3 Tips for Photography at Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean Side.

Despite its massive size and obvious magnificence, Victoria Falls is notoriously difficult to photograph. It is shrouded in spray, almost continuously backlit by the sun, and the vantage points are all located on the same level as the top of the Falls you. That is not to say that one cannot return home with some spectacular photographs of the world's largest waterfall.

Bring a neutral density filter, a polarising filter and a tripod.

Victoria Falls is generally a very bright place to photograph- especially with backlit spray in the mix you will often want to use one or 2 neutral density filters to reduce the amount of light. Your polarising filter also works well here cutting out 1 to 2 f/stops. A circular polarising filter can also be used to intensify Victoria Falls' famous rainbows. Look through the camera's viewfinder as you turn the outer element of the filter, and you'll notice that the rainbows disappear and then gradually reappear with increasing saturation. It's a good idea to take several photos at different filter settings so you can see which look you prefer best. A tripod will allow you to capture the flow of water using slow shutter speeds, for a silky and dramatic effect.

Be prepared to get wet, and to keep your gear dry!

Be prepared to tackle the spray from the waterfall which billows up from the gorge and rises to a height of over 200 meters. As the water is being driven upward, and then falling again an umbrella is of no help.

I suggest several lens cloths in a ziplock bag, a waterproof cover for your camera and camera bag (also useful if you are quickly changing lenses), patience and sense of humour.

Often if the spray is heavy the best thing you can do is simply wait for a change in wind direction and then move very quickly if the wind moves the spray in your favour and offers a clear view, however at high water certain viewpoints will be near impossible to capture.

Time of Day

Rainbows will generally be found in the right place for photographs from 1:30 or 2 pm onwards. However I have found that the wind also picks up, making the spray harder to contend with as the day goes on.

The harsh backlight that often makes capturing the falls so tricky is at its mildest in the late afternoons- from 4 pm onwards. This is an excellent time to get lovely general shots of the falls and to use slow shutter speeds as the day draws to a close.