Photography series
In the month of March, Londolozi is showcasing some of our best photography and photographers alike. This five-part blog series will take readers behind some stunning imagery and discuss how the shot came to be. The episodes will delve into the stories behind images and the people who capture them. In this process, we’ll be highlighting some tips and tricks that we hope will inspire you when capturing imagery of your own.
Photography series episode 5 and our final piece of the series will look at Sean Zeederberg – the face of Londolozi’s virtual safari. He is the man behind Londolozi’s camera, the one you see when you’re at home reminiscing over past joy in the wilderness. He is also responsible for curating the week in pictures that is released on the blog every Friday. Initially Sean was a ranger and in April 2021 moved into a content creation position. He is now a digital storyteller, blog editor and the onsite photographer and videographer.
Sean’s role
In his new role Sean does not host guests on his vehicle. He was disheartened by this but also considered it beneficial. Because it allows him to have the singular focus of capturing video and photo content.
I’m now able to spend more time with animals and it has helped to gain a better understanding of the way certain animals go about their daily life.
My job is to go out there and capture animals in their natural state, and that takes time. It is incredible to get to know these animals. Just letting them go about their lives in my presence and spending time in nature.
This is a point of view that Sean has added to his previous experience as a ranger. Where his sole focus was on creating an experience for a guest in person. Whilst he still works to create a guest experience, it’s now a virtual experience and he has more time to curate the story.
Having been a ranger I feel that my predictive instinct in nature is heightened. I have learnt how animals work and now have ample one-on-one time to really dive into their existence. And I get to do it with multiple cameras and time to experiment.
Stitching photographs in Lightroom
On a crisp Autumn morning, Sean headed on a game drive in search of the Nkoveni Female leopard and her two daughters. It had been an incredible couple of days with the leopards. The day before Sean had sat with the two cubs and watched them play through the morning. The only limiting factor arose when all his memory cards were filled and no more footage could be captured of the cubs. And so he was left with one thing to do, watch an incredible interaction between two cubs unfold.
He decided he had to return to them the next day. After locating tracks of two young leopards and an hour of following up, he found both of Nkoveni’s daughters sitting at a water hole. As one of the leopards would relax, the other would sneak through the grass and leap on her sister and this process was repeated for hours. In order to escape the fun and games one of the cubs, now tiring, scaled a large dead Knobthorn tree.
A stunning young female with a very similar spot pattern to her mother, the Nkoveni Female. Litter still completely intact March 2022.
Breaking bounds
Sean had built a wealth of video footage of the two leopards and now he had the capacity to get a little creative. He was no more than fifteen metres away from the leopard and as he was shooting with a fixed 300mm lens he could not adequately capture the scene. In this scenario, most photographers would opt to focus on a close-up portrait shot but Sean decided to think a little out of the box.
Stitching explained
Stitching in Lightroom can be likened to crochet. You create individual squares of material and join them into a large blanket. Stitching allows a photographer to capture multiple photos of a scene and (as long as each image overlaps) combine them into one photograph. The result is that you can put incredible detail into imagery. In this case, Sean captured 21 images of the Nkoveni Young Female leopard and the scene that surrounded her. He combined the shots to capture an incredibly detailed image of the scene.
The jack of all trades
As Sean’s role centres around capturing video content for the Londolozi brand, he has access to incredible equipment. And the equipment has a vast array of variety. From macro lenses to a 600mm lens and everything in between.
Sometimes I find myself in a vehicle with three camera’s recording. I may even be recording audio at the same time. Therefore, I need to know my equipment to be able to do this. You’ll be adjusting settings on different cameras whilst trying to follow an animal moving about, it can get chaotic.
An added challenge is that I’m constantly switching between videography and photography on cameras. I need to be able to adjust my settings and do it fast. Sometimes I will have a second or two to capture a shot before I need to be back in video mode.
I aim to bring as much detail into my imagery as possible. And stitching is just one of many ways that I achieve this. I also can tell a story in very different ways through the different lenses and equipment that I use.
As my role is focused toward an online audience I capture imagery with them in mind. I firmly believe that if you do something that you love with passion then people will be more receptive to it. I have attempted to keep my genuine voice running through my work and our Londolozi audience seems to be receptive to this.
Tricks of the trade
Sean offered advice that he had learnt through his various roles at Londolozi. Each role etched perspective into his holistic photographic thought process.
Firstly, and it’s an overused view that’s overlooked by most photographers, ‘understand your gear’. Whilst a basic understanding will suffice, the more you know, the more you can do. Rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it, or in this case not know it.
Secondly it’s easy to learn the simple fundamentals of photography, watch a youtube video, or read an article. Make sure that the foundation you build on with photography is well grounded.
Finally to always have a story coursing through your interaction with animals. The moment when a leopard makes eye contact with you, or capturing an animal’s foot in the air to show movement when it walks. These moments are special and an image can cement it in time.
Concluding the photography series
As fast as March arrived, so it passed and with it concluded Londolozi’s photographic series. Whilst tips and tricks were shared, the point of the series lay in unearthing the perspectives of our photographers. Revealing the story of how a shot came to be. And highlighting how different people go about capturing imagery. When an artist breaks from fixed bounds, when they dare to wade through uncharted waters, they find true perfection in their unique creation. But in order to take these steps, one must first understand their field intricately. Only then do you know how to break the bounds of photography. And your hidden message to the world becomes clear in the 1000 words you craft into your image.
