Nairobi National Park photography guide

Why Nairobi National Park rewards photographers

The juxtaposition of wildlife and skyscrapers is the park's defining image, and it is genuinely unique among Africa's parks. Add a dense rhino population, reliable lion sightings and open plains that give a clean, uncluttered background, and you have a compact but rewarding photographic destination.

Recommended kit

• A telephoto in the 100–400mm or 200–600mm range for mammals and birds
• A wide-angle or standard zoom (16–35mm or 24–70mm) for skyline-backdrop shots
• Bean bag rather than a tripod — vehicles are the main platform
• A polarising filter to cut haze between you and the distant skyline
• Spare batteries and cards; a half or full day drive rarely needs charging on site

Settings and technique

Shoot in aperture priority with auto ISO and a minimum shutter speed of 1/1000s for mammals, 1/2500s for birds in flight. For skyline shots, stop down to f/8-f/11 to keep both foreground animal and background buildings acceptably sharp, and shoot early or late when haze is at its lowest.

Best subjects and where

• Black rhino: the rhino sanctuary in the park's centre, at any time of day
• Lion: the open plains and Athi Basin, especially with the skyline behind at dawn
• Giraffe and zebra: the plains near the Kitengela boundary
• Leopard: the riverine forest and rocky gorges to the west, at dawn and dusk
• Waterbirds: the Athi Basin dams throughout the day

Light and timing

Enter at the Main Gate before sunrise: the first hour gives soft light, minimal haze between you and the skyline, and the quietest roads. Midday haze can soften the skyline in photographs, so save that window for close portraits or black-and- white work. Late afternoon light is warm and flattering on the open plains.

Getting the skyline shot

The best angles for combining wildlife with the skyline are from the plains in the eastern and central sections of the park, looking north. Ask your driver-guide, who will know where recent sightings put lion or rhino on the right side of the light for this composition.