Getting the picture (part two)

Last month, we introduced you to photographer Dmitri Markine, who we interviewed recently to seek his professional insights on taking great photos in Africa. In addition to his main job as one of Canada’s leading wedding photographers, Dmitri has travelled extensively through East Africa, creating beautiful shots of the region’s people, wildlife and landscapes. We conclude our feature this month with the second half of our interview with Dmitri, and we thank him for taking the time to inspire us.

Do Africa’s unique features present particular opportunities or challenges for a photographer?

Finding the best light is always a challenge for a photographer. Very rarely do I use an external flash source and I always try to use the sun to my advantage. Ideally, sunrise and sunset are the best time for photography and I tend to take more pictures during that period. If the sun is really harsh, I attempt to either take photographs of people in the shade or position myself so that it does not bother me as much. At times it involves a lot of waiting while I frame the scene and wait for a subject to walk into it.

© Dmitri Markine

Is there a particular story you seek to tell through your photography in Africa?

I am always attempting to photograph real lives of people and the wildlife. Africa is an amazing place that you won’t be able to fully discover in a lifetime and I am just happy to explore it and perhaps help others to see how amazing our world is. Many people live their lives in a very basic environment and do not have the luxuries we have, such as computers, cars or even proper food and water, yet they seem so genuinely happy!

Your images have an intriguing otherworldly quality. How important are post-production techniques in achieving that feel?

I consider myself more of an artist than a photographer. I just found that a camera is the best medium to express myself. I consider editing as an important part of photography. Photographers used dark rooms as their “Photoshop” 60-80 years ago and could do some amazing things. Now with the digital, many photographers have found themselves unable to learn complex editing software such as Adobe Photoshop. I was lucky to start learning Photoshop in the 90s and I use it along with Adobe Lightroom to enhance my photographs. I am a firm believer, though, in taking a good photograph and only then to use the editing on it. I don’t think it is possible to make an image great if it wasn’t any good in a first place.

© Dmitri Markine

People commonly think that without expensive, advanced equipment, taking truly extraordinary photos is beyond their reach. Is that so?

Good quality equipment can make it easier for you to capture images, but it will not make you a great photographer. I personally found that since many people can’t really use DSLRs properly, their images don’t come out as well as they would if shooting with a point-and-shoot camera, which already have all the auto settings built-in to take beautiful photographs that don’t need any external editing. I use Canon s100 point-and-shoot camera for photographs of my family while on vacation and road trips with great success.  And with some editing, those photographs can rival images from my professional equipment which costs 20 times more! My first ever Africa trip to Kenya was with an old Canon 10D camera from 2003, along with some really basic cheap lenses. I was able to take images good enough to be featured in magazines, receive dozens of awards and sold to a private galleries and businesses.
  
Dmitri’s photographs are available to buy as framed canvas prints – contact him at info@dmitrimarkine.com or on +1(416)841-3066. Further information about his international wedding photography service can be found at www.dmitrimarkine.com.

Five fascinating flamingo facts

1. The flamingos that are a characteristic presence along the Great Rift Valley in East Africa are actually lesser flamingos. They are found around the lakes throughout Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. These are marked out from five other species of flamingo by their relatively small size and black colouring on their bills.

2. It is not known whether the populations of lesser flamingos in East Africa are genetically related to a smaller isolated population living in India. But a new study being conducted at the UK’s University of Leicester is aiming to discover just that, through genetic research on feathers from birds at each location. Revealing whether or not these groups of flamingos are distinct or whether they interact might clear up long-standing mystery about their migratory patterns.

3. Flamingos feed on blue-green algae, and to a lesser extent, shrimp. Surprisingly, it is the algae that give the lesser flamingo its characteristic soft pink colouring, as they are virtually all this species eats. The algae contain a photosynthetic pigment which is expressed in the birds’ plumage. The particular algae favoured by flamingos, mainly Spirulina, only grow in alkaline water, which explains the concentrations of the birds around the soda lakes of the Great Rift Valley.

