“Getting onto the game drive vehicle, eagerly holding my camera to capture wildlife, she said the first thing I needed to do was take the camera off auto mode. How would my photos turn out? All blurry & out-of-focus?! The complete opposite! She taught me how to use my camera correctly, what to look for when capturing a photo and suddenly, not only were my photos looking a million times better but my vocabulary started including words like ISO settings, aperture settings & shutter speeds. It was absolute privilege to be taught by Danielle and thanks to her, I was able to capture amazing photos. A new passion has definitely bitten!”
“Danielle is undoubtedly a master at her craft. Her ability to quickly assess the level of our skills and appropriately assist us to “up our game” was remarkable. She patiently guided us, answered questions and transferred her incredible skills and knowledge. This was very special indeed. We connected with her immediately and this learning experience also translated into a lot of laughter and fun – We also have an overflowing “memory box” of photos which we will always treasure as a reminder of this special time.”
“Danielle’s knowledge of photography and her knowledge of animal behavior turned out to be the backbone of our memorable experiences. She is patient, she was a mentor, she was a teacher, she cared about our experiences. My wife is not a photographer so she went out of way to ensure my wife was enjoying her experiences in the midst of photographers.”
“Danielle made our trip so memorable, as she is so personable, knowledgeable and fun, and very patient with us when teaching how to use the big lenses. We came home with so many wonderful photos. I am still looking through all these amazing photos. Thank you Danielle, and the rest of the amazing staff for a lifetime memory and a most memorable stay.”
“We feel incredibly fortunate to have had Danielle as our personal guide for our evening and morning drives. She is an outstanding wildlife photographer and a proven expert on all camera brands, lenses and settings. Danielle even managed to help each of us on our individual skill levels. She supported and challenged us so calmly and effectively that we were all able to learn an amazing amount and came home with great shots. Her suggestions have deepened and stimulated our photographic knowledge and skills in the long term and we have greatly appreciated her particularly sympathetic nature, humor and composure. We really enjoyed her company both on the boat and on the dinner table.”
“Our photographic host Danielle was fantastic. She ensured every guest had one on one time with her, explaining various aspects of photography as well as Lightroom. Due to her excellent teaching skills I have a new passion capturing birds in flight, something I never believed I would be able to do. I still need loads of practice but this was a great starting point. Danielle pointed out alternate concepts like high and low key when the conditions were right, wow what great images these concepts produced. We met as strangers and left as friends.”
“And then the real reason for the trip, to polish our wildlife photographic skills and here we must specifically mention Danielle Carstens, our superb photo host, who knows more about the settings and workings of just about every camera on the market. In addition, she has a an excellent eye for a creative photo opportunity. She could make a mundane and humble image leap into life with her encouraging tuition and I think everyone of our group loved the way she goaded us into creating wildlife images which we never thought we were capable of.”
“Danielle is the coach one can only hope to have along: always ready to share her vast understanding of cameras, settings, light conditions, and wildlife. But never getting in the way of our creativity.”
A deep love for the outdoors and wild, secluded places has given me the opportunity to photograph everything from the iconic species to the lesser known little creatures.
Watch the video to learn about the role the background plays in your wildlife image and how it can make or break your photograph.
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