Throwing shade

The challenges of photographing in a forest

- By Sean Thackwray, Photography by Sean Thackwray

Standing at the entrance of the forest, about to merge with the shadows, I feel the breath of an ancient whispered warning, ‘Don’t go in there...’ At least not before changing camera settings. As I step in, the sound of the forest welcomes me back: a muted backdrop of insects, the creak of aged branches, and the occasional punctuation of a bird vocalizing. ‘Willie!’ I smile, thinking of how one of our guides would pronounce the bird’s name. ‘Samba Greenbul’, I say out loud, just to let them know I’m back.

I have been coming to this forest for many years. My family too have steadily crunched their way through its detritus, crawled under fallen branches, and slid down the muddy banks. We were patiently guided by David Letsoalo and Paul Nkhumane, who showed us what it took to find and enjoy these elusive birds. Initially, we came in the hope of seeing a White-starred Robin. When I phoned to book our first visit, Lisa, the manager, told me they were as plentiful as impala in the Kruger National Park. It took another three trips before I finally found one.