4. It is thought by many that the flamingo may have inspired the ancient myth of the phoenix, the immortal firebird which burns periodically then is reborn from the ashes. The flamingo, as well as having a majestic stature and otherworldly bright colouring, has another feature which is phoenix-like – flamingos build a raised mound nest above salt flats, which are too hot for the eggs, creating a convection effect that resembles the flames you might expect during a phoenix re-birth.

5. East Africa is home to over 2 million lesser flamingos, the largest concentration in the world. They create a vast sea of pink as they gather at their regular breeding ground at Lake Natron, in Tanzania, close to the Kenya border. They also appear in huge flocks in Kenya at Lake Nakuru (their main feeding ground) and Lake Bogoria.

Click here to see a stunning film of flamingos at Lake Bogoria:

An East African Christmas

With the festive season in flow, many of us turn to the comfort of the time-honoured traditions which make Christmas the most magical part of the year. Here in East Africa too, Christmas celebrations are a revered ritual – with some aspects which people elsewhere in the world would recognise and others which are particular to this region.

Many facets of Christmas in Kenya and its neighbours resemble those in parts of Europe and the America. Of course, the most treasured part about the Christmas holiday for most is the chance to spend time with loved-ones. And this emphasis on families and friends getting together is what really makes the season special here in East Africa just as elsewhere.

Lots of the festive customs here would be familiar in the West too. The singing of carols is a treasured part of proceedings. And brightly coloured decorations, candles and Christmas trees are popular in many homes and public places. The exchanging of gifts and greetings cards is another of the traditions outsiders would recognise.

But there is much that looks and feels different here too. For one thing, the cold weather which helps define the season in the higher reaches of the northern hemisphere is, as you’d expect, not a feature of an African Christmas! In fact, the holiday comes at what is one of the hottest times of the year for much of the region. And while Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25 in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda, you might be surprised to learn that it falls on January 7 in Ethiopia, as a consequence of the country observing a different calendar.

Christmas dinner is rather different here too. While Brits or Americans might be tucking into a turkey, an East African family is more likely to be gathered around a roasted goat dish called nyama choma. Depending on exactly which part of East Africa you’re in, the festive meal might alternatively consist of beef, fish, or chapatti bread with chutneys.

Another practice that sets Christmas apart in East Africa is the playing of sports on Christmas Day. While those in the world’s colder climes huddle around a fire to pull crackers, the hot contrast of Africa brings people out to enjoy more active pursuits. In Ethiopia, a hockey-like game called Ganna (which also means Christmas here), which involves a curved stick and wooden ball, is a popular event on Christmas Day.

Whatever form Christmas takes for you, we wish you well over the festive period and look forward to talking to you in 2012. May we wish you a Merry Christmas - or in Swahili, Kuwa na Krismasi njema!

Learning the lingo

In most of East Africa, you’ll find that speaking English is enough to help you get by. But learning even a little of the indigenous language for your holiday is a nice way to feel more immersed in the culture – and makes a respectful gesture to the local people.

There are dozens of languages and dialects spoken in East Africa, but the main unifying language in everyday use is Swahili. Knowing this fascinating language is by no means essential when visiting the region, but grasping a few important phrases enables you to make basic pleasantries or simple requests in the language.

Swahili words are relatively easy to pronounce. As a general rule, every consonant is sounded out. Where two vowels appear together, they are each pronounced separately. There are plenty of guidebooks available for understanding Swahili and to make translations on the go. But here are a few key words and phrases with which to get started:

Hello - Salama/Jambo
Hi - Habari
How are you? - Hujambo
I’m fine, thanks - Sijambo, asante
Goodbye - Kwaheri
Good night - Lala salama
Yes - Ndiyo
No - Hapana
OK - Sawa
Please - Tafadhali
Thank you - Asante
No thanks - La asante
Excuse me/Sorry - Samahani
I don’t understand - Sielewi
How much does it cost? - Bei gani?
May I take a photo? - Naomba kupiga picha?

