CLASSIC MASAI MARA SAFARI

WWW.C4PHOTOSAFARIS.COM

9 - 16 SEPTEMBER 2017

INDEXSAFARI DETAILS & PRICING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4ITINERARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7BREAKDOWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7YOUR SAFARI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8YOUR GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11ACCOMMODATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13TRAVEL CHECKLIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

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SAFARI DETAILS & PRICING

Cost (US Dollar)Per person (sharing) $ 6 500Per person (single) $ 7 800

30% deposit confirms your bookingMaximum of 9 clients. There will be 3 vehicles with 3 clients per vehicle. There will be two C4 Guides that will rotate between the three vehicles.

All-inclusive tour: Includes 5 star accommodation in Nairobi on first night, local road and flight transfer, all meals and drinks and accommodation, all alcoholic drinks, daily park entrance fees and game activities.

Not included: International flight, visas, purchases of a personal nature, hot air balloon and items not included in the itinerary.

The above costs include

• Meet and pick up from JKIA Airport and transported to Hotel.• All Internal flights to and from the Masai Mara• All road transfers between destinations and airports.• Entrance and accommodation (2 persons per tent) to the reserve• All park fees• All meals, drinks and alcoholic drinks• Personally guided drives by professional wildlife photographers• Game activities• The services two of our guides• 1 night at Serena Hotel with full board.• Exclusive use of three vehicles • Baggage drop off and pick up from Mara

Costs not included

• Gratuities to staff and guides• Extra activities not included- ie hot air balloons• Personal expenses• Travel insurance• Travel visas

INTRODUCTION

The Mara River - A place where wildlife meets conflict: in its millions. The migration is a constant dynamic. But at one point during the cycle, a major obstacle stands in the way of the momentum. At first it causes a stutter and a pause, but then the surge comes, and millions of animals cross the

Mara River in one of the most spectacular wildlife scenes on earth. C4 has reserved a small, intimate and private camp in the heart of the action in perhaps the best time of year to see this phenomenon.

Breaking news: See the accommodation section for info about our new Entim Private bush camp that we are now using in the heart of the Mara, situated on the Mara River.

We all know that the Mara is home to the ‘greatest show on earth’. So C4 decided to run the best photo safari we could muster in the heart of the greatest show. Its simple really - find a camp in the middle of the action, book it exclusively for 9 photographers only with the best camp operator in the business and then have professional photographers personally guide you whilst on safari. Between the C4 guides they have more than 21 seasons in the Mara and have mapped their own special places and secret spots which they will share with you while being driven around. The Mara is a very large system and much of the conven-tional tourist traffic concentrates on a small section of the river. There is so much to see and photograph, and with these knowledgeable professional wildlife photographers as your guides, you will have the best positions available. You will be taken to the far-flung corners of the Masai Mara, you will not only get to experience the migration, but also the beauty, freedom and wilderness of one of Africa’s greatest ecosys-tems.

Each photographer will have their own seat with window and roof hatch, ensuring that everyone has ample room to photograph from. Brackets, braces and clamps can be fixed onto the rails on the vehicles for tripod heads and flash brackets. Everything is designed to aid your photographic enjoyment.

C4 Photo Safaris, in the interest of photographic excellence have negotiated a camp right in the heart of the action, in the middle of the Mara.

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INTRODUCTION (CONTINUED)

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Key Points:

• The camp is inside the Masai Mara reserve with a view of a main crossing point• You are within 5 minutes from the main crossing points and 10 minutes from the other crossing points.

Most camps are at least 60 minutes from these central areas.• The position of the camp is within the two main rivers- the Talek and Mara rivers, meaning easy and

fast access to the most productive game viewing areas.• You will be personally guided and driven by professional wildlife photographers who know the Masai

Mara eco system exceptionally well.• No gate restrictions or racing for the gate during the best hours of light. (All gates close at 18h30, and

as most camps are outside the reserve, vehicles must leave the reserve) Our camp is inside the Mara.• We will have 3 x Land Cruisers for our use. There will be 3 photographers per vehicle. Non-photogra-

phers can share the same bench as the photographer, or sit in the front seat. Each photographer will have a whole row as well as a roof hatch. 9 clients are the maximum we will accommodate.

