Lake Natron

Tucked away deep in Tanzania'z Rift Valley, Lake Natron is an amazing photography adventure. The water of peaceful lake often changes completely, turning deep red with a pale, cracked salt crust. These red tones and salt patterns shifts constantly as the lake slowly evaporates and refills. The colour comes from minerals and cyanobacteria that becomes concentrated by extreme evaporation and heat, since the lake has no outlet and it loses water only to the sun. You can easily experiment with shooting from the shoreline near the camps at the southern end where the mineral patterns and colour shift are easiest to reach. The early morning is when the light is at its softest, and the heat hasn't yet built up over the flats, bringing out the rich tones of the water. While you are shooting remember that the water itself is highly caustic, so careful to keep it off your skin and away from your gear entirely. Millions of lesser flamingos also breed here, the only regular breeding site for the species in East Africa, so if you are lucky you can work with pairing their rich pinks with the deep red tones of the lake. A local guide will know how close you can safely get to the colony without disturbing it. Short walks from the main camps will take you to nearby waterfalls tucked into the escarpment, adding some variety to your shooting adventure. Getting here takes several hours by 4x4 from Arusha, usually the easiest way is with a guided tour. Since the lake is part of such a fragile ecosystem, a Wildlife Management Area permit is required to access this area and needs to be organized before you head out to the lake. If you are accessing this area as part of a tour, they will generally handle any of the permits needed. (Lake Natron, Arusha Region, Tanzania)