Make time for Nairobi

With the thrill of wildlife and wilderness awaiting you on a safari holiday, it’s easy to overlook Nairobi as a necessary but unremarkable hopping point between home and your ultimate destination. But the Kenyan capital shouldn’t be underestimated – you might just find that the city adds a surprisingly rich cultural element to your trip.

Nairobi is a buzzing city with variety and charm in abundance. Its British colonial past, Indian heritage and a diversity of communities combine to create a vibrant, cosmopolitan feel. Churches, mosques and temples share their places among the streets. There is also a strong sense of Nairobi as a modern, throbbing commercial centre, this being the hub of East Africa’s economic activity. This is evident in the scattering of skyscrapers you see, a vision you might not immediately match with the African skyline.

The bright lights of the Kenyan capital

The jumble of cultural influences makes for some inspiring culinary options for visitors. Plenty of great Asian restaurants can be found, with fans of Indian, Thai, Chinese and Japanese cuisine being well catered for. And naturally, traditional African menus are also widely available, serving everything from delicately spiced seafood offerings and eminently local ostrich and crocodile dishes.

As for accommodation, Nairobi provides something you might not get during the rest of your holiday – the chance to stay in a hotel. Luxury camps may well await you in later days but why not make the most of some urban civilisation too? At Africa House, we like to show you some of the best hotels Nairobi has to offer. One of those is the House of Waine, a boutique hotel in the Karen district which offers comfort, top facilities, great food, and a rarity for big city accommodation – glorious green open space.


Nairobi's House of Waine hotel

There’s plenty to keep you stimulated during your stay in the city. As well as ample shopping and sightseeing opportunities, there are some fascinating visitor attractions to check out. The Karen Blixen Museum allows you to explore the home and personal belongings of the author who did so much to romanticise Kenya through her touching memoir ‘Out of Africa’.

And it’s not just out on safari that the wildlife experiences happen in Kenya. Nairobi is unusual for a major city in that it has a game reserve, Nairobi National Park, right on its doorstep. Here resides an attraction which many an Africa House guest has loved: Daphne Sheldricks’s Elephant Orphanage. This organisation takes in baby elephants which have lost their parents from throughout Kenya. It’s a chance not only to support the commendable work which goes on here but also to witness the irresistibly cute sight of baby elephants playing and feeding.

While visiting the elephants, we also take guests to visit the nearby Giraffe Centre, run by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife Kenya. You can support and learn about this organisation’s efforts to protect giraffes and enjoy the really fun part – getting close to the gorgeous towering animals themselves.

Three essential African reads

There are dozens of books out there which provide an insight into east Africa, from novels which draw on the region's magical atmosphere to books designed to offer a practical guide to visiting. If you're looking to be inpired and informed ahead of your own safari adventure, you can't go far wrong with the following three books, each a classic in its own genre.

OUT OF AFRICA – Karen Blixen

This all-time classic is the nostalgic memoir of one Danish woman’s time in Kenya. The book, which inspired the multi-Oscar-winning movie of the same name, is an absorbing recollection on Blixen’s years spent running a coffee plantation. It offers an affectionate account of 1930’s African life and a beautifully poetic look at the people, wildlife and landscapes of Kenya.

THE SAFARI COMPANION – Richard D. Estes

For anyone keen to really understand Africa’s game wildlife, The Safari Companion is the definitive field guide. This comprehensive and detailed volume tells you everything you could want to know about the continent’s mammals, from gazelles to gorillas, warthogs to wildebeest. It provides tips on how best to view each species, maps of where to find them and a scientific insight to their social behaviour. A wildlife fanatic’s dream, this book will equip you with the knowledge to impress even your Africa House Safari guide!

