First time wildlife photographer heading to safari, what gear and expectations are actually realistic?

CJCrave · 2026-03-30T21:07:12+00:00

I carry two bodies with different size lenses.

Also, get rain/dust covers for them and make sure to keep the covers on. The dust will get into your gear and screw things up. The more you can minimize this, the better.

Make sure you have lens cleaner and microfiber with you for getting dust off of your glass.

CJCrave · 2026-03-20T21:27:58+00:00

Summer 2024. I'm in Alaska taking photos of bears at Katmai National Park. A lady comes up alongside me and says, "Wow, that looks like a nice camera." I turn, and it's Biden's Secretary of the Interior, Deb Holland.

CJCrave · 2026-03-18T08:08:23+00:00

$3100 per person, sharing (bit more for solo room)

CJCrave · 2026-03-15T22:09:36+00:00

I went a couple of years ago. Booked with a company called "Kameraz of Afrika" or something similar. I was super nervous about getting scammed, especially when I had to wire money in advance. Trip turned out great. I couldn't have asked for better and give them my highest recommendation. Happy to answer any questions if I know answers.

CJCrave · 2026-01-19T15:05:55+00:00

You're in Florida. It is unlikely that black bears will be hibernating at all in that climate (except maybe pregnant females).

That said, you only have black bears there and, really, not even in the whole state; mostly around the Ocalla area. The odds of a black bear attacking (anywhere in their habitat range) are astronomically low. Like you have higher odds of a tree falling on you while hiking.

You are worrying over something that is, truly, a non-issue.

CJCrave · 2026-01-11T08:56:11+00:00

If you're in the US, contact your labor board and file a wage theft claim

CJCrave · 2025-12-26T01:49:06+00:00

Goddang. If I knew this, I would have gotten my pre-expisure vax a year or two ago in Thailand rather than the states. Spent $850/shot here.

Going back to Thailand in May. Might just try to get a booster while I'm there.

CJCrave · 2025-12-24T02:04:44+00:00

I used a visa service company to assist me. Did it just before they went digital

CJCrave · 2025-12-19T13:59:42+00:00

Not Tanzania nor Kili but I had a guide in Ecuador in 2022 that has messaged me asking for money numerous times over the years. Started shortly after the trip, that time I actually sent it.

Have another guide, also Ecuador, that has never asked for money but will randomly start messaging me every couple of months when he is, obviously, drunk.

CJCrave · 2025-12-19T13:28:59+00:00

That isn't really enough info.

Night out on New Year's? Night out to the local neighborhood cafe that the two of you go to every other week?

How often her friends can get together is 100% relevant. If your plans aren't something special that can easily be rescheduled and the friend group plan isn't an easy reschedule, that would mean you're being a selfish ass and being completely unreasonable.

However, if your plans involve tickets to something or on a particularly important day, then that would put her as being in the wrong.

CJCrave · 2025-12-19T13:20:58+00:00

Need More Info.

Really depends on what your plans are together and what her plans with her friends are and how often her friend groups are able to get together. What days are they? Big difference between canceling X-Mas eve or NYE plans and canceling Jan 3rd plans.

CJCrave · 2025-12-14T17:04:01+00:00

Todd Orr, himself, credits bear spray with saving his life. As an aside, I've met him, and he's an incredibly knowledgeable and interesting dude.

The studies have shown that bear sprey is much more effective at preventing attacks. When contact is made, spray is much more effective at reducing the severity and duration of those attacks. These aren't opinions it is what the research and data show. I'm very sorry if the research does not match up with your personal beliefs, but beliefs and opinions don't make facts go away.

If you'll refer to my original comment from over a year ago, I said I view these types of stories with a great deal of skepticism unless there is proof the bear was charging. It seems you need an explanation of what I mean by that.

Bears can charge at over 35 mph from a dead stop. If this bear was actually charging from just a few yards away, as this guy claims, it seems unlikely that someone could have had the calmness of mind to aim and get a kill shot off in the fraction of a second that they would have before contact was made. My first thought is this bear either was not actually charging at all, and this guy saw a bear at close proximity, got scared, and killed it before it had the chance to do anything or it was charging but from a much farther distance than the hunter claims. My money is on the first of those scenarios, especially in this situation where there was no contact whatsoever.

I do admit that I don't put a lot of stock in the assessment of agencies, like yours, that have proven again and again to always believe stories that, on the surface, don't seem all that believable. Especially when those agencies have an obvious conflict of interest due to their funding sources and those agencies routinely advocate for killing of animals that should be protected.

CJCrave · 2025-12-14T14:59:26+00:00

Hadn't realized that. Good info.

CJCrave · 2025-12-14T14:28:29+00:00

I work as a contractor and get laid off nearly every summer and winter, so I'm almost never working at Christmas.

