Journal · May and December 2025
Kruger
A dawn self-drive, a leopard by the road, and staying long enough to be surprised.
18 photographs · Canon EOS 700D · Nikon D5600 · Sony A7 III
Above: Same Direction · Published · PRISMA, Aug 2026
At dawn, without a guide
In his PRISMA essay Devon describes setting out through Kruger at first light on a self-drive, with no guide. His family left South Africa when he was very young and settled in the UK, but they go back every year, and Kruger is part of that.
“Just me and my camera.”
01 / 09
The Lone Acacia
Behind the shot · from the file
One of the two favourite frames in the essay. The Sony's clock reads 06:05 on 5 December 2025, so the camera has it as early morning; the essay calls it a sunset, and the title follows Devon. 202mm, f/5.6, 1/800s, ISO 100. A minute later by the same clock, at 241mm, came the upright Sunrise, December frame.
02 / 09
Held in the Branches
Leopard resting in a tree · Kruger · 7 December 2025, 07:44
Sony A7 III · 600mm · f/6.3 · 1/500s · ISO 10000
Published · PRISMA, Aug 2026
Behind the shot · from the file
The other favourite from the essay: a leopard resting in a tree near the road. 7 December 2025, 07:44 by the camera clock. 600mm at f/6.3 and 1/500s, with ISO 10000 in the shade of the canopy.
03 / 09
Behind the shot · from the file
The standing leopard came 18 minutes after the resting one by the camera clock (ISO 4000). The wild dog is from 18:20 on 4 December: 600mm, f/6.3, 1/500s, ISO 1600.
Staying long enough
The essay argues for self-drive safaris because they ask for attention and patience, and makes the case that the best images come from staying with a sighting long enough to be surprised by it.
04 / 09
Jaws Above Water
Hippo · Kruger · 5 December 2025, 18:10
Sony A7 III · 600mm · f/6.3 · 1/250s · ISO 400
Published · PRISMA, Aug 2026
Behind the shot · from the file
Published in the PRISMA piece. 18:10 on 5 December 2025, 600mm, f/6.3, 1/250s, ISO 400.
05 / 09
Behind the shot · from the file
The resting pack at 06:47 on 6 December (419mm, 1/250s, ISO 800). The elephants at 17:38 on 4 December, 236mm, the one December frame here in black and white.
May 2025
An earlier visit the same year, on the Canon EOS 700D and the Nikon D5600.
06 / 09
Over Her Shoulder
Mother and cub · Kruger · 23 May 2025, 07:39
Canon EOS 700D · 600mm · f/6.3 · 1/800s · ISO 200
Behind the shot · from the file
The camera clock reads 07:39. Shot at 600mm, the far end of the 150–600mm zoom, at 1/800s and ISO 200: plenty of shutter speed for a cub on the move.
07 / 09
All Eyes
Lions all sat and staring · Kruger · 23 May 2025, 07:44
Canon EOS 700D · 324mm · f/8 · 1/500s · ISO 200
Behind the shot · from the file
Five minutes after the frame above, by the camera clock, and zoomed back to 324mm. Stopped down to f/8, which keeps more of the row in focus than the f/6.3 used for most of this trip.
08 / 09
Noon Profile
Behind the shot · from the file
The only midday frame from Kruger: 12:02 on the camera clock, 347mm, f/6.3, 1/500s, ISO 320.
09 / 09
Behind the shot · from the file
The zebra on the Nikon D5600 at 105mm, 06:36 on its clock; the same frame is in the portfolio in black and white too. The sunrise the next morning, 06:29, at 140mm and 1/1600s, the joint fastest shutter speed on the site with the December sunrise.