• The camp is a permanent tent camp- tents have flush toilets and hot water showers.• There is a battery bank and silent generator for charging batteries and laptops.• The camp has a studio tent with 2 iMacs for help in downloading your images as well as many plug

points for charging your batteries.

Notes:

• For each tour, we have organised a minibus that will take our cargo luggage from the Serena hotel in Nairobi to the Camp and back again upon return. This alleviates the weights restrictions in the below point.

• The entire weight limit for the internal flight is 15kg. This is strictly enforced by SafariLink.• We have provided the transport for the cargo luggage to the Camp. It is up to you to ensure you are

within the limits for the internal flights. You will be liable for any excess weight.• There are camera support bags in the camp. If you would like to bring your own bag to fill with rice or

sand, we will provide rice.• For all arrival transfers there will be a sign “C4 Photo Safaris” typed on a name board that the driver

will hold up.• It is very important to get your yellow fever injection and certificate. It should be done no later then 2

weeks before your trip. It is valid for 10 years, so if you have had one done, you should just remember to bring the certificate.

• On all our tours we may ask participants to rotate seats in the vehicles, taking it in turn to sit in the more popular seats in the front and the less popular ones in the rear. This requirement applies to everyone. If there is some reason why you can’t take your turn in the back of a vehicle (e.g. a bad back or travel sickness) please inform our office at the time of booking to see if we can accommodate you. We regret that anyone failing to inform us of such limitations before the tour will be expected to rotate seats in the same way as everyone else.

ITINERARY

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BREAKDOWN

Day 1Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, Kenya. You will be met and then be transferred to Serena hotel by our driver/C4 representative

Day 2 - 8Flight transfer from Nairobi to Masai Mara. Upon arrival in the Maasai Mara you will be transferred to Entim private Camp for your 6 nights stay.

Day 8Last game drive and a flight transfer to Nai-robi. Vehicles will transfer you to Jomo Keny-atta International Airport or your hotel. This will be the end of your safari.

Dates Schedule AccommodationDay 1 Meet and pick up from Jomo Keny-

atta International Airport, Nairobi, Kenya

Serena Hotel

Day 2 - 8 Wildlife photography Entim private Camp, Maasai MaraDay 8 Last game drive and departure -

YOUR SAFARI

Day 1

Nairobi Serena Hotel, Kenya

Arrive in Kenya’s capital of Nairobi in the early afternoon. A 45-minute road transfer will take you to the African elegance of the Nairobi Serena Hotel. You will spend the evening in the lush and open surrounds of the Serena Hotel. One of Nairobi’s original hotels, this hotel has all the comforts of the past with the convenience of the modern era: The perfect place to relax for the evening. Your C4 Photo Safari guide will make contact with you at the hotel to arrange dinner for the photography group and discuss the logistics of the following morning.

Day 2 - 8

Entim Private Camp, Maasai Mara.

We depart for the Masai Mara for the 10am scheduled flight and touchdown at Ol-Kiombo Airstrip after a short 1-hour flight. From there we are transferred by road to our camp situated in the Mara. You will be staying in a classic East African style safari camp consisting of canvas tents, staffed by local Maasai. You will have en-suite bathrooms with flush loos, flowing water and hot showers. While traditional, the camp is comfortable with large beds and private verandah’s. In the afternoon we will sample one of Africa’s great-est ecosystems.

For these five full days, we will focus on showing you the best of the Masai Mara and this will include track-ing the migration and getting to the heart of the action. You will be taken out each morning in first light. We will have Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles with roof top hatches and large windows from which to photograph. Each client will have their own row in the vehicle with open windows and hatch, ensuring that everyone has ample room to photograph from. Brackets, braces and clamps can be fixed onto the rails on the vehi-cles for tripod heads and flash brackets. Everything is designed to aid your photographic enjoyment.

