Travel Namibia

A Wildlife Photographer’s 5 step guide to that Award Winning “Shot”

October 4, 2022

Eye-Level with Africa: Photographing Wildlife from the Onkolo Hide at Onguma

What is the Onkolo Hide? The Onkolo Hide is an underground, water-level photographic hide at Onguma Nature Reserve, a 35,970-hectare private reserve bordering Etosha National Park in Namibia. Positioned at the edge of an active waterhole, roughly 10 feet from the water’s edge, it gives wildlife photographers an intimate, low-angle perspective that a traditional game drive simply cannot match. This is what you can expect inside the hide, and how to come away with that award-winning image.

What makes the Onkolo Hide special for photographers?

A few years ago, I had an amazing opportunity to do a month-long photographic residency at the Onguma Nature Reserve, bordering Etosha National Park in Namibia. Onguma has 35,970 hectares of private wilderness, with five lodges and two campsites to meet the needs and comforts of every type of traveler. Its location also affords guests close access to the eastern gate of Etosha National Park, which is infamous for its unparalleled waterhole wildlife viewing. But one of the extras that Onguma offers photographers is the Onkolo Hide, a subterranean photographic hide that sits right at the edge of an active waterhole within the reserve.

The Onkolo photographic hide is a large, comfortable, 8-window hide that provides the wildlife photographer with a unique, water-level perspective, yielding a very different point of view and imagery than one would obtain on a traditional game drive. With a viewing distance of approximately 10 feet to the front edge of the waterhole, it allows for an intimate, low-angle perspective of wildlife that is just awesome. You are literally eye-to-eye with helmeted guinea fowl as they skitter by in front of your window.

Or you might find yourself photographing a young warthog on the other side of the waterhole through the legs of an impala drinking less than five feet from your window. There are plenty of opportunities to capture incredible perspectives of species such as oryx, giraffe, greater kudu, impala, springbok, and more as they approach the waterhole to quench their thirst. The impala are often so close that they kick up rocks and dust into the hide windows when they flee.

Wildlife photographers are able to open as many windows as they like. These open windows allow for the largest of telephoto lenses, but remember, they would also allow for an inquisitive leopard or a small lion (or most certainly a large lion paw) to potentially enter the hide! This open-air element adds to the excitement (and danger) of shooting in a ground-level hide. Mentally, you have to be prepared and physically ready if a predator gets too close for comfort!

Overall, the hide’s layout and comfort will provide hours of captivating wildlife encounters and photographic opportunities. I can’t stress enough how much more I enjoy this unique, low-angle perspective than what you would generally get when shooting from a land cruiser on a traditional game drive. And I believe the incredible images that you come home with will illustrate this. As they say, “the proof is in the pudding.”

What is the atmosphere like at a waterhole hide in Africa?

As calm and peaceful as you think sitting in a hide would be, I find that in Africa there is an incredible amount of tension at a waterhole hide. Here, it is not like sitting in a peaceful garden hide watching songbirds bathe. It is a precarious undertaking for these animals, and the tension can be palpable. The animals are always on edge, ready to flee in a cloud of dust at the first note of an alarm call.

Getting their daily supply of water can truly be a life-or-death decision for these creatures, with the predators that abound. An added tension for photographers is the fact that you must remain very quiet so as not to alarm the animals (or disturb your fellow photographers) when shooting in such close proximity to the wildlife.

What wildlife can you photograph at the Onkolo Hide?

One of the most impressive things about the Onkolo Hide is the great diversity and density of animals that often congregate at the waterhole. Greater kudu, impala, springbok, and zebra can all arrive in large numbers and really provide quite a dramatic scene for photographers. The sounds (and smells) of these animals interacting with each other in such close proximity to the photographer is really something to witness.

Certainly, you must remain very quiet in the hide so as not to alarm the animals, but once a number of animals gain the courage to drink, the masses will follow. It is a surreal experience to be among the grunts and growls of the herd as they spar and fight for position over who is going to drink first, right in front of your window.

What are the best tips for photographing from the Onkolo Hide?

After a month of shooting from this hide, my advice comes down to five techniques. Master these, and you will leave with images a game drive simply cannot give you.

Tip 1: Find your “ready position” before the action starts

As any wildlife photographer who has ever spent time in a hide knows, there are most certainly periods of slower activity. The age-old conundrum is that whenever you do something else, or get distracted by something inside the hide, the action invariably begins. As soon as I try to read or write during these “slow times” in the hide, I look up to find four impala drinking at the waterhole and a slender mongoose sneakily drinking not 10 feet in front of me! It is like they have materialized from nowhere. Did they know I wasn’t paying attention? My guess is that they probably did!

There certainly will be “lulls” in the action when shooting from a hide, but when things do happen, they happen fast, and you’ve got to be ready. I’ve seen plenty of people miss shots because they weren’t ready, or even close to ready, when the action begins. They were still fumbling with their equipment or couldn’t manipulate their camera’s controls quickly enough. The unpredictability and fast pace of wildlife photography demands that you know how to work your equipment and have your gear set up and ready to go. You must know the features that the various controls, dials, and levers will adjust, and practice so you can work them fluidly.

Just like the “ready position” in the game of tennis, you’ve got to find a “ready position” in hide photography as well. You need to choose the right complement of gear and preselect some basic camera settings for the ambient light and anticipated wildlife behaviour. These initial settings will hopefully allow you to get the shot even when dealing with short-lived action. However, if you have more time to work with your subject, you can refine your settings further and explore other creative settings and compositions.

