How Marlon du Toit and the Wild Eye Team Changed the Way I See the World
For my first blog post there were a number of different topics I thought about writing on. In the end I decided to go for a simple endorsement. I'd like to share with you my experience with a company that has changed my life. If you've read my profile you know a bit about my backstory. Most of the year I am a teacher, and I spend most of time in a classroom. When I am not teaching I am traveling and taking pictures. Whatever spare time and extra money I can scrape together I put towards this passion, and Africa in particular is deep in my soul.
A few years ago I decided that rather than simply being a tourist, I wanted to contribute more towards conservation efforts and help those who protect that which I love so much. For me, spreading awareness by telling the stories of these endangered animals was the best vehicle to accomplish this, and so I needed to learn wildlife photography. All of the technical knowledge, practical experience, and animal behavior understanding is out there and readily available. I simply needed to find a conduit to it, and I never imagined I would find it all in one place. I reached out to an up and coming young photographic guide named Marlon du Toit, working for an upstart young company that was pitching a different brand of guiding. Wild Eye Photographic Safaris was offering exactly what I needed, not simply instruction, but the chance to apprentice in field with world class photographers. After a series of emails and a phone conversation or two, Marlon and I made a plan to visit Hwange National Park together (the same park since made globally famous by the tragic poaching incident that killed Cecil the lion). We spent four days together in that amazing place, and then flew to Mana Pools where I joined a small group safari he was leading. There is no way to properly put into worlds what that experience was like sitting side by side with Marlon, soaking up his knowledge, feeding off of his passion for the bush, and most importantly sharing his appreciation for his home... Africa.
Since that first trip with Marlon I have gone with him to Madikwe and the Klaserie, privately managed game reserves in South Africa. I've also just recently returned from Kenya where I got to work with Marlon's Wild Eye partners Gerry Van der Walt and Andrew Beck. In Madikwe Marlon and Wild Eye guide Grant Marcus finally ended my epic seven year quest to see and photograph the African wild dog.
I've seen famous places and famous animals alongside of him, including Boswell the standing elephant in Mana Pools and Tsala the leopard queen in Madikwe. Many things have changed since our first trip together, and my skills and understanding of photography have grown in leaps and bounds. The equipment has changed also; I now shoot on a Nikon D5 and D810, and use fast prime lenses instead of zoom options. The one thing that never changes is that I have learned from Wild Eye each and every single time I have traveled with them. Lessons in Kenya on exposure while photographing birds against bright sky were recently applied to help me capture a Canada Lynx in the snow. Marlon's insight into animal behavior and ability to capture images in low light have opened me up to photographing in conditions where in the past I would have put the camera away and not even attempted it. Gerry has unbeatable instincts for capturing the moment and practical knowledge for combing technical nuance with animal behavior to capture incredible interactions. With Andrew, I've never met a photographer with a better mind for composition, or the ability to view the "big picture" and use it to manage a photographic sighting. They each have unique strengths, as well as a common foundation built on their background as guides in the field.
I'm not the novice I used to be. The images you will see on this site are of professional quality now. The intuition, technical expertise, and practical experience I have gained with Wild Eye have made me confident and prepared in the field. One might think at this point I would travel and work alone, and I do occasionally, but I am a Wild Eye client for life, and here is why;
1. Logistics - They handle everything. From airport transfers to accommodations, I never have to worry about anything when traveling with Wild Eye. From the moment I step off the plane I am taken care of. Could I handle these logistics on my own at this point? Sure. Why would I want to though? Without these concerns I am free to simply enjoy every moment I am in the bush.
2. Affordability - I'm a teacher... in the United States. That sentence tells you everything you need to know about my levels of disposable income. Every single dollar counts for me, and the Wild Eye team helps me squeeze the most experience and the best travel out of every cent. They work with my budget and provide itineraries to some of the most amazing places on earth, all for reasonable prices.
3. Clients Come First - As I began to explore photographic guiding companies, it became clear that many professionals lead expeditions and take on guests simply as means of paying for their own trips. I've now spent time in the field with Marlon, Gerry, Andrew, Jono, and Grant, and I can tell you they are most pleased when you get the shot.
4. No Company Puts Itself 'Out There' Better - Having trouble believing all this? Simply visit their web site and see for yourself. Through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Instagram, Periscope and other Social Media channels there isn't a guide company in the world that offers a better first hand look at what they do than Wild Eye. They are completely transparent. I can recall tracking wild dogs on foot in Madikwe with Marlon and Grant, and Marlon was broadcasting live on Periscope! They are proud of what they do and not afraid to show their approach. There is no fear of letting out the "secret sauce," because when that secret is unique people with unique talents, that's hard to replicate.
5. Loyalty - The best endorsement any business gets is repeat customers. There is a growing community of Wild Eye travelers who all know one another, stay connected, and look forward to meeting again on other expeditions. There is the Wild Eye family based in South Africa, and then there is the Wild Eye family, and we are all over the world. From enthusiasts to professionals, we're all conservationists and we all love Africa. It's in our souls. I have these incredible friends... Phillipe from Switzerland, Mandy and Corlette from South Africa, Stuart from Australia, Pietro from Canada, Sabine from Germany... the list goes on. I would never have met these people had it not been for Wild Eye.
No matter what your level of photographic experience or your aspirations, a Wild Eye Photographic safari is the best way I can imagine to see Africa. This isn't a paid endorsement, just an expression of gratitude. If you're thinking of a life changing trip to a place that will capture your heart and invigorate your imagination, get in touch: www.wild-eye.co.za
~DM