Depending on how and where the migration is moving, we might spend whole days in the reserve taking a picnic lunch along with us. We will find the best crossing points on the Mara River and spend pleas-ant hours watching the wildebeest mass on the banks with hungry crocs waiting below. If we are patient enough and fortune favours us, we will witness a wildebeest crossing, arguably the most spectacular wildlife event on the planet. Beside the actual visual spectacle, the noise of the crossing is something that will never be forgotten. Besides tracking and following the migration, we will search for as many predators as possible,including cheetah, as the great plains are home to these majestic cats. You will also enjoy unfamiliar sights of general game such as Topi standing aloft termite mounds and tiny shy dik dik’s going about their daily routine. The Mara also houses some of the largest buffalo bulls on the continent and a huge density of raptors. A special for birders, amongst others, is the large and relatively common Rupell’s griffon.

YOUR SAFARI (CONTINUED)

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Our time in the Masai Mara will not just be about the wildlife though. We will take you to seldom-visited parts of the ecosystem and indeed right up to the southern boundary where the Masai Mara and Serengeti adjoin. Here, there is little human traffic, and we will enjoy the peace and quiet of the great plains as well as some private game viewing. This element of our safari is unique as most safari operators concentrate all their efforts on the river but we feel that by combining superb game viewing with a wilderness experi-ence, we will offer our guests the very best of the Masai Mara.

The evenings will be spent sitting around the campfire and dining on excellent camp cuisine. As the coals die down, the warm camp beds beckon and everyone retires to bed. The aim of this photo safari is to help you take amazing photographs and improve your own photography, no matter what level of photographer you are. The C4 photo guides will help you and during the safari will also present a series of photo cri-tiques, lightroom and other slide show sessions in the evenings. These are always immensely popular and helps our clients gain some insight into the skill levels and experience of our guides- who easily impart their knowledge to you.

Should you have any other specific requirements, you are welcome to ask for your guides expert advice.

Day 8

Departure

After a last morning game drive, we return to camp for a hearty brunch before departing to the airstrip at 12h00 where we return to Nairobi. A transfer back to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport/your hotel concludes the safari. Most of the international flights depart in the early evening and this fits with most connections. This is unfortunately the end of the tour and another special package from C4 Photo Safaris.

C4 Photo Safaris look forward to hosting you in the Mara for the greatest wildlife show on the planet.

KenyaKenya lies across the equator on the eastern coast of Africa. Kenya has incredible topographical diversity, in-cluding glaciated mountains with snow-capped peaks, the Rift Valley with its scarps and volcanoes, ancient gra-nitic hills, flat desert landscapes and coral reefs and islets, with giant herds of elephants and flocks of flamingo and nomadic tribesmen.

No other African country can boast such diversity within its borders and for this reason Kenya is the home of safari. For over a hundred years Kenya has attracted ad-venturers and romantics from all over the globe.

YOUR GUIDE

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Isak was born to be a photographer, but before he discovered this, he became an engineer. Once he picked up a camera, his engineering career came to an end and Isak has now estab-lished himself as one of the top bird photographers in Africa. The benefit of his engineering training is his flawless technical knowledge of camera systems and the post processing soft-ware that accompanies them.

He combines these skills to focus on bird-in-flight photography; where he has excelled to the point of being awarded an unprec-edented 8 awards in the FujiFilm-Getaway Photo Competition in just one year. His highest accolade arrived in 2013 when he was winner of the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year in the Bird Behaviour category, which undoubtedly proved that he’s one of the world’s best wildlife photographers.

PHOTOGRAPHER/ISAK PRETORIUS

ISAK PRETORIUS

Andre grew up in the African bush with literally one hand on his binoculars and the other hand on the camera. An avid bird-watcher at that young age, he was given his first SLR in 1990. The passion of birding turned into one of photography and in 2004 Andre Founded C4 Photo Safaris with Shem Compion.

The results of his pursuits with a camera from such a young age have developed into a unique photographic style. It is one that emulates motion and speed into scenes showing glimpses of action, movement and behaviour not often noticed for its beauty by the human eye. When most people are trying to freeze mo-tion, Andre is slowing it down and capturing as an art form. This style was recognised by winning the ultimate prize in wildlife photography: Winning the Mammal Behaviour category in the BBC wildlife photographer of the year competition 2003. An-dré’s hard work paid off due to his dedication, his love of African nature and the joy that he gets from looking through the view finder at the subjects that he loves.

