Photographer from Glasgow captures amazing wildlife on a 'secret' African safari
While most wildlife photographers chase summer sightings, one Scottish traveller discovered a different kind of magic by heading to Kenya during its most overlooked time of year - the green season.
For Elaine Prior, 61 from Milngavie, the dramatic skies, luscious landscapes and golden dawns of Samburu National Reserve offered a chance to capture beautiful and rare pictures of the wildest animals in the world.
Elaine recently joined a small group for a photographic safari to Samburu, led by professional wildlife photographer Paul McDougall who runs Touch The Wild photographic safaris and workshops. The tour, deliberately timed for the green season, gave participants access to quieter parks, diffused light, and a rare chance to frame wildlife in saturated, vibrant surroundings.
Elaine said: “It’s not just about what you see, but how it sounds and feels - and in the green season, it just feels different, special.
"I took over 8000 pictures but could have taken lots more, it was stunning"
From mother and baby elephant nuzzling together, to a clash of necks in a fierce giraffe fight, Elaine's pictures show just what an amateur photographer could achieve on a safari tour with a professional, affordable guide.
Back home Elaine is still sorting through the 8,000 photos she took, which include everything from elephants and giraffes to cheetahs and monkeys.
With the support of McDougall’s expert tuition, small group sizes, and well-organised logistics, Elaine says the entire experience — from first briefing to final airport drop-off — was seamless. A sunrise in Samburu with silhouetted wildlife against a vivid orange sky, remains one of her standout memories.
"It was just a fantastic experience from start to finish, as soon as you arrived you were looked after, be it logistically or with expert photography advice, which was so useful. The only thing I needed to remember was what time to be ready in the morning for the day's adventures."
Paul McDougall, based just south of Glasgow, isn't just taking people on safari – he’s giving them access to one of Africa’s best-kept secrets. Through his company, Touch The Wild, Paul runs exclusive Green Season photography tours, offering guests not just a holiday, but a masterclass in photographing Kenya at its most beautiful, and most overlooked, time of year.
“This is the safari season nobody talks about,” says McDougall, who has spent over 400 days guiding in the Masai Mara and Samburu. “The light, the colours, the atmosphere – the Green Season is the insider’s choice. And hardly anyone knows it exists.”
With limited spots available, this 'secret safari' is quickly gaining attention among photography circles. For more information or to reserve a place on Paul McDougall’s exclusive Green Season safari, visit https://www.mcdougallphotographic.co.uk/samburu-photographic-safari/ before the secret gets out.