Wildlife Photographer of the Month: Carel Steenkamp

We’re excited to introduce Carel Steenkamp as our Wildlife Photographer of the Month for September 2024. Carel’s journey into wildlife photography, especially his beautiful cheetah photography, is as unique as the images he captures.

From Analytical Thinker to Creative Photographer

Carel’s path to becoming a wildlife photographer was unexpected. Carel describes himself as analytical and never considered himself creative. However, after starting work at Erindi Private Game Reserve in 2021, Carel discovered his passion for photography. Being in the field daily, surrounded by wild animals, Carel found the perfect opportunity to start taking photos and also being creative. 

Based in Cape Town, South Africa, Carel’s favourite place to photograph is Erindi Private Game Reserve in Namibia. It’s where Carel honed his skills in wildlife cheetah photography and developed a deep appreciation for the natural world. Outside of Africa, he loves photographing the colourful and diverse wildlife of Costa Rica. In her portfolio, you can see stunning photos of different animals such as cheetahs, snakes, rhinoceros and more.

Raising Awareness Through Photography

Carel believes strongly in the power of wildlife photography to raise awareness about threats to animals. His work showcases not just the beauty of nature, but also highlights species that many people might never have seen before. Through his photos, he tells stories of endangered animals, such as cheetahs, and conservation efforts. 

If you want to start collaborating with our conservation efforts to save cheetahs, click here.

While Carel enjoys photographing all wildlife, Carel has a special passion for elephants. The photographer is fascinated by their emotional intelligence and how their behaviours mirror human emotions. Spending time with these gentle giants never fails to inspire him.

Regarding cheetah photography equipment, Carel emphasises the importance of being prepared for any situation. Carel’s kit typically includes a variety of lenses to capture both wide landscapes and close-up portraits of these swift cats.

We couldn’t end this interview without asking Carel the question we always do to all photographers who join us: What have been some of your most memorable moments while photographing wildlife?

“I love these kind of questions because each time I get asked something similar, a new memory pops up in my head. A couple of months ago I was tracking animals on Erindi with a telemetry device and I approached a waterhole. In the distance I saw a small black and white animal. “Honey Badger!” I thought. As I got closer, I realised that it was in fact a Porcupine! This was quite special as they are not very common on Erindi and are usually only active during the night hours. I climbed out of the vehicle, I wanted to take ground-level images of the porcupine walking parallel to me. When the animal reached the point where it was straight in-front of me, it turned 90° and walked straight towards me. I continued taking images, and it was only when I needed to zoom out with my lens that I realised how close it was starting to get. I knew that Porcupines had bad eye sight, but it was quite remarkable to witness a wild animal less than 2 meters away from me, knowing that it was completely unaware of my presence. It continued walking closer, blissfully unaware of me, and probably thought that I was a tree stump. It started getting too close to continue taking images, and it was only when it walked past me and scratched my right arm with its quills, that I slowly turned my head to face in it’s direction. When I moved my head, the porcupine noticed my movement and also suddenly turned its head towards me. We both stayed put, our eyes separated by only a ruler’s length, and stared at each other for what felt like an hour, but was probably only around 30 seconds long. I gave it some time to relax and get use to me, and then I simply enjoyed the sunset with this animal. I knew this would be a once-in-a-lifetime sighting, so I tried to soak it in as much as possible.  The Porcupine and I sat quietly next to each other for more than an hour. I like to think that we enjoyed each others company. I know I did. I made a friend that day, shares Carel”.

Beyond Photography: Conservation and Education

Carel’s work extends beyond photography. Carel recently started a company called 33° South, which focuses on conservation projects. One of their initiatives involves supporting sustainable honey farming, creating a win-win situation for farmers, consumers, and the environment.

For those interested in seeing more of Carel’s work, including his stunning cheetah photography, visit his website. While he’s taking a break from social media to focus on his new business, you can find Carel’s past work on Instagram and Facebook under the handle @carel.steenkamp.

Carel also offers workshops for aspiring wildlife photographers. Working with Photopills, he creates bespoke photographic safaris tailored to each group’s needs. While he doesn’t have set workshops for 2025, Carel plans to host a variety of trips in 2026, including destinations like Kruger National Park, Namibia, and Costa Rica.

“I have been working with Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) for around 3 years as a guide while working for Erindi and now partnering as a photographer. I thank CCF for its passion, dedication, and commitment to its projects and initiatives. It is an absolute pleasure working with you and I am honoured to be chosen as your photographer of the month,” shares Carel.

We’re thrilled to feature Carel Steenkamp this month. His dedication to wildlife photography and conservation is truly inspiring. We look forward to seeing more of his beautiful cheetah photography and supporting his future endeavours in wildlife conservation.