Environmental Photographer Africa: Capturing Our Planet’s Story

Environmental photographers are visual storytellers who document our planet’s breathtaking beauty and pressing environmental challenges. As a contemporary African environmental photographer specializing in landscape and wildlife imagery, I am committed to raising awareness about the critical importance of wilderness conservation.

Through my lens, I strive to create a profound connection between viewers and the natural world. My photographs serve as a powerful reminder of the delicate balance between humans and nature, inspiring action and advocacy for conservation efforts.

Just as Ansel Adams immortalized the majesty of Yosemite National Park, I aim to capture the soul of Africa’s pristine landscapes in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia. By documenting the ever-changing face of our planet, I hope to ignite a passion for environmental protection and inspire individuals to become stewards of our shared home.

More than a century ago elephants in the eastern Cape were systematically hunted – until only 16 were left. Today there are 650 elephants in the Addo Elephant National Park, the densest concentration of wild elephants anywhere on the planet. Addo also offers the Environmental photographer a great experience to watch the vast herds interacting in the most relaxed manner.

Addo National Park in South Africa has been an amazing conservation success story. As an Environmental Photographer living in Africa I strongly recommend visiting the park and reading Mitch Reardons’ book: Shaping Addo: The Story of a South African National Park.

The African continent may have been home to some 26 million elephants at the beginning of the 19th century. That number has since plummeted, becoming dangerously low in the past five decades, with the rise of poaching. Now there are as few as 415,000 elephants in Africa.

Environmental photographers document natural environments, and the changes in them. As a contemporary Environmental photographer in Africa I focus on landscape and wildlife photography in my home, Africa to create social awareness about the importance of conservation of wilderness areas.

My aim is to engage viewers with the environment so that they can form a connection with a physical place of conservation importance. All I can hope for is that people be moved by the sheer magnificence of the environment depicted and that these images play some part in highlighting the need to conserve the remaining wilderness areas that exist, not only in my small corner of the Western Cape, but in all of South Africa.

“Images have the power to affect how we feel about the natural world and therefore how we treat it.”
David Attenborough

South Africa Photography Tour

Join Colin Stephenson on a unique Photography Tour in South Africa.
Western Cape, Garden Route and Klein Karoo Guided Photography tours. The South Africa Photography Tour explores the most dramatic mountain passes, coastlines, deserts and forests the Western & Eastern Cape of South Africa has to offer.

Come and explore some of the most beautiful landscapes in Africa, through your camera lens! Our small groups offer a personal approach to experience the best locations while learning about and improving your photography.

Based in Sedgefield in the middle of the Garden Route National Park (which boasts South Africa’s most beautiful lake and estuary systems), we will explore amazing seascape, mountain scape and landscape photography. The sandstone cliffs and rugged rocky coastline is juxtaposed with broad beaches backed by indigenous fynbos and tidal river estuaries that offer fantastic photographic subject matter for landscape enthusiasts.

The Garden Route offers one of the most temperate climates in the world and the tours are available all year round. Photographers always try to use the best early morning or evening light to produce the most beautiful images. I will keep an eye on the weather, tides and season to suggest the shoot location on the day that you have booked.

The itinerary can be tailored for very active groups that would like to hike along coastal trails and shoot from the rugged cliffs. Alternatively, there are great seascapes, veld and forest areas which are easy to access along well maintained boardwalks and pathways.

All tours are limited to 4 participants per guide (this can be adjusted for tailored group experiences). Transport can be provided or self drive is an option. Smaller groups allow us to be as flexible as possible to make the most of the weather on the given day.

Photo day tours are a great way to spend time together, have fun and learn new skills that you can use to capture your own exciting and memorable moments by being empowered to take better photographs! Call me on 072 6010985

Rietkraal Nature Reserve environmental photography project. The reserve is under joint management between GCBR, WWF and Cape Nature :
The winter rains have proven how effective the erosion control methods employed here have been and the area is blooming. The environmental photography is used to share this best practice, celebrate biodiversity and help advocate conservation.

The Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve is a South African based, non-profit organisation dedicated to ecological restoration and protection. On 9 June 2015, the 3.2-million-hectare area that makes up Gouritz Cluster was officially designated as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO and declared a place of major biodiversity significance for the planet.