PHOTOGRAPHER/ANDRE CLOETE

ANDRE CLOETE

ACCOMMODATION

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Nairobi Serena Hotel

Justly famed for its exceptional standards of ef-ficiency, service and five-star hospitality, the el-egantly sophisticated Nairobi Serena is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World group and is consistently voted ‘Best Hotel in Nairobi’ by air-lines and international travel magazines alike. Despite its pivotal central location, the Serena Nairobi hotel remains true to its title and offers an oasis of serenity amidst the bustle of one of Af-rica’s most vibrant capital cities.

The Nairobi Serena Hotel offers a number of din-ing experiences, and a selection of bars, coffee shops and café areas, both inside and out. The hotel also features a dedicated resident’s lounge: The Bambara Lounge, which offers a café service, newspapers and private seating throughout the day. Or try our restaurant in Nairobi, the Mandhari, renowned for the excellence of its seasonally in-spired menu and extensive wine cellars. An inter-nationalized buffet breakfast and lunch are served in the Moroccan-styled Café Maghreb, which also features a table d’hôte dinner menu and 24-hour brasserie service.

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Entim Private Camp

C4 Photo Safaris has negotiated a private bush camp right near very close to Entim camp. The camp is situated in a forested area looking directly over a wildebeest crossing point on the Mara River. The camp is far removed from other tourist areas and lodges yet still in the heart of the action. The tents are large luxury accommodation, with en-suite bathrooms and flush toilets. This is the classic Hemingway styled safari and no luxury is spared, yet you are as far removed from any tourism, just as Hemingway was. With your own view of the Mara River, there is no better place to be in the Masai Mara. Meals, prepared in tradi-tional East African safari style by the camp chef, are taken in the large Mess Tent or under the stars. There will be a generator with battery bank to charge laptops and batteries. A central Studio tent will be the area from which to download and edit photographs during the quiet hours of the day or after your day’s safari.

ACCOMMODATION (CONTINUED)

ACCOMMODATION (CONTINUED)

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Cuisine

Picnic lunches can be taken on longer game drives and enjoyed al fresco, while out exploring this vast and diverse area. Early evenings can be enjoyed over sundowner drinks in discreetly selected spots away from camp; or after a game drive and hot shower, around the campfire. The dining area offers a more inti-mate setting for our delicious home-cooked meals. We have a selection of house wines from the famous wineries of South Africa. Bread, cakes and pastries are all baked in camp, while fresh produce is flown in regularly. We aim to produce healthy, balanced and enticing menus, and are happy to cater to your indi-vidual requirements. If you wish you can dine privately on your own verandah, whilst enjoying the personal service of our helpful, well-trained staff.

Travel documents

• Passport• ID Documents• Flight ticket/s• Itinerary

Accommodation and travel

• Foreign exchange• Credit card/s• Cash

Personal items and clothing

• Hat • Sunscreen (one low factor and one

higher factor SPF)• Sunglasses• Cotton shirts• Warm top/s• Wind breaker/rain jacket• “Inners” thin light gloves to wear on • Cool early mornings• Travel sandals• Closed shoes

Personal medical items

• Malaria prophylactics if you are travelling in a malaria area

• Contact lens cleaning fluid• Copy of any medical prescriptions• Copy of prescription glasses• Note of any allergies to any medication• Mosquito repellent

TRAVEL CHECKLIST

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Camera Equipment

• Camera bodies• Lenses• Tele-converters• Body and lens caps• Plastic zip lock bags• Filters (UV, Polarized and graduated)• Batteries • Battery chargers• Camera bag• Binoculars• Digital card wallet• Cable ties• Flash-gun• Batteries for flash gun• Big Blower brush• Sensor cleaning fluid• Laptop/External hard drive • Power for external hard drive• Power adaptors • Camera manuals• Tripod• Tripod head and quick release plate• Lens cleaning cloth/s• Camera vest• Digital memory cards

1. What should I know about vehicle etiquette?

Vehicle etiquette and consideration for fellow photographers:

On all our tours we may ask participants to rotate seats in the vehicles, taking it in turn to sit in the more popular seats in the front and the less popular ones in the rear. This requirementapplies to everyone. If there is some reason why you can’t take your turn in the back of a vehicle (e.g. a bad back or travel sickness) please inform our office at the time of booking to see if we can accommodate you. We regret that anyone failing to inform us of such limitations before the tour will be expected to rotate seats in the same way as everyone else.