Learn more about Photographic Safari
At Londolozi, wildlife photography holds an important place. We use it as a way to reconnect with nature, with the animals that inhabit the Game Reserve with us. This is why this article isn’t the only one we written in this photography series. If ever you want to learn more about wildlife photography, please feel free to consult:
- Photography Series episode 1: The Ranger’s eye
- Photography Series Episode 2: Generations through the lens
- Photography series episode 3: People in nature
- Photography Series Episode 4 – Country and Critters
If you want to know what wildlife photography is at Londolozi, check out our Photographic Safari experience page! Or find our what our ranger Nick Simms had to say about his experiences in photography
Thanks for this, hope the new role goes well. Just bought a photo that was stitched together and wondered how it was done
My pleasure Ian!
Sean your photography is outstanding and as you say you have learnt through this whole process and having all the cameras and equipment available to you helps tremendously. Forsure you must know your camera and its abilities, once your out there, there is no time to spare as nature unfolds and you want to get the shots taken. Technology is so fantastic and look now you’re even stitching fotos together to make one beautiful foto. Thank you so much Sean for all you stunning fotos and video’s, you have really gone out of your way to produce the best images.
WoW!!!!!!!!!!Absolutely Amazing photos!!!! Thank-You!!!!!!!!
Tristan, We have really enjoyed your special series. All of the photographers are brilliant in their focus and craft and it was great to get some of their tips. Of course Sean has a “leg up” on the rest, and he has the enviable job of being on the hunt for great content all the time. We have loved seeing Sean move into his new role and we hope he likes doing it as much as we enjoy seeing his work!
Its been adventure Michael and Terri, so thank you for following along! I loved getting to chat with you both through the series and find all the processes behind each photographer. The writing flew onto paper, it was almost second nature. I find it easy to convert passion into words! Sean seems to love his new role and I get the luxury of joining him from time to time. Cheers again and we’ll connect on the blog somewhere down the line
I am one of the many that spent a week with Sean as a Ranger. Sean was excellent as our Ranger and I shall never forget the speedy drive to find the 2 Wild Dogs – one with her ear missing. Thoroughly enjoy your virtual stories as we go forward. Susan
sounds incredible Susan! From what I have heard Sean was an incredible ranger so I’m glad you got that experience.
Sean, thanks for the update on your new adventure. Your photography is really stunning, thanks again for sharing.
Thanks Tristan! I really enjoyed this series.
When I am out walking two hyper dogs with their stroller for when they get tired (yes I know 😂😂😂), what works for me if I see something I want to photograph is snap as many pics as possible in the moment. My current camera is great for this (canon sx740hs) and it also has a good app that directly transfers the images to my iPhone/iPad and has a remote live view shooting. Quick editing and sharing is where I’m at these days…Thanks for the video on stitching. It finally got me to download Lightroom. 😀
I love Sean’s blk/white of the Nkoveni young female. The way her tail mirrors the tree branch in a dead center composition…👍😍🤩!
Marcia thank you for your kind words. That reminds me of Amanda’s style in episode 3, shooting in the moment on a feeling you get. Technology is incredible these days and I’m glad to hear you’ve got Lightroom. It is life changing for your photography!
I love that shot as well, really is one of my favorites!
This is really interesting. I have always wondered how it can be done. Great! Thanks!
Awesome Christa, I’m glad you enjoyed episode 5!
I loved this series!
Thank you very much for your kind words Chelsea!
Thank you Tristan for ending your series by showcasing the Eye of Londolozi, Sean Zeederberg. It was interesting to read he uses as many as three cameras while out on his drives, changing from still to video as the scene unfolds. It seems as though the Virtual Safari process is easier now with better equipment than when James Tyrrell began the Sunday videos during the Covid lockdown. It may have been a bit of McGyvering during his tenure.
Sean really managed the capture the personalities of Nkoveni Young Females 1&2, especially in his videos. I understand now why driving on his own without guests is essential for learning more about his subjects as well as being able to fully concentrate on his images.
Each of your featured photographers brings a different perspective to highlighting all of the species seen throughout the property, but I must give credit to all of the photographers working in Londolozi who share their own images within their blogs.
Hello Denise, I thought it only fitting to end the series with Sean. Things are progressing everyday and we make a point of being fluid and moving with technology. Any way we can bring our audience better viewing. Thank you for highlighting the multiple photographers who did not get featured. Whilst I would have loved to do 50 of these blogs (and I really could have) it was just not possible. And the blogs and TWIPS will continue to showcase their work until they get a feature of their own.
Sean has clearly transformed his immense passion and talent as a ranger into his new role. We always found him thoughtful and knowledgeable, but now his creativity is evident. It’s a lot of work creating the storylines each week. We miss him as a ranger but are happy he can follow his passion and share Londolozi with us.
Hey Vin, yes Sean has adapted brilliantly. He misses you as guests as you miss him as a ranger, he mentions this to me regularly. But the creative space is one he is growing into incredibly!
Really enjoy this series Tristan even though I’m not a particularly good photographer, nor do I have any super equipment. I would certainly like to get into macro photography one of these days😉. Sean has done a Sterling job of bringing us not only his fabulous photos, but his constant feed of beautiful virtual safaris which we so look forward to. Bravo !
Thank you Cally. I would highly recommend macro photography and hope episode 4 of the series will aid you in this pursuit. It is incredible to see the small creatures of our world come to life! I will pass your thoughts onto Sean, he has been brilliant in his role.
Great series Tristan, thank you.
Sean, you are very much still a ranger but now you are one to everyone who watches the weekly video blog. As with JT, you are such a natural behind the camera it feels like I’m in the vehicle next to you!