EAST AFRICA (Lonely Planet Multi Country Guide)

For overall travel guides, you can’t go wrong with the trusty Lonely Planet series. And the East Africa volume provides a wealth of invaluable information for you to digest. There are all the useful facts you’d expect on things like health, currency and climate. You can also do some background reading about the fascinating cultures and histories of Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and their neighbours. As well as being a handy reference whilst in Africa, this book could also be a useful starting point for deciding where in East Africa you’d like Africa House to take you and what you’d most like to see and do when you’re here.

African photo project earns top prize for Bob

Africa House guide and accomplished photographer Bob Demchuk has won a top Paris photography prize. His ‘Pokot Women’ collection was awarded the Gold prize in a category for documentary book proposals in the 2011 Prix de la Photographie Paris (Px3) competition.

A photograph of a grandmother from Bob Demchuk's
award-winning book proposal, 'Pokot Women'.

The photographs are a beautifully shot series of portraits of women from the Pokot tribe, a group who live in parts of Kenya and Uganda. Bob’s motivation for the works is both aesthetic and moral. On one level, the elegance of the Pokot people and their way of life is strikingly evident in Bob’s photos, with his production techniques adding a magical, distant quality. But there is also a serious side to the project as Bob wanted to highlight the gender inequalities which constrain the freedom and dignity of Pokot women.

Bob has decades of experience in photography and movie directing. His career has taken him to some of the world’s most spectacular and remote places. The people, wildlife and scenery of East Africa have been a particular passion for the US-based photographer and we’re delighted that he shares his love of the region with our guests when he works alongside us as a guide.

To see more of Bob’s photography and learn about his work in supporting women’s causes, visit his website.

Kenya lakes get World Heritage status

The Kenya Lake System, one of the country’s most alluring natural features, has recently been designated as a Unesco World Heritage Site. The system, which comprises three interconnected lakes – Bogoria, Nakuru and Elementaita – joins the likes of the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon on Unesco’s prestigious list of places considered to have outstanding value to humanity.



African wild dogs and flamingos at Lake Nakuru


The lakes, which are form part of the Great Rift Valley, provide a habitat for an extraordinary catalogue of wildlife. Most notably, they are a crucial site for lesser flamingos and an important nesting and breeding ground for great white pelicans. The lakes harbour a vast array of other birdlife too, including several threatened species. Many of Africa’s famous mammals also make their home here, such as giraffes, cheetahs, black rhinos and African wild dogs.

Unesco is the United Nations agency responsible for promoting the protection of places of natural or cultural importance to the world. Other Kenyan sites which have previously been awarded World Heritage status include the old town of Lamu and Mount Kenya National Park.

10 things you might not know about East Africa

1) Modern humans are thought to have originated in East Africa. Some of the earliest archaeological and fossilised artefacts associated with our earliest ancestors have been discovered in Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia. This has led to the region being known as ‘the cradle of humanity’.

2) The gelada, which lives in the Simien mountains of Ethiopia, is the world’s only existing species of grazing monkey. Also known as the ‘bleeding heart baboon’ owing to a striking patch of red on its chest, the gelada uses its excellent gripping ability to pick fresh green grass to sustain itself.


The gelada, or 'bleeding heart baboon',
is the world's only grazing monkey.

3) Kenya is a highly multilingual country. While Swahili and English are its official languages, there are well over 50 other local dialects in usage.

4) One of East Africa’s favourite beverages is banana beer. Fermented from mashed bananas, it’s a potent drink that contains around 10% alcohol by volume. Kenya and Tanzania are two of the region’s major banana beer producers.

5) The Maasai live in homes called Inkajijik. These shelters, built by women in the tribe, are either star-shaped or circular. They consist of a timber framework, a network of smaller branches, and a render made from a mixture of mud, sticks, grass, cow dung and ash.

6) In 2008, Rwanda became the first ever country to have a democratic government with a female majority. Following the election in that year, the county’s Chamber of Deputies was occupied by 45 women, accounting for 56% of the total parliamentary seats.