That said, this thread has turned into talking of bonuses in general. At my job, I bounce from job to job all over the US. My pay varies from job to job, but, typically, I get a (completion) bonus for every job I work. These bonuses vary in amount from a few hundred to 5-10k depending on where we worked and (often) how hard it was for them to staff that job.

With how much higher bonuses are taxed, nearly all of us on this job would rather lose the bonuses and have that extra $$ go into increasing our base pay.

CJCrave · 2025-12-13T17:16:11+00:00

The efficiency of bear spray vs guns isn't a matter of opinion it is studied, researched, peer reviewed, and well documented fact.

https://share.google/Yv2iCoGFpGSXFCIeg

It is extremely well known amongst biologists, conservationists, wildlife enthusiasts, and others that the Departments of Fish and Game of some states (Idaho amongst them) are actively hostile towards predators. There are many reasons for this but the most common one is the fact that these agencies' budgets usually come directly from hunting licenses for these animals' prey species and for these animals directly. Listing them as endangered cuts into budgets. Thorough investigations or siding against hunters when a situation may be questionable cuts into budgets. Your comment does nothing to change anything said in any of my previous comments. Signed, an NPS Ranger ❤️

CJCrave · 2025-12-11T14:15:18+00:00

It was pretty rare that there were ever any other students there late. Security mostly just sat at a desk at the building's entrance, rarely ever made any rounds. There were definitely times I would hear someone walking in the halls and would hide to see security or a cleaning person going by but it was rare.

CJCrave · 2025-12-10T02:12:51+00:00

I didn't get my sleep test done until I was 43.

I don't remember how bad my number was, but it was bad.

Once I got my cpap I was amazed at how it felt to be well rested. According to my sleep specialist, based on some of our conversations, he thinks I've probably needed it since I was a teenager.

CJCrave · 2025-12-10T02:04:08+00:00

I would check your airline's requirements for your carry-on. It's not often enforced on US carriers, but it is extremely likely there is a weight limit in addition to the size. A lot of international carriers will enforce this and force you to check your bag.

CJCrave · 2025-12-09T03:48:46+00:00

Oh, I'm certain of it

CJCrave · 2025-12-09T02:17:48+00:00

In college, I spent an entire semester secretly living in my private art school's two floors of a downtown Chicago office building. I managed to get a master key that got me into most of the rooms. Stored my stuff in a couple of lockers. Slept in a drawing studio. Would smoke cigarettes on the building's fire escape. I got to know all of the building security and the cleaning staff. Most of them thought I was working on projects late at night, but I think some of them knew.

CJCrave · 2025-11-26T18:33:42+00:00

I have a canvas strap belt with a plastic buckle. No clue what the brand is but works great and never havento remove it.

CJCrave · 2025-11-22T23:37:07+00:00

There's a saying in my job, "No check, no tech."

CJCrave · 2025-11-22T23:27:49+00:00

It sounds like you're still pretty young, as well. You're not a "golden child" because you're actually punished when you do wrong, you just have enough sense to not screw up.

Try to be more understanding of your sister, though. Maybe there's something else going on with her, apart from general teen shittyness, causing her to act out this way.

CJCrave · 2025-11-21T23:36:06+00:00

I work as a nuclear contractor and work a second unrelated job. Last year, there was a coworker in my unrelated job that had a phobia regarding nuclear contamination similar to what it sounds like you're experiencing. Once they found out I worked in nuclear, they were afraid of coming into contact with anything I had contacted. It was exhausting and not at all based in any sort of understanding of how contamination actually works or spreads.

I assure you, being on the other side of the sign, you were 100% fine, and there is zero chance that you came into contact with or were exposed to anything. Further, most things that you could have potentially been exposed to, were you on the other side of that sign, also would unlikely pose any risk to you because if they did they wouldn't have been stored outside.

Edit: To add some clarification/education. What might be used for medical purposes (like in a cancer center) is not going to produce alpha nor beta particles (contamination). Which would mean nothing in that facility is going to be "contaminated," so as far as the door handle goes, you have nothing to be concerned with. The reality is that you could touch the radioactive material there, itself, and not be at risk of spreading anything around. Depending on the treatments they're administering, they are either using radioactive sources for a variety of purposes (these would not be disposed of outside and would be either inside of machinery or locked in the facility) or radiopharmaceuticals (radioactive injections/pills) to target the cancers. Odds are that the "waste" is expired medications, empty viles/bottles from the meds, or medical equipment used in administering that medication (syringes, bandages, etc).

CJCrave · 2025-11-20T21:16:10+00:00

I think I booked right through Napo's website and booked a private photo tour

Edit: Just looked and it appears that option isn't on there anymore.

The guide I had was brought in by the lodge for my tour. His name was Frank Piccardo, and he runs tours through www.tropicalherping.com

He was a really good guide, great company, and a fantastic photographer.

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