Zimanga Private Game Reserve
Wildlife photographer Charl Senekal demonstrates that patience really is a virtue. Amazing night time images of wildlife at Zimanga Private Game Reserve, such as these two lions, are usually taken during periods of a new moon in the winter, when there are fewer clouds in the sky.
Zimanga Private Game Reserve
Senekal believes hiding out in nature for the perfect shot doesn't have to be miserable. Zimanga's overnight hides are outfitted with air conditioning, heating, beds, kitchen and bathroom facilities -- welcome comforts to photographers who wait as long as 18 hours for just the right moment. "Some of us have more (patience) than others," Senekal says.
Zimanga Private Game Reserve
Waiting can seem like a game of chess between man and beast -- including times during "the wait" when Mother Nature's creatures can become curious and playful. "Animals sometimes become inquisitive, like a lioness who was fiddling at the door one evening, resulting in petrified guests! Fortunately, we keep the doors locked and the hides are equipped with Wi-Fi to to contact the ranger if need be," Senekal says.
Zimanga Private Game Reserve
"Admittedly every now and then you'll come across a phenomenal sighting, you'll pull your camera out and you'll take a couple of great shots," the photographer adds. "But, in general, it is thousands and thousands of images that are taken and only one is selected out of those." Here, two African wild dogs inspect the camera.
Zimanga Private Game Reserve
Senekal's passion for wildlife photography has become a family affair -- his daughter captured this shot of a lion taking a drink at a watering hole. Her image made it to the final round of the Natural History Museum's 2021 Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
Zimanga Private Game Reserve
In 1998, the Senekal family moved to the eastern coast of South Africa and purchased a sugar cane estate that would become the Zimanga reserve. "When we arrived here there were seven zebra left, one wildebeest and a handful of animals like impala, some kudu, nyala and warthog," Senekal says. "Through the years we started introducing the species that are supposed to naturally occur here."
Zimanga Private Game Reserve
The reserve now has more than 400 species of birds and over 80 mammal species, including rhinos, elephants, giraffe, leopards and lions, according to Senekal. "We are just trying to re-establish what it looked like here 100 or 200 years ago," he adds.
Zimanga Private Game Reserve
Being in the right place at the right time, being patient and a having bit of luck all play a roll in capturing the image of a lifetime, the photographer says, adding it's about "taking enjoyment" from the process and "not having any preconceived ideas about what you want to get when you out there -- and then taking what nature hands you and making the best of it."
Zimanga Private Game Reserve
Senekal's advice for aspiring photographers is to stick with it: "If you have the commitment and put in the time, you will get good shots -- you will get good opportunities."
Zimanga Private Game Reserve
"To immortalize that moment of beauty in nature is just so satisfying," he adds.
CNN  — 

At the lagoon in KwaZulu-Natal, eastern South Africa, nightfall covers the Zimanga Private Game Reserve in a dark blanket. The only light comes from a new moon, slowly drifting across the cloudless winter sky, which paints the perfect backdrop for what lies in wait. Mixed in with nature’s soundtrack is a beeping alarm, which sets off a quiet rush for photographers to get in position – ready for something to happen in an instant.

“A great photograph is but a split second in time, with no second takes,” says Charl Senekal, wildlife photographer and director of Zimanga Destinations, managing the private game reserve.

Senekal’s love for both wildlife and photography stems from his childhood, when his father purchased a new Minolta camera. “He brought this beautiful camera home, and he opened the box and I immediately annexed it,” Senekal says. “He had to buy himself a new one.”

22:59 - Source: CNN
A wild life: Behind the scenes with South African photographers

These days Senekal combines his passion through his work at Zimanga, a conservation-orientated eco-tourism reserve that also focuses on creating magical wildlife photography experiences. “The idea behind Zimanga has always been a dream to create something that caters for photography,” he tells CNN.

A 'privilege to be out there': South African wildlife photographer Chris Fallows on his storied career

Home to more than 80 species of mammals and 400 species of birds, the reserve is now considered one of the continent’s foremost destinations for wildlife photographers. With nine different photo “hides,” strategically designed and placed around the reserve, both amateur and professional enthusiasts can capture the perfect shot of everything from big game to tiny birds.

Explore the gallery above for some of Senekal’s most epic wildlife images.