-you for the high recommendation for the Studio, and i look forward to meeting you in 2018.
I WANT to live and work at Londozoli!
The studio at Londolozi is the icing on the cake! It is incredibly special to take home some of your favourite photographs expertly processed through Lightroom and beautifully printed on canvas and ready to frame at home. Part of the ongoing connection to Londolozi that makes this place unique! Enjoy your time in the studio Kyle – great leopard shots too!
Gillian it was so lovely meeting you on one of my very first days at Londolozi. Thank you for the good wishes and comment on my picture, much appreciated. I look forward to your next visit to Londolozi.
Thanks for all of your assistance during my last visit. Nice to see a picture from our drive together.
Its only a pleasure Al, I enjoyed every minute of it. I look forward to seeing you in December, and I am sure you will capture some incredible images just as you did on your last visit.
A nice blog. What a nice gesture to give guests a print on canvas of a picture they have taken personally. A lovely souvenir that will last a lifetime. Thank you.
Its a pleasure Lea, Thank-you! An image is the best way to make a memory last a life time, and I am so grateful that I can aid in making the guests experience an amazing one.
I first discovered the studio in 2015, took advantage of it in 2016 and anxiously looked forward to my time there this past January. I worked with Alice Brewer who has now moved on to another job at Londolozi. She is a magician and not only made several of my ‘okay’ images become ‘fantastic’ images . . . but her encouragement gave me the confidence I needed to start my wildlife photography website, http://www.jwrimages.com and begin posting a wildlife image every day on social media. Thank you Alice and I look forward to working with Kylie when I return to Londolozi next February.
Jeff I am so happy Alice has given you the encouragement to start your own wildlife website, your pictures are amazing, wow! I look forward to meeting you in February and seeing your incredible photographs.
How long in advance should we ask to rent some equipment? I will be at Londolozi in november. I do not have any fancy lenses and I would love to take some great leopard close ups. Thank you.
Hi Alessandro. Although you still have plenty of time, I would suggest booking the equipment now just to ensure that you get the gear you are after. Visit http://photography.londolozi.com/ to see what is on offer and to make the booking. And don’t hesitate to contact Kylie at studio@londolozi.co.za if you have any queries. We look forward to seeing you in November. Thanks, Amy