His ability to capture animals in moments when their personalities are in full flight makes Armand Grobler a photographer to watch. He’s not only an image-maker, but a compelling visual storyteller whose gift is evident in these highlights from his first book, Photo Safari Kruger.
With ever-changing scenery, from open savanna plains to dense forests, from flowing rivers to salty pans, Kruger is a photographic paradise. Photo Safari Kruger aspires to capture the complete quintessence of a photographic safari experience and articulates the captivating story of South Africa’s premier game reserve and its fascinating inhabitants.
For much of the project, I lived in a tent, close to nature and exposed to the extremity of the elements. Living in these conditions is a humbling experience, you soon start to appreciate the basics of solid walls and a roof, and yet listening to the gentle pitter-patter of rain on the canvas, the roar of a distant lion, the resonating trills and chirrups of insects or a hyena sniffing around the campsite, allows you to be completely absorbed into the wild experience.
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Falling asleep to the natural symphony of an African night became my happy place, and when I eventually returned home, the unnerving silence of solid walls kept me awake for countless evenings.
From setting up camp in torrential rains to enduring 42°C heat, surviving cyclonic winds of more than 92km/h and persisting through long, freezing nights, the Kruger had provided it all over the years it took to complete this project, only deepening my passion for and desire to be part of this extraordinary kingdom.
Six years of working in the Kruger region passed with no opportunity to capture the elusive pangolin: that scaly anteater with a habit of evading camera sensors. I had all but given up searching for these secretive creatures when one late afternoon, while we were test-driving the camp’s Land Rover, a glimpse of shiny scales reflecting in the autumn sun, caught my attention, gleaming through a patch of burnt grass. Caught up in the excitement of our rare find, I immediately launched myself from the passenger seat and spent the remaining daylight hours alone with this mystical mammal. It was only later that I realised I had caused considerable damage to the muscles in both my legs, not being used to the strain of photographing at such low and unusual angles.
Nature speaks with an unsophisticated literature. The wind murmurs age-old folklore, while the mornings share a more recent story, in the form of tracks scribed in sand. But what about the shifting shapes that lurk and wait in the shadows? This is a low key image with a –3.0 EV; the elephant was predominantly in the shade but was dust-bathing in the sunlight, which was what I measured the exposure on
Ensconced at an isolated waterhole, I noticed a rising cloud of dust gradually spreading across the horizon, followed by an enormous number of flies and eventually a giant herd of buffalo, eagerly rushing for a revitalising drink. The sky was set alight with Earth’s flames, painting a spectacular picture that took my breath away, both literally and figuratively.
T African wild dogs are Africa’s most successful predators, but also our most endangered ones. Out of the approximately 6 500 that roam Africa, only about 350 are found in Kruger, with numbers dwindling. Forming tight family units, the phrase ‘strength in numbers’ is perfected in the pack, which displays a bond surpassed only by elephants. Despite all the odds stacked against them, these incredible creatures continue their legacy in Kruger as a species determined to survive.
Like shattered crystals, tiny raindrops explode in glistening unison as this lion shakes off a downpour
African wild dogs are Africa’s most successful predators, but also our most endangered ones. Out of the approximately 6 500 that roam Africa, only about 350 are found in Kruger, with numbers dwindling. Forming tight family units, the phrase ‘strength in numbers’ is perfected in the pack, which displays a bond surpassed only by elephants. Despite all the odds stacked against them, these incredible creatures continue their legacy in Kruger as a species determined to survive
Over the years, I came to realise that Kruger is the epitome of contrast. The summer colours reflect an abstract artwork, smelting hues of blue, green, gold, red and pink into a masterpiece that never ceases to amaze. This simple giraffe silhouette was taken at –2.3 EV which evenly exposes the background sunrise and shadows the subject, the hovering bird a delightful bonus.
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