7) Despite being positioned almost at the Equator, Mount Kilimanjaro’s towering altitude means that the temperature at its peak can plummet to minus 25 degrees Celsius.

8) The classic movie, Out Of Africa, was filmed partly in the Ngong Hills in Kenya. The film also featured genuine descendants of the Kikuyu, a Kenyan tribe.

9) The Great Rift Valley, which passes through Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania, is visible from space. This geological depression, which is responsible for stunning volcanic, mountain and valley features on the ground, appears as a long crack in the surface on the Earth when seen from space.

10) The African elephant uses its trunk as an incredibly versatile tool. It’s used to pull leaves, strip bark from trees and suck up water for drinking or spraying to keep cool. The trunk is also utilised for greetings and communication, smelling danger, and even to fight off lions.

An elephant's trunk has an amazing
variety of uses.

5 good reasons to visit… Rwanda

1) You can get close to gorillas!

An encounter with a Silverback Gorilla
is unforgettable.

By far Rwanda’s biggest lure to visitors are the beautiful silverback mountain gorillas residing there. The chance to track these rare creatures and then to get close to them in their own habitat is a profound and unforgettable experience. Gorillas display a calm and peaceful attitude to human observers in spite of their overwhelming size and formidable power. Being in their presence is truly one of the world’s most amazing wildlife encounters.

2) There’s a wealth of other wildlife too

While the gorillas are a must-see, Rwanda is not all about the monkeys! In its National Parks, such as the stunning Virunga, you can witness a vast array of other spectacular wildlife. Forest elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, hippos and a stunning assortment of African bird species are just a part of the rich and varied catalogue of wild animals which await you.

3) It’s exceptionally beautiful

Rwanda offers magnificent views of mountains
and verdant green landscapes.

Dubbed the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’, Rwanda’s landscape is a breathtaking sight. Mountains, extinct volcanoes, rivers and lakes are all present in this tiny African country. There are also endless lush grassy hills and vibrant rainforest, giving Rwanda a refreshing lush greenness you might not have expected to enjoy in the heart of Africa.

4) The climate is pleasant

Despite its equatorial position, Rwanda’s climate is temperate owing to its high elevation. This makes for very comfortable conditions for those scenic walks or that mountain gorilla trek. It makes Rwanda the perfect place for anyone who wants the magic of a tropical holiday but without the intense heat.

5) It’s highly underrated

Rwanda is not widely thought of as a conventional tourist destination so visitor numbers are relatively low. This means that the country has a more authentic, less ‘touristy’ feel than some more established destinations. Many are inevitably deterred from considering Rwanda for their holiday because of associations with its tragic recent past. But the reality is that Rwanda has moved on from its dark times to become a safe and welcoming place. In fact, the country has developed into a beacon of stability and progressiveness - in 2008, Rwanda became the first country to elect a female majority in government. Come along and witness a country full of renewed hope and civic pride.

Looking ahead to a sensational year of safaris

Whatever time of the year you visit East Africa, there’s always something amazing to see. With a consistently warm, tropical climate, and abundant and continuous wildlife viewing opportunities, Kenya and its neighbours are genuine year-round destinations. But each season offers something unique too so it’s worth thinking about which time of year might best suit your needs – booking and travelling with expert operators like us can help you make this decision, and also ensures that you’ll enjoy the best seasonal experiences on offer when you’re on safari. Here’s a brief guide to some of the highlights set to excite safari-goers in 2011:

January, February, March

It’s a bright and busy start to the year in East Africa, with recent rains meaning grasslands are shown in their lushest, greenest glory and rivers are in full flow. This relatively dry, hot period is a great time of the year for spotting wildlife, with many baby animals around to provide the cute factor.

