Out of Africa

THE APPRENTICE

NAME: Debbie Paddison

CAMERA: Nikon D850

Wildlife fanatic Debbie first went on safari back in 2003 for the ‘trip of a lifetime’ to the astounding Serengeti. But on returning she vowed that it wouldn’t to be a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Especially fond of big cats, she is a passionate supporter of the Big Cat Sanctuary (BCS) in Kent, UK (https://thebigcatsanctuary.org), and inspired by BCS’s support for Kenyan wildlife conservancy Ol Pejeta, she signed up for Ian’s photography safari, where N-Photo joined her.

THE PRO

NAME: Ian Aitken

CAMERA: Nikon D750

Ian started out as a commercial photographer, shooting big-budget campaigns for clients worldwide. His love of travel saw him shooting for magazines and guidebooks such as Rough Guides, among travel-orientated clients. Born in Tanzania to British parents, Africa – and its wildlife – has always been close to his heart. He has been running safari photography with the Ol Pejeta Conservancy since 2017. To find out more, see www.aitkenimages.co.uk

Jambo!” Ian greeted Debbie, using the traditional Swahili term for hello on her arrival after a bumpy four-hour taxi from Nairobi airport. “And welcome to Ol Pejeta. You’ve got half an hour to settle in, then we’re off for our first game drive.” Soon after, they were bumping along in the four-wheel drive with Jimmy at the wheel, who would be their driver for the week. Ian explained what would be in store for the week ahead…

“Animals are not only most active at dawn and dusk, but that’s when the best light is too,