There is also other vehicle etiquette that we would like to ask you to adhere to. We give these guidelines to ensure a positive experience for all when on safari.

• Please keep noise levels low at an animal sighting. This allows people to enjoy the set-ting and listen to sounds that the animals may be making. Often these alert us to somebehaviour and allows us to anticipate any action that may occur.

• If you are seated in the front of the vehicle, please have consideration for the peoplebehind you. A prearranged chat at the start of the safari is an excellent way to work out how you will be photographing and working around each other. It provides a positive workingenvironment and allows everyone to photograph happily in the vehicle.

• When photographing, keep movement to a minimum. If you are going to shift places, then alert the others and do so as swiftly and directly as possible.

• Please do not do anything to effect the behaviour of the animals.

• Your driver/ranger has to adhere to certain rules and etiquette at sightings that you may not be aware of. This may mean you cannot stop exactly where you would like. Please bear this in mind at sightings, especially when there are other vehicles from other camps around.

2. What technical equipment or requirements do I need for the workshops?

For workshops a Digital SLR camera is recommended, with at least a 200mm lens to capture wildlife im-ages. A laptop for downloading is also helpful, although we can download image if necessary. On a Photo tour, two DSLR camera bodies and lenses are advised. The type of lenses you take depend entirely on the destination. We will advise according to each tour should you need advise.

3. Are there any extras I need to bring on a trip?

Most of our tours are all inclusive and we offer advice as to what to bring along. This is due to the differ-ent seasons and conditions of each safari. C4 Photo Safaris will always advise if you will be travelling in a Malaria area. If the tour is not all-inclusive, it will be clearly stated.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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4. Why do you choose such specific destinations for the Tours and Work-shops?

Each destination is hand picked by us for the beauty and photographic potential it holds. C4 Photo Safaris only travel to destinations that offer the best of what we are looking to photograph. If we know an area holds excellent wildlife, we will take tours there. There are many factors to consider- Seasonal variation can have a large impact on wildlife movements, animal and bird migrations, localised animal movements etc. We of course take all this into consideration, ensuring that our tours are going to the best locations at the best times.

5. Is there any cell phone reception in the areas?

In most game reserves and wild areas there is no cell/mobile phone reception.

6. How safe am I in the game reserves in Africa?

C4 Photo Safaris only operate with lodges and reserves that use the best rangers. They ensure your safety whilst on safari and use very strict procedures when dealing with dangerous animals. Each lodge has a safety briefing on arrival which, if adhered to, makes your stay very safe.

7. What insurance/coverage do I need?

Your normal travel insurance covers you for safaris in Africa. C4 Photo Safaris are comprehensively in-sured for medical emergencies on safaris.

8. For Malaria, which tablets should I take, if any?

C4 Photo Safaris are not allowed to prescribe medical advice to clients. We will advise if the area visited is in a malaria area. You will need to consult with your local GP for medical advise on Malaria and prevention.

9. What about allergies?

Most safari camps are able to handle food allergies but not with the degree of skill that five star hotels do. The best way to handle an intolerance, is to simply avoid eating that particular food as the menus in camp are quite diverse. If you have a more uncommon allergy, like being allergic to eggs, and you know of a solution (like a powder substitute), then bring it along on safari. If you have a deadly allergy, then be sure to travel with your own medication and request in camp that ingredient be removed from the kitchen and the store. As a side note, it is helpful to remember that many safari camps have to fly produce in or truck it in, over hundreds of miles. Furthermore, the camps, although impressive looking, actually have minimalInfrastructure behind the scenes. If you assist the camp in managing your allergy, it will be a great help.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (CONTINUED)

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10. What about medicine, diseases and vaccinations?