Elephant Pepper Camp, on our Spring Break Safari

Our Spring Break Safari, the first of this year’s special tours, starts on March 8th. This luxurious 10-day safari will show off the best of Kenya’s attractions. Guests will get to enjoy the game-rich plains of Amboseli, against the park’s stunning backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro. The wildlife-watching will continue as we visit the strikingly scenic Samburu and the world-famous Masai Mara. If you like the sound of this springtime safari, there’s still time to book your place. You can see the full details of the safari on our website by clicking here.

April, May, June



The onset of rainy weather during this quarter of the year leaves many would-be tourists looking elsewhere in their calendar. However, some savvy travellers rightly realise that these months are the most under-rated times to visit East Africa. For one thing, the very fact that it’s the low season means that those who do take safaris now can enjoy the parks and attractions with far fewer other tourists around. It’s also a more affordable time of the year to stay at camps and lodges.

Stunning Laikipia, on our Painting Safari

And there’s plenty which is special about this season to more than compensate for a bit of rain. The unique landscape and botany of East Africa are particularly picturesque now, with the crystal clear air displaying the landscape vividly and blooming wildflowers in abundance. It’s also a great time for watching birds, of which there are over 1200 species in Kenya alone.

This natural beauty is sure to present the perfect subject matter for our special Painting Safari, which starts on June 23rd and runs for 12 days. This tour is guided by celebrated wildlife artist, Martin Aveling, and Terry Brownbill, our own highly experienced guide and bush expert. Guests will have the opportunity to see landscapes and wildlife in a diverse array of settings, including the magical Laikipia, where there’s a chance to wander freely in search of the perfect spot from which to paint animals at close quarters. You can see full details of the tour by clicking here. Give us a call to book a place or to get further information.

July, August, September

The spectacular wildebeest migration

A trip to Kenya’s Masai Mara is a must around this time of the year, as the great annual wildebeest migration crosses from the Serengeti in one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on Earth. Countless hordes of wildebeest, along with zebras and gazelle, flood onto Kenya’s grassy plains in search of fresh pastures, while under attack from crocodiles in the river and by lions, cheetahs and hyenas on land.

This dry period offers the perfect conditions for game spotting as fewer drinking spots mean that wildlife tend to congregate around scarcer water sources. The climate is particularly comfortable at this time of the year, with warm days being followed by cool nights, which allow the perfect excuse for guests themselves to congregate – around a glowing camp fire.

October, November, December



Our Photo Safari offers close wildlife encounters

This quarter heralds the arrival of a special tour which we’re very excited about – our special Photographic Safari, which runs from the 1st - 10th October. Guided by Bob Demchuk, an accomplished photographer and movie-maker, guests can sharpen their photographic talents in some of the world’s most inspiring settings. The Samburu Reserve will lure landscape lovers with its acacia woodland and volcanic rock cones, while the Masai Mara will provide plenty of action to capture on camera, especially as the visit coincides with the culmination of the Kenyan stage of the magnificent wildebeest migration. Click here for the full details.

All in all, 2011 promises to be an exciting year for safaris in East Africa. If you’d like to get in on the action this year, we’d love to chat with you about the kind of safari we can design for you. Or perhaps you like the sound of one of the special tours we have planned. Either way, feel free to give us a call on +254 722 512 588 and make it a year to remember!

Tree Climbing Lioness in Lake Nakuru National Park!

Africa House Safaris is based in Africa's Great Rift Valley, on a farm which looks out towards Lake Nakuru, a shallow lake famous for its sprawling flocks of flamingos. 'Nakuru', meaning 'dust' or 'dusty place' in the Maasai language, is currently far from being a dusty place, having seen many inches of glorious rain in the past few months! Wild grasses are lush and long, providing a hunting challenge for predators such as lions.

On a recent day trip to Lake Nakuru National Park we were fortunate to see this very rare sight: a beautiful lioness using a tree as a vantage point from which to keep herds of plains game such as zebra and impala in its sight. Whilst leopards are well known for their tree-climbing behaviour, it is very rare to spot a lion up a tree!