What I Teach You on My Photo Workshops in Namibia
Over the years of leading photography workshops in Namibia (and elsewhere), I’ve developed a teaching approach that ensures participants not only go home with great images, but also with new skills and confidence in their photography. In this chapter, I want to share the core of what I teach during my workshops. Whether you’re joining me in the field or reading this guide at home, these principles can help elevate your photography in Namibia’s unique conditions. My philosophy is that a good workshop should blend technical learning, creative exploration, and personal growth as a photographer.
Here are some key areas I focus on when teaching during a Namibia workshop:
Mastering Light and Exposure: Namibia is truly a “land of light.” We encounter everything from the soft pastels of dawn to the harsh midday sun and the brilliant band of the Milky Way at night. I teach participants how to read the light and adjust settings accordingly. This includes techniques like using exposure compensation when shooting on bright sand or against the sun, bracketing exposures in high-contrast scenes (and later blending if needed), and understanding the histogram to ensure you’re not losing details in shadows or highlights. For night photography, I guide everyone through the process of exposing for stars versus foreground, often introducing them to manual settings they might not have tried before. The goal is to become comfortable and quick at changing settings as the light changes – so you don’t miss a moment.
Composition and Storytelling: A technically perfect photo can still fall flat if the composition is weak. I emphasize composition rules (and how to break them effectively) constantly in the field. This means we talk about the rule of thirds, leading lines, framing, symmetry, patterns, and perspective. At a place like Deadvlei, for instance, I might demonstrate how shifting your position by just a few feet can align a tree with a dune edge in a more pleasing way, or how using negative space can convey the isolation of the desert. I also encourage photographers to think about the story they are telling: What feeling does this scene evoke? Are we highlighting the vast scale of the landscape or the intimate detail of a subject? In wildlife shooting, are we portraying the animal’s power, its struggle, or perhaps a relationship (like a mother and calf)? By being mindful of story, photographers start to make images that communicate something to the viewer, not just record what is there.
Patience and Timing: One of the virtues I instill is patience – which Namibia naturally teaches with its unhurried pace. Great photographs often come to those who wait: waiting for the perfect light, waiting for a subject to move into the ideal position, waiting for a cloud to drift into your composition. I often set up the group well ahead of the peak light (for example, arriving at a waterhole before the animals do, or getting to a dune while stars are still out, awaiting sunrise). While waiting, we discuss the scene, anticipate what might happen, and set up camera gear so everything is ready. This practice helps less experienced photographers learn not to rush. It’s so rewarding when, after some patience, the scene comes alive – like a Himba herder walking into the frame at just the right spot or an oryx appearing on a dune – and everyone captures a stellar image because we planned for it.
Wildlife Behavior and Anticipation: In wildlife photography segments of the workshop, I spend time teaching how to anticipate animal behavior. This comes from knowledge and observation – if you know a lion’s body language right before it stands up and yawns (the telltale shoulder hunch and back paw shuffle), you can be ready to click. If you notice a zebras’ ears all pointing in one direction, you might scan that area for a predator. By sharing insights about the animals – for instance, how elephants often raise their trunk to smell before they move towards water, or how springboks stot (jump) when excited – I help attendees be ready for action. The difference between getting a shot of a cheetah mid-sprint or just after is often fractions of a second, so anticipation is key. I also teach proper technique for panning (motion blur shots), and fast focus tracking, so that when the magic moment happens, everyone can capture it.
Respectful People Photography: When it comes to photographing the Himba or any local people we meet, I guide the group on cultural sensitivity (as discussed in the Himba chapter) and also on how to approach people photography to get genuine, respectful results. I might demonstrate how to connect with a subject with or without words, how to use gestures to direct someone subtly if needed (like shifting where they sit for better light), and how to be quick but courteous when taking portraits so people don’t get uncomfortable. I also teach portrait techniques like focusing on the eyes (critical in any portrait), recomposing for good framing, and taking a series of shots to catch different expressions – sometimes the difference between an average shot and a soulful one is catching that one soft smile or glance downward that conveys emotion.
