September in the Serengeti: The Best Light of the Year
Our monthly letter from camp in the Central Serengeti. September is the photographer's month — low, golden light, dust in the air, and animals with nowhere left to hide.
The month the light does the work
The sun sits low at each end of the day and the dust in the air turns every late afternoon amber. Shoot into the light for silhouettes and haloes; keep it behind you for colour that is almost too rich to be true. The bleached plains make a clean backdrop and the long shadows give everything shape.
Easy predators in the dry season
With the grass grazed low and the cover gone, September is the easiest month of the year to find predators — lions on the kopjes at first light, cheetahs up on the termite mounds to the east, and, if you are lucky, a leopard in the shade along the river.
Your own vehicle and guide
Every group at RAFIKI has a private vehicle and guide for their whole stay, so you can sit with a scene until the light is exactly right. Pop-up-roof 4x4s, plus one open-truck outing during your stay.