Five tips for Sunset Photography on Safari

We’ve been going through our archives of photographs, and we can’t help but share some of the beautiful photography Richard De Gouveia and @matt_meyer_africa have captured at sunset in the African bush.

Here are our top 5 tips for capturing these moments:

1. Shoot in Manual or Aperture Priority (with control)

Tip: Dial in exposure compensation (-1 to -2) to protect the sunset colours.

2. Use a Wide Aperture (but not too wide)

Tip: Aperture: f/4 – f/6. And if you’re shooting a silhouette, you can go narrower (f/8) for a crisper outline.

3. Keep Your Shutter Speed Fast Enough

Tip: Minimum: 1/250 for still animals. If it’s too dark, don’t drop the shutter too low; rather increase ISO.

4. Don’t Be Afraid of Higher ISO

Tip: ISO range: 400 – 1600 (even higher if needed)

5. Focus on the Mood, Not Just Detail

Tip: Expose for the sky, not the animal → creates silhouettes