The Zimanga 2025 Group Photo

Although my "group panoramas" are a tradition, I am on this occasion frustrated, as on every night there’s less than half of group at dinner, between night hide slots and three of us staying at The Homestead, a separate accommodation block a few minutes’ drive away, with its own catering arrangements.

In the end Ann and I persuade everyone to line up for a group shot taken after breakfast on the last full day. Back row, from the left: David, Yasmin, Mark, Lee, Issa, Ann, Ray. Front row: yours truly, Mike, John, Martin, Ali, Sue, Colin, Chris.

1/10 to Lee, who could have shuffled along to the left to fill in the gap!

Technical Note

Regular readers will recognise two recurring scenarios regarding my relationship to tripods:

• I have a tripod, but it gets used for a purpose definitely not listed on the manufacturer’s website
• I have no tripod, and have to improvise camera support using an object to hand

This is a good example of the latter. Camera placed on the edge of the pool, pointing at the sofa, flip-out screen pointing up so I can check composition, albeit upside down (ground glass screen and cloth, anyone?) To adjust the yaw angle, fork from dining table wedged under the camera body providing exactly the right angle of inclination.

Personally I think all this nonsense about tripods is overblown.