Botswana Workshop Begins
The Smoke That Thunders
Victoria Falls, Long Exposures, and the Start of a Botswana Adventure
A new adventure begins in Botswana. But first, a stop at one of the world's most spectacular natural wonders — Victoria Falls. From long exposures to black and white conversions, here's how the journey started.
I've just wrapped up a workshop in Namibia — a wonderful experience that left me with a card full of images I haven't even looked at yet. But there's no time to sit still. I've landed in Zimbabwe, and a new adventure is already unfolding. This time, I'm leading a workshop in Botswana, and the journey starts at one of the most spectacular places on Earth: Victoria Falls.
The locals call it Mosi-oa-Tunya — the Smoke That Thunders. Standing on the viewing platform, looking across the mile-wide chasm as water plummets into the gorge below, you understand exactly why. The mist rises like smoke, the roar is constant, and the sheer scale of it is genuinely humbling.
My first thought, of course, was: how do I photograph this?
Finding the Shot
I started with a wide view, just to capture the scene and get my bearings. It's the kind of shot that tells the story of the place — the scale, the power, the atmosphere. But I quickly found myself drawn to the details.
I pushed in on the cascades, looking for the contrast between the relentless force of the water and the unflinching rock. That's the kind of image I love — the juxtaposition of motion and stillness, power and permanence. One particular cascade caught my eye, probably one of the most powerful sections from the end where we started. It framed beautifully, and I knew I had something.
The power of water against unflinching rock — a juxtaposition I love.
Punching in to reveal the detail and power of the falls.
For the technical side, I settled on my six-stop filter and ran exposures at about half a second. It was enough to smooth the water into that silky motion without losing the structure of the falls. The light was decent — not spectacular, but enough to work with. I knew that if I could get the right compositions, the images would stand on their own.
Black and White: A Natural Fit
As I was shooting, I kept thinking: these are going to look incredible in black and white. Something about the contrast, the mist, the sheer drama of the scene — it just calls out for monochrome treatment.
A thin strip, a veil of motion and contrast.
The grand scale of the falls — deep blacks, bright whites.
Back in the edit, I started experimenting. One of my favourites is a letterbox crop — I removed the sky and the foreground distractions to focus on a thin strip of the falls, a veil of motion and contrast. It's abstract, almost painterly. Another version strips back the sky entirely, adding a layer of abstraction that I really love.
Removing the sky adds a layer of abstraction.
But the one that really stood out was the wider composition — the one that captures the grand scale of the falls. The deep blacks and bright whites, the mist rising into the sky, the sense of something ancient and unstoppable. It's my favourite from the session.
Working with the Foreground
One of the challenges at Victoria Falls is the foreground. The viewpoints are well-constructed and safe, but you're working with what's in front of you — railings, barriers, jutting rocks. You have two choices: zoom past it or embrace it.
I chose to embrace it. I experimented with focus stacking, shooting wider frames that included the unmoving foreground rock and then blending them with the flowing water in the background. It's a technique that lets you tell a more complete story — the permanence of the rock against the movement of the water.
Unmoving rock, backgrounded by the colossal fall — sharp from front to back.
I also punched in tighter on some frames, isolating the power of the falls without the foreground distractions. Those images tell a different story — one of raw, unfiltered energy. Fast shutter speeds, freezing the motion, emphasising the sheer volume of water.
Punching in to tell a more focused story of the falls.
The timing of the visit worked in our favour too. We're at the beginning of the wet season, so the falls aren't at their absolute peak volume. But that's actually a blessing — in the height of the wet season, the mist is so thick you can barely see the falls at all. This time of year gives you a happy medium: enough water to be spectacular, but clear enough to actually photograph it.
Sunset on the River
After the morning at the falls, we headed out for a sunset river cruise on the Zambezi. I didn't do much talking on the boat — there were loads of people, and I was feeling a bit shy about filming with an audience. But the experience was wonderful.
The light was gorgeous. Soft and golden, spreading across the water and the bush. We didn't see a huge amount of wildlife — that's just the way it goes when you're dealing with nature — but what we did see was memorable.
A lone crocodile chilling on the bank.
A beautiful hippo watching us — "I could probably take that boat."
A lone crocodile was chilling on the bank. A hippo watched us pass — I'm fairly certain he was thinking, "I could probably take that boat." A bird sat on a branch, perfectly lit by a beam of golden light that cut through the haze. And then, just as we were heading back to the dock, a bunch of elephants came down to the water.
They put on a show for us. The light was breaking through the haze, illuminating the dust they were kicking up. It was one of those moments where everything comes together — the location, the light, the subject, the timing. I was glad I had my camera ready.
A wonderful bunch of elephants putting on a show at sunset.
Sunlight breaking through the haze to illuminate the dust.
A beautiful sunset to end the cruise.
One of the images from that encounter is especially memorable. The sun was setting, the haze was thick, and the elephant was kicking up dust as it moved. The light broke through at just the right moment, illuminating the scene. It's the kind of image that reminds you why you love photography — the unpredictability of light, the serendipity of being in the right place at the right time.
I also tested upscaling on a heavily cropped version of the same image, and I was genuinely surprised by the results. The detail held up well — a nice bonus when you're working with a 12-megapixel camera and punching in tight.
Onwards to Botswana
This was just the preamble. Tomorrow, we cross the border into Botswana, and the real adventure begins. The itinerary ahead is packed — wildlife, landscapes, the kind of photography opportunities that make you pinch yourself.
But Victoria Falls set the tone. Standing at the edge of that colossal gorge, feeling the mist on my face, listening to the roar — it was a reminder of why I do this. The world is full of spectacular places, and getting to share them with a group of passionate photographers is genuinely one of the greatest privileges of my life.
If you're following along, buckle up. The best is yet to come.
As always, take it easy, everyone. Cheers.
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