What camera gear should you bring to the Onkolo Hide?

As far as my hide setup goes, I generally keep two camera bodies by my side with different focal length lenses to accommodate whatever situation I might encounter:

A large prime telephoto lens, such as a 400mm or 500mm. Alternatively, a telephoto zoom lens such as a 100-400mm or a 100-500mm would be great.
Something wider at the ready, such as a 70-200mm or 24-70mm, for when things get really close.

Tip 3: Start with safe settings, then refine as the scene unfolds

For my initial settings, I generally play it safe, opting for higher ISOs and shutter speeds. These settings prepare me for whatever unexpected action might take place. As the situation unfolds, I will refine my settings if time permits, based on the action that occurs, changes in light, and my creative vision.

Tip 4: Learn to predict wildlife behaviour at the waterhole

Another key to your success in hide photography (or any wildlife photography, for that matter) is your ability to predict wildlife behaviour. Observing wildlife from a hide is a great way to learn the habits of wildlife, and being able to predict these habits and behaviours makes you a better wildlife photographer.

Understanding things like an animal’s favourite path to the waterhole, the spots certain species prefer to drink from, how their ears perk up when an alarm call is raised, and which animals are more harmonious and which are adversarial at the waterhole all help to give you an edge in getting the shot. Your professional guide at Onguma can be very helpful in teaching you these behavioural cues, so don’t be shy to leverage them for their knowledge.

FAQ About The Onguma Onkolo Hide

What is the Onkolo Hide at Onguma?

The Onkolo Hide is an underground, water-level photographic hide at Onguma Nature Reserve in Namibia. Its 8 windows sit at the edge of an active waterhole, approximately 10 feet from the water, giving photographers an intimate, eye-level perspective of wildlife that is impossible to achieve from a game drive vehicle.

Where is the Onkolo Hide located?

The hide sits within Onguma Nature Reserve, a 35,970-hectare private reserve bordering the eastern side of Etosha National Park in Namibia, close to the park’s eastern gate.

What animals can you photograph from the Onkolo Hide?

Regular visitors to the waterhole include oryx, giraffe, greater kudu, impala, springbok, zebra, warthog, and helmeted guinea fowl. Herds often arrive in large numbers, and predators such as lion and leopard move through the area.

Is the Onkolo Hide safe?

Yes. The hide is solidly built and sessions are supported by Onguma’s professional guides. The windows can be opened for large telephoto lenses, which adds a thrilling open-air element, and guides ensure encounters remain safe and responsible.

What lens do you need for hide photography in Namibia?

A long telephoto such as a 400mm or 500mm prime (or a 100-400mm / 100-500mm zoom) covers most waterhole subjects, while a 70-200mm or 24-70mm handles animals that come within a few feet of the windows. Carrying two camera bodies, one with each focal range, means you never have to swap lenses when the action starts.

How do you get sharp photos of fast-moving waterhole action?

Start with higher ISOs and shutter speeds so you are ready for sudden movement, keep your gear within reach during quiet periods, and refine your settings only when the subject gives you time. Knowing your camera’s controls by feel matters more than any single setting.

Does luck matter in hide photography?

Okay, let’s be honest: all the planning and preparation is great, but a little luck never hurts. Any photographer who has ever spent time in the field knows this to be true. Most great wildlife images have some component of luck involved. The very fact that light, composition, and action or behaviour must come together at the very moment we are pressing the shutter button generally requires some element of divine providence.

So, what’s the secret to getting lucky? For some, it might be their lucky red socks. For others, it may be a tattered rabbit’s foot affixed to their camera backpack, or a favourite worn baseball cap. I really don’t have the answer to this question, as I believe these lucky charms vary for each individual. However, from my experience it seems that the more time I spend in the field (or I should say, “in the hide”) and the better prepared I am, the luckier I seem to get. Perhaps fortune does favour those who “put in the work.”

The keys to capturing that “perfect shot” at the Onkolo Hide are really not that much different than in any type of wildlife photography. Patience, preparedness, and being able to predict behaviour are of paramount importance. Add to that a little (or a lot of) luck, and you have the secret formula for capturing that award-winning image.

Why should the Onkolo Hide be on every photographer’s Etosha itinerary?

I think you’ll find that the Onkolo Hide is a great complement to the traditional game drives you will do in the nearby Etosha National Park and on the Onguma Game Reserve itself. The unique photographic perspectives you can obtain from this underground hide are amazing, and the hide should be a must-stop for any photographers visiting the eastern Etosha National Park region.

To learn more about the Onguma Game Reserve and the amazing Onkolo Hide, visit the Onguma Onkolo Hide page.

About the Author

Bill Gozansky is a professional photographer, guide, and photo editor based in western North Carolina. He specializes in travel, nature, and wildlife photography. Bill’s quest for images enables him to explore unique destinations and to interact with diverse cultures across the globe. He currently leads photographic safaris to Namibia, Costa Rica, and western North Carolina. In both private and small-group settings, Bill teaches field techniques of professional travel, nature, and wildlife photography in these remarkable natural areas.

Bill Gozansky is also the editor of Wildlife Photographic magazine. Bill’s award-winning images have been represented by galleries, exhibited in numerous art shows and competitions, and sold as fine-art prints to private collectors. Bill licenses his work through various photo stock agencies, and his images have been published in many books, calendars, and periodicals around the world. For more information about Bill and his work, please visit www.billgozansky.com.