(Entertainment-NewsWire.com, December 05, 2012 ) ARUSHA, Tanzania—Proud African Safaris, a specialist in luxury travel experiences in Tanzania, has partnered with professional wildlife photographer James Blue to offer a new small group safari and photography workshop that focuses on capturing premium wildlife images in some of Tanzania’s most spectacular landscapes. James Blue brings years of experience photographing the Serengeti, and he will be assisting participants make the most of the exciting photo-ops presented on this safari. In addition to his experience leading Serengeti photo safaris, his background includes 20 years as commercial bush pilot and wilderness outfitter in Alaska. This safari includes very exclusive Off-Road Filming permits that are generally granted only for documentary purposes.
On this photo safari, wildlife photography enthusiasts have an opportunity to perfect their photography skills while experiencing once in a lifetime, heart-pumping wildlife encounters. The itinerary is designed to focus on obtaining the best wildlife images possible in Tanzania’s most desirable areas.
James Blue has partnered with Proud African Safaris because of their expertise in leading small groups through Tanzania as well as their professional tour guides, who are the most experienced in the Serengeti. PAS’s Tanzania safari guides have been working in the Serengeti for decades as park rangers, naturalists, and guides, and their knowledge about the wildlife and flora and fauna are unparalleled. Having guides of this caliber to accompany photographers on this journey significantly improves the quality of the wildlife encounters and the overall experience.
Included in the tour are very exclusive off-road ‘filming permits’ for the safari vehicles while in the Central Region. These filming permits allow for off-road access to photograph the wildlife in areas otherwise off limits. These photographic opportunities will be defined by more, and closer encounters with targeted wildlife, and with optimal light angle.
The small group photo safari will highlight five distinct habitats in the Serengeti ecosystem: The Ngorongoro Crater, Ndutu woodlands, Short grass plains, tributaries of the Seronera river valley, and the Kopjes of the Central Serengeti. While the spotlight of this safari is on Big cats and the Great Migration – guests will also see and photograph a large variety of other species every day, including a seemingly endless amount of exotic birds. Highlights of the tour include two days in the Ngorongoro Crater, a unique ecosystem known as “the eighth wonder of the world”, followed by over a week of exciting and unforgettable photo-ops while exploring the best parts of the amazing Serengeti.
In addition to unforgettable photographic opportunities, guests enjoy accommodation in luxury lodges and camps like the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge, Lake Masek Luxury Tented Camp, Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge, and the Arusha Coffee Lodge. Gourmet cuisine and exceptional and personalized service are also included in the tour. An optional extension to further explore the wildlife of the Central Serengeti is also offered. For more information about this photo safari or Proud African Safaris, visit www.proudafricansafaris.com .
About James Blue James Blue brings a lifetime of experience to his nature photography tours. His passions for wildlife and wild places were formed as a youth exploring the Southwest states. While a student at Northern Arizona University, the lure of Alaska's great expanse of wilderness pulled him to the last frontier – where he lived and worked for 20 years as a commercial bush pilot, guide and wilderness outfitter. In his many trips to Southern and Eastern Africa for safaris, he has embraced Tanzania for its welcoming people and culture – but particularly for its unsurpassed beauty and wildlife. James has been a student of photography since his first Olympus camera in 1978, and embraced digital cameras exclusively as soon as their quality surpassed that of film. He is eager to help his guests get the best images possible – offering basic to advanced image capture techniques while afield. His goal is to provide a ‘trip of a lifetime’ experience, and photographic opportunities at the highest level.
