African safari

Photographer Daniel Kinoshita visited Africa for the first time in January and came back with a nice collection of photographs.

Two trips had originally been scheduled, but due to political unrest in Kenya, the first was canceled. Nonetheless, Kinoshita and his fellow travelers from the Eyes of Hawaii Camera Club decided they would go on the second. The group's primary destinations were far from dangerous areas, and he felt safe during his time there.

Among the places they visited were Amboseli National Park, the Maasai Mara National Game Reserve and wildlife feeding stations and care facilities in Nairobi.

The safari was tailored for photographers. "They cater to photographers in that they send us out during the 'golden hours' (the few hours around sunrise and sunset when the light is tinged with gold hues)," said Kinoshita. "This makes it a bit different than regular tours."

Traveling with a tour allowed Kinoshita to get close to the animals. This was especially true for Maasai Mara, where photographers are allowed to go off road to look for animals.

"We were fortunate in that the vehicles follow the cheetahs and lions as they chase game, so you can get some really close shots," Kinoshita said.