There are two regions in the world that offer unparalleled wildlife photography -- East Africa and the Galapagos Islands in South America. Both areas have extremely unique and exciting animals to photograph, and in both cases the shooting is exceptionally easy.

Unlike East Africa, where you are confined to a vehicle for your safety, the Galapagos Islands are the home to harmless creatures that can be approached on foot. Indeed, in many instances the mammals, reptiles and birds can't contain their curiosity and they approach you! A trip to these islands is a photographic experience of a lifetime.

A Narrow Window of Opportunity

The Galapagos are located six hundred miles west of Ecuador. The archipelago straddles the equator, which means that the best light for photography is limited to the very brief sunrises and sunsets. When you are on or near the equator, the beautiful golden tones of a low angled sun are seen for about thirty minutes after the sun rises above the horizon in the morning and the same amount of time before it sets in the evening. This is true at any time of year. Contrast this with several hours of "sweet light" in Alaska during the summer months.

You can still take good photographs in the islands for about ninety minutes after sunrise and before sunset. During midday, when the sun is high overhead, the light is so harsh, and the shadows are so unattractive, that you're just wasting film. The only exception to this guideline is when the sky is overcast. Photographers are frequently disappointed when the sun is diffused by a cloud cover, but instead of seeing harsh, midday shadows from an overhead sun, the light is soft and flattering to many subjects, including people and animals. When the midday sun is obscured by clouds, the time you have to capture excellent shots is greatly extended.

The ideal lighting condition in the Galapagos is beautiful sunrise lighting with a clear sky in the east, then a thin overcast during the day, and then a blue western sky for sunset. This doesn't often happen, but wishful thinking never hurt anyone.

Pack Light

To protect the islands, tourists are not allowed to wander over each visitor site at will. With few exceptions, everyone must stay on the trail. Photographically, this might seem to seriously interfere with getting close to the animals. Let me assure you, it's no problem at all. In many cases, you must walk around a nesting bird or a snoozing iguana that is very comfortable indeed right in the middle of the trail. There are so many individuals of all the major species and they are so close to you that you'll feel it's the easiest photography you've ever done.

Film Considerations

Since the animals are so close to you (sometimes you may have to back up to focus!), super long telephotos are not needed (unlike when shooting in Africa). The longest lens you'll need is a 300mm in the 35mm format. A 200mm telephoto lens, or a zoom that includes this focal length (such as a 70mm - 210mm), will probably be your most valuable lens. But don't forget a wide angle. In some cases, you can fill the frame with a close up of a bird, a reptile, or even one of the playful sea lions, with a 20mm or 24mm lens. This is truly unique in wildlife photography.

If you like packing light, you can really get away with only two lenses. A wide angle and a telephoto zoom. An ideal combination might be a 24mm and a 35mm - 350mm zoom. You will cover every possibility plus a little more. But don't think the equipment you have now isn't good enough, because even a 50mm normal lens will enable you to get many great, frame-filling portraits of animals in their natural environment.

I do recommend, though, that you bring an extra camera body with several extra batteries. There are no photographic facilities to speak of in the islands, and should your camera malfunction in the middle of the blue footed nesting site, you won't ever forgive yourself.

When I shoot wildlife, I usually use 100 ISO film, rather than the slower Velvia (ISO 40) which I prefer. The additional speed comes in very handy when choosing a faster shutter speed or more depth of field. On my last trip to the Galapagos, I shot both Fujichrome Provia and Kodak's new E-100. Both of these films are superb in resolution, color saturation, and grain structure.

The number of rolls you bring depends on how much you like to shoot. Bring at least fifty percent more than you think you'll need. If you don't use all of it, then you will shoot it back home or on your next trip. But the things to see and photograph in the islands are so wonderful that you don't want to end up rationing film at the end of the trip.

If you shoot medium format, like I do, you can unwrap each roll of film and walk through the metal detectors at the airport without incident. The plastic cores of each roll of film won't trigger the alarm and your film can bypass the X-ray machines. With six-pocket pants and a shirt with large breast pockets, I can carry about 80 rolls of film on my body. 35mm shooters should ask for a visual inspection because each film cassette is made of metal.

The Itinerary

Depending on which tour package you buy, several islands will be on your itinerary. Some species occur only on one island, and if you really want to photograph a particular bird or reptile, you will want to make sure your trip includes that site. Tower Island, for example, is the best place to photograph frigate birds, while South Plaza is the location to find land iguanas.

Your hotel will be the boat. Different tour packages offer various grades of boats, from first class to economy. Some have air conditioning while others don't, and many have hot showers. I went with Galapagos Travel (1-800-969-9014), and the boat they provided, the San Jacinto, was beautiful, comfortable, and came with a wonderful crew. I would strongly suggest that you choose a tour devoted specifically to photography, and one that offers an early breakfast so you can be shooting every morning when the sun breaks the horizon. At the end of the day, you will want to stay on an island until sunset. By Ecuadorian law, visitors are not allowed to be on the islands before sunrise or after sunset.

I would also recommend going with a group that is small in size. Too many photographers crowding around a backlit masked booby can be frustrating. Small groups cost more, but it is well worth it in terms of photographic opportunities.

Part of the experience in the Galapagos is snorkling. Besides the beautiful starfish, seahorses, coral, and tropical fish you'll see, the sea lions love playing with people. They will swim all around you, nip playfully on your fins, blow bubbles in your face, and show off their underwater acrobatics. It is one of the most delightful travel experiences anywhere.

Trip Extensions

Most of the international flights from the United States to Ecuador go through Miami and then Quito, the capital. I would suggest, either before or after the Galapagos experience, that you take advantage of being in this unique South American country and visit other photogenic sites. An hour or two outside Quito are several Indian markets with wonderful faces to photograph. You can also visit and/or climb the perfect volcanic cone of Cotopaxi which is 19,000 feet.

In the eastern part of the country is the Amazon jungle, the home to a remarkable diversity of flora, fauna, and tribes people. Shooting the jungle is very tough, because so many of its creatures are secretive or nocturnal, but the experience is definitely worth it.

* ALL PHOTOS were taken with the Mamiya RZ 67 II supported by a Gitzo carbon fiber tripod. My exposures were determined by a Sekonic L-508 hand held meter.

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Jim Zuckerman left his medical studies in 1970 to turn his love of photography into a career. He has lectured and taught creative photography at many universities and private schools, including UCLA, Kent State University, the Hallmark Institute of Photography, and the Palm Beach Photographic Center. He also has led both domestic and international photo tours for 26 years to Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, and the American Southwest.

Zuckerman has been a contributing editor to Photographic Magazine for 30 years. His images, articles and photo features have been published in scores of books and magazines including several Time-Life Books, publications of the National Geographic Society, Outdoor Photographer, Omni Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, Science Fiction Age, Australia's Photo World, and Greece's Opticon. He is the author of ten books on photography.

His work has been used for packaging, advertising, and editorial layouts in thirty countries around the world. Jim's images have also appeared in calendars, posters, greeting cards, and corporate publications.