Underappreciated Ungulates

500mm, f/4, 1/400s, ISO400

Antelopes are probably among the most underrated safari attractions. How often have you heard guests come back from a game drive saying that they “saw nothing except antelopes”? Well, I suppose that depends on how much time you spend in safari camps, but I can tell you it happens a lot, so here is some antelope love.

It is true that antelopes may not be as exciting as predators (though these often sleep for much of the day), but I would argue that they are every bit as beautiful and well worth our attention. There are 91 species of antelopes, most of which are found in Africa, ranging from 1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs (the royal antelope) to 950 kg/ 2,100 lbs (eland antelope).

Personally I am a big fan of their ears, and for photography I try to find small groups where all ears point in the same direction — preferably mine. More than one individual is also nice since they can create nice symmetry and patterns when standing together. A low angle is generally helpful if I want to blur the background; that way it becomes less of a distraction. I photographed these Ugandan kob in Ishasha (Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda).

Don’t miss our extensive interview with Marcus and head to his website for even more.