The Art of Patience: Waiting for the Perfect Light

Every experienced wildlife photographer I know has the same answer when asked what separates good images from great ones. Not the camera. Not the lens. Not even the subject. It is the light. Specifically, the patience to wait for it.

Understanding the Golden Hour

The golden hour — roughly 30 to 60 minutes after sunrise and before sunset — produces directional, warm-toned light that flatters nearly every subject. In Africa, this window is often extended by atmospheric haze near water bodies. At Lake Nakuru, I have shot flamingos well past what would normally be the golden hour cutoff because the mist off the lake diffuses and softens the light beautifully.

The Discipline of Staying Put

The hardest lesson I ever learned was to stop chasing sightings and instead commit to a single scene and wait. On the morning I made my favourite flamingo image, I had arrived at the lake edge before dawn and simply sat there for two and a half hours. Other vehicles came and left. I stayed. When the sun finally crested the Rift escarpment at exactly the right angle, the flock lifted and banked into the light.

Practical Tips

Study sunrise and sunset times before each day. Use a sun tracking app to see the exact azimuth at your planned location. Position yourself so the light falls at a 30-45 degree angle to your subject. Watch cloud cover — overcast is not always your enemy; broken cloud can produce dramatic directional shafts. Most importantly, give yourself time. Budget twice as long at a location as you think you need.