Rietkraal Nature Reserve environmental photography South Africa

Environmental photographers document our everyday life, natural environments, and the changes in them. As a contemporary Environmental photographer in Africa I focus on landscape and wildlife photography to create social awareness about the importance of conservation of wilderness areas.

The role of environmental photographers as conservationists has a long history. Ansel Adams is the most famous nature photographer in history – he’s also well known for his environmental conservation efforts. Ansel Adams was commissioned to capture the national parks, and his most famous landscape photographs are from the Yosemite National Park. Photographs leave a valuable record of time and place. They celebrate the beauty of the environment. The photographer has the power to awaken the populace to the value of land as a precious resource.

My aim is to engage viewers with the environment so that they can form a connection with a physical place of conservation importance. All I can hope for is that people be moved by the sheer magnificence of the environment depicted and that these images play some part in highlighting the need to conserve the remaining wilderness areas that exist, not only in my small corner of the Western Cape, but in all of South Africa.

“Images have the power to affect how we feel about the natural world and therefore how we treat it.”
David Attenborough

Colin Stephenson Environmental photographer Africa.

Environmental photographers document our everyday life, natural environments, and the changes in them. As a contemporary Environmental photographer in Africa I focus on landscape and wildlife photography to create social awareness about the importance of conservation of wilderness areas.

The role of environmental photographers as conservationists has a long history. Ansel Adams is the most famous nature photographer in history – he’s also well known for his environmental conservation efforts. Ansel Adams was commissioned to capture the national parks, and his most famous landscape photographs are from the Yosemite National Park. Photographs leave a valuable record of time and place. They celebrate the beauty of the environment. The photographer has the power to awaken the populace to the value of land as a precious resource.

My aim is to engage viewers with the environment so that they can form a connection with a physical place of conservation importance. All I can hope for is that people be moved by the sheer magnificence of the environment depicted and that these images play some part in highlighting the need to conserve the remaining wilderness areas that exist, not only in my small corner of the Western Cape, but in all of South Africa.

“Images have the power to affect how we feel about the natural world and therefore how we treat it.”
David Attenborough

Swartberg Photography Tour

Join Colin Stephenson on a unique Swartberg Photography Tour
Garden Route and Klein Karoo Guided Photography tours. The Swartberg Photography Tour explores the most dramatic mountain Pass the Western Cape has to offer. The Swartberg Pass transports you from the Red Stone Hills and the beauty of the Klein Karoo into the vast plains of the Great Karoo.

Come and explore some of the most beautiful coastlines and mountain passes in Africa, through your camera lens! Our small groups offer a personal approach to experience the best locations while learning about and improving your photography.

Based in Sedgefield in the middle of the Garden Route National Park (which boasts South Africa’s most beautiful lake and estuary systems), we will explore amazing seascape, mountainscape and landscape photography. The sandstone cliffs and rugged rocky coastline is juxtaposed with broad beaches backed by indigenous fynbos and tidal river estuaries that offer fantastic photographic subject matter for landscape enthusiasts.

The Garden Route offers one of the most temperate climates in the world and the tours are available all year round. Photographers always try to use the best early morning or evening light to produce the most beautiful images. I will keep an eye on the weather, tides and season to suggest the shoot location on the day that you have booked.

The itinerary can be tailored for very active groups that would like to hike along coastal trails and shoot from the rugged cliffs. Alternatively, there are great seascapes, veld and forest areas which are easy to access along well maintained boardwalks and pathways.

All tours are limited to 4 participants per guide (this can be adjusted for tailored group experiences). Transport can be provided or self drive is an option. Smaller groups allow us to be as flexible as possible to make the most of the weather on the given day.

Photo day tours are a great way to spend time together, have fun and learn new skills that you can use to capture your own exciting and memorable moments by being empowered to take better photographs! Call me on 072 6010985

Colin Stephenson Environmental photographer Africa.

Environmental photographers document our everyday life, natural environments, and the changes in them. As a contemporary Environmental photographer in Africa I focus on landscape and wildlife photography to create social awareness about the importance of conservation of wilderness areas.