Please check in with your local travel clinic or doctor for advice. From my experience, a yellow fever and hepatitis vaccination is a must, while the plethora of others are optional. Our safaris are conducted in low risk malarial areas but for your own peace of mind, we recommend that you take a prophylactic. In areas where you get tsetse flies in East Africa, humans are not the primary disease carries, and contracting Tr-yps is very rare. There is nothing you can do about these flies except to dress appropriately (keep reading) and to apply mosie-guard. None of our current safari destinations carry significant amounts of tsetse flies. The camps do have medicine kits and there is always an evacuation plan. We do howev-er find it practical to always travel through Africa with the following items: Immodium (keep this handy when travelling) - Buscopan (for tummy cramps) - Pain killers (that contain par-acetamol and a muscle relaxant) - Antihistamine cream and tablets for any allergic reactions - Melatonin to help speedy recovery from jet lag - Any medicine or ointments that you would normally take at home - Mosquito repellant - A product called Mosie-guard for areas where Tsetse Flies occur (manufactured in the UK and Deet does not work) - Tweezers for any thorns or splinters - Re-hydrants sachets (very important) - Disinfectant or antibiotic cream (just for nicks, cuts or grazes) - Plasters (to cover nicks, cuts or grazes)

11. Can I drink water and eat fresh produce on safari?

We advise that you only drink bottled water, which is always available in camps. Avoid ice as this is often made from local water which although is generally safe to drink, your foreign tummies might disagree! It is safe to eat fresh produce.

12. What about food on safari?

Both East and much of Southern Africa was a British colony and as such, you can expect that type of cuisine. The breakfasts usually consist of cereals and a hot English breakfast. Lunch-es are usually light with a variety of salads and always a meat option. Dinners are traditionalEnglish affairs usually with a soup starter and freshly baked camp bread. The main course will usually be a roast of sorts, with vegetables. Dessert is usually a simple affair consisting of fruit or a baked pudding. You will not go hungry! (A side note to mention is that between meals there are often not snacks readily available and breakfast is often only later in the morning. You might want to bring a few snacks or energy bars if you have a problem keeping your sugar levels up.)

13. Any luggage restrictions?

The reality is that on any scheduled charters in Africa, there will be luggage restrictions. Short of charter-ing your own flight (which we can do), our advice is to bring only the essential camera equipment. Having too much equipment can actually hinder your photography. Also, you can get washing done in camp and with a fairly moderate to hot climate, you can afford to pack light. In short, bring fewer clothes so that you can bring more camera gear! Depending on the safari you book, we will be able to advise you on exact weight restrictions.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (CONTINUED)

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14. What amount of spending money should I bring along?

Our tours cover all travel, food and accommodation costs (unless otherwise stated). This means that spending money can be kept to souvenirs, curios and books. This normally amounts to Euro 10.00 per person per day.

15. Commercial representation and wildlife photography consulting

C4 Photo Safaris has the full capacity to plan and run commercial photo shoots for profes-sional clients. We are able to supply you with the best guides in the wildlife photography in-dustry as well as organize and run all your ground handling logistics for the shoot. Our know-ledge of African travel logistics combined with our specialized knowledge of wildlife and the best places to photograph them, places us in the perfect position to plan and run your commer-cial shoot. Please contact Shem with your request. Additionally we can supply photographers for the shoot where they would work under the production name. On all tours with c4 images andsafaris, our guides have the right to take photographs. Their goal is to get you into the right position and tutor you into getting the best photograph. Once they have done so, they have full rights to take their own photographs. The rights of the guides and all of their images remains with the individual guide who took the photographs. No other person has any rights over the photographs taken by a guide representing C4 Photo Safaris.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (CONTINUED)

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SHEM COMPION (SOUTH AFRICA)

Cell Phone: +27 82 063 9146Tel: +27 (0) 12 344 6681Email: shem@c4photosafaris.com www.c4photosafaris.com