Creative Techniques: Once the basics are well in hand, I love introducing some creative techniques to participants to expand their repertoire. In Namibia, this could include intentional motion blur (like moving the camera vertically while exposing a quiver tree to get an abstract effect, or slowing the shutter on animals to convey motion), panoramas (stitching multiple images for ultra-wide scenes at Spitzkoppe or Sossusvlei), high dynamic range (HDR) blending for tricky lighting (perhaps inside a shadowy Kolmanskop building looking out to bright sand – though Kolmanskop isn’t in our main chapters, on some tours we do cover it), and macro or close-up tricks for those interested in smaller details (like the patterns in sand or an insect). I encourage experimenting because digital photography allows us to try things without wasting film – you never know when a creative attempt might turn out to be your favorite shot.
Post-Processing Insight: While most of the teaching on workshops happens on location, I also incorporate discussions or short sessions on post-processing. In the evenings or during mid-day breaks, we might gather around laptops and I demonstrate how I would approach editing a shot from that day. For example, how to bring out the contrast on Deadvlei’s trees without making it look fake, or how to reduce noise in a high ISO astro shot from Spitzkoppe, or convert a Himba portrait to a timeless black and white. The aim is not to do heavy editing (the goal is to get it right in camera as much as possible), but to show how subtle tweaks in Lightroom/Photoshop can make a good image great. Many participants find these sessions helpful to cement what they learned in the field – if their photo didn’t turn out as expected, a bit of guidance in post can show what might have been off in camera or how to fix minor issues.
Personalized Feedback: A big part of teaching is giving individual feedback. During workshops, I make sure to check in with each participant, look at their shots, and give constructive critique. In this eBook format, I’d advise you to seek feedback from peers or mentors on your Namibia photos – sometimes another set of eyes can spot things like a tilted horizon or a distracting object you missed. When I’m with students, I often point out those little things and also highlight what they did well – maybe they nailed a focus or had a great idea for composition. This one-on-one attention helps solidify lessons, because the next time you’re in a similar situation, you’ll remember “oh yes, last time my depth of field was too shallow for the group photo, I’ll stop down a bit more now,” etc.
Adapting to Conditions & Problem Solving: Lastly, I teach adaptability. Travel photography rarely goes 100% according to plan – maybe we get an unexpected cloudy morning when we wanted a golden sunrise, or a vehicle has an issue and we have to rearrange a shoot. I show how you can still make great images in less-than-ideal conditions. Cloudy day at Sossusvlei? Great, focus on macro textures or use the even light to shoot portraits of your travel companions on a dune. Blazing midday sun? Maybe do infrared if you have a converted camera, or black-and-white high contrast shots. Dust storm coming through? Capture the drama of swirling sand for a different mood, just protect that gear. Problem solving is part of the thrill, and I want my workshop attendees to leave feeling they can handle whatever situation arises and still find a photographic opportunity.
In essence, what I teach is not just a checklist of techniques, but a mindset: Be prepared, be patient, be curious, and be respectful. In Namibia, you learn to dance with the light and the land – sometimes literally chasing light, other times quietly observing until a story reveals itself. By the end of a workshop, my hope is that participants have both amazing photos and a deeper understanding of their craft. They should feel more at home with their camera, more attuned to their surroundings, and more inspired to continue the pursuit of great images. If you carry these lessons with you, whether on a future trip or in your everyday photography, you’ll continue to grow. And nothing makes me happier as a teacher than seeing that growth.
We have also written pages that describe our other favorite locations in Namibia. Please continue reading about some of the other areas that keep us going back to Namibia with small groups.
The Spitzkoppe Region of Namibia - a favourite for landscape and astrophotographer enthusiasts
Our favorite WIldlife areas we like to visit in Namibia
Deadvlei and Sossusvlei - one of the most dramatic landscape photography areas we have ever visited
Kolmanskop - the abandoned mining town being taken back by the desert.
The Quiver Trees Forest - a favorite for astrophotographers
The Himba Tribe - a fantastic experience to visit these nomadic people in their villages
We have written a section on photography gear suggestions to take to Namibia
Learn what to expect on one of our Namibia photo tours, and what tours we are leading