The role of environmental photographers as conservationists has a long history. Ansel Adams is the most famous nature photographer in history – he’s also well known for his environmental conservation efforts. Ansel Adams was commissioned to capture the national parks, and his most famous landscape photographs are from the Yosemite National Park. Photographs leave a valuable record of time and place. They celebrate the beauty of the environment. The photographer has the power to awaken the populace to the value of land as a precious resource.

My aim is to engage viewers with the environment so that they can form a connection with a physical place of conservation importance. All I can hope for is that people be moved by the sheer magnificence of the environment depicted and that these images play some part in highlighting the need to conserve the remaining wilderness areas that exist, not only in my small corner of the Western Cape, but in all of South Africa.

“Images have the power to affect how we feel about the natural world and therefore how we treat it.”
David Attenborough

Environmental photographer Africa

Colin Stephenson Environmental photography South Africa. Environmental photographers document our everyday life, our environment, and the changes in them.

The Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve (GCBR) is South Africa’s largest biosphere reserve, 3 187 893 hectares. It was designated by UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) in 2015. The project focuses on the enhancement of ecological functionality of the Gouritz mountain and river corridors in the Langeberg region comprising Riversdale-Herbertsdale-Ruiterbos. The project area also has a Northern extension into the Rooiberg-Gamkaberg mountain regions in the semi-arid Klein Karoo. Colin Stephenson has been appointed Environmental Photographer for the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve in South Africa.

Environmental photography deals with documenting landscape, flora and fauna to showcase various aspects of the multifaceted elements that makeup the natural and built environment. Environmental photographers play a significant role in documenting our everyday life, our environment, and the changes in them.

The GCBR’s organisational culture and methods of working are characterised by the principle of enabling and informing others and I the Environmental photography is a very important aspect of this process. Environmental photography is a key tool for raising awareness of important environmental and conservation issues. This photography focuses on the relationship between nature and humans.
More broadly the Environmental photography will also focus on socio economic issues, addressing problems that affect communities within the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve.

Colin Stephenson Environmental photography South Africa.

Environmental photographers document our everyday life, our environment, and the changes in them.

The Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve (GCBR) is South Africa’s largest biosphere reserve, 3 187 893 hectares. It was designated by UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) in 2015. The project focuses on the enhancement of ecological functionality of the Gouritz mountain and river corridors in the Langeberg region comprising Riversdale-Herbertsdale-Ruiterbos. The project area also has a Northern extension into the Rooiberg-Gamkaberg mountain regions in the semi-arid Klein Karoo.
Colin Stephenson has been appointed Environmental Photographer for the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve.

Environmental photography deals with documenting landscape, flora and fauna to showcase various aspects of the multifaceted elements that makeup the natural and built environment. Environmental photographers play a significant role in documenting our everyday life, our environment, and the changes in them.

The GCBR’s organisational culture and methods of working are characterised by the principle of enabling and informing others and I the Environmental photography is a very important aspect of this process. Environmental photography is a key tool for raising awareness of important environmental and conservation issues. This photography focuses on the relationship between nature and humans.
More broadly the Environmental photography will also focus on socio economic issues, addressing problems that affect communities within the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve.

“Images have the power to affect how we feel about the natural world and therefore how we treat it.” David Attenborough

To discuss your requirements contact Colin Stephenson, 072 601 0985

Colin Stephenson Environmental photographer Africa.

Environmental photographers document our everyday life, natural environments, and the changes in them. As a contemporary Environmental photographer in Africa I focus on landscape and wildlife photography to create social awareness about the importance of conservation of wilderness areas.

The role of environmental photographers as conservationists has a long history. Ansel Adams is the most famous nature photographer in history – he’s also well known for his environmental conservation efforts. Ansel Adams was commissioned to capture the national parks, and his most famous landscape photographs are from the Yosemite National Park. Photographs leave a valuable record of time and place. They celebrate the beauty of the environment. The photographer has the power to awaken the populace to the value of land as a precious resource.

My aim is to engage viewers with the environment so that they can form a connection with a physical place of conservation importance. All I can hope for is that people be moved by the sheer magnificence of the environment depicted and that these images play some part in highlighting the need to conserve the remaining wilderness areas that exist, not only in my small corner of the Western Cape, but in all of South Africa.

“Images have the power to affect how we feel about the natural world and therefore how we treat it.”
David Attenborough