With the revolution in photography how can digital images help to the conservation of wildlife in Africa?
It’s sad to hear that Kodak has hit hard times, but critics say the company failed to adapt to digital. Even sadder to discover that it might well have been Kodak that invented the first digital camera back in 1975. Apparently the camera was the size of a coffee machine, so not very practical!
More than 2.5 billion people on the planet own a digital camera, according to Samsung, and where once we treated our film with reverence, we can now merrily snap away knowing that in among the 100s of photos we take there may be one or two gems.
Professional photographers might argue that digital has killed the craft of photography, but on the upside, digital gives us a much more instant way of recording events in many different scenarios.
So can this freedom in photography be put to good use in countries like Africa where animal conservation is so important?
Well, yes! Wildlife photography can be used to make records for educational uses. African Impact, for example, works with the Green Vision Foundation to create a database of images. Photographs are used to get local communities involved in looking after plant life and wildlife. Showing local schoolchildren the beauty that they are surrounded by encourages future generations to care for their environment.
Wildlife photography also helps researchers who are collecting data on animals and local flora and will be a vital element of the information gathered.
South Africa’s game parks are a fantastic destination for photography and wildlife enthusiasts. In the parks you’ll find the ‘big five’; rhinos, elephants, lions, buffalo and leopard (and of course many more amazing animals like zebras and hippos) along with unique plant-life.
Imagine the scene – you’re watching the sunrise over the water hole from the comfort of your cabin when a family of lions wanders up for a morning drink. You reach for your camera and zoom in on the face of the proud lioness. Now that’s something you won’t forget!
Kodak may not have stepped up to the digital revolution, but the rest of us have. Using the technology you can improve your photography and help with animal conservation, just one way of celebrating digital – as long as the camera isn’t the size of a coffee machine…
Rachel Hill
I have a great passion for wildlife & conservation, after an 8yr background of selling South Africa as a destination and Shamwari Game Reserve I have recently been lucky enough to get involved with Worldwide Experience and contribute towards making changes in people lives. The projects we offer are truly amazing and I hope together we can make a difference.
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