Book a call with a safari expert

phone icon

Client reviews

5 star icon
safari experts, since 1991
Book a call with a safari expert Book a call
Client reviews Client reviews
×
SEARCH OUR STORIES
SEARCH OUR SAFARIS

Jens Cullmann, our Photographer of the Year 2020

by

Jens Cullmann

Wednesday, 25 November 2020

When Jens Cullmann was notified that he had earned the title 2020 Photographer of the Year, he contacted us to find out why his image was selected above the hundreds of other superb images that made it to the final rounds of judging, many of which gave him ‘picture envy’.

Some images not only tell a story and invoke emotion, but they also speak of the photographer’s journey to secure that particular image – the back story. In Jen’s case, he spent months in Mana Pools during the sweltering peak of the dry season, when the bushveld was particularly ravaged after an extended drought period. His day would often involve many hours of walking in the oppressive heat and waiting patiently in whatever shade was available, while nature revealed her stories. This is a time when the bushveld is not for the squeamish, as many animals are suffering and dying due to lack of water and food. Jen’s photo gallery Circle of Life gives testament to the reality of life in drought-stricken Mana Pools at the time.

In awarding Jens this title, we recognize not only the many uncomfortable hours of patience and diligence behind his winning image but also his authentic, artisanal approach to photography.

In this second gallery (here is the first), we share a few of Jen’s favourite images. In the meantime, please visit his website and follow him on Instagram, where he regularly shares his images and thoughts.

Photographer of the Year
Mana Pools, Zimbabwe ©Jens Cullmann Canon EOS-1D X Mark II┃EF300mm f/2.8L IS II USM┃f/5┃1/1000┃300mm┃ISO 800
Photographer of the Year
Mana Pools, Zimbabwe ©Jens Cullmann Canon EOS-1D X Mark II┃EF200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXT┃f/5,6┃1/2000┃400mm┃ISO 500
Mana Pools, Zimbabwe ©Jens Cullmann Canon EOS-1D X Mark II┃EF200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXT┃f/6,3┃1/3200┃560mm┃ISO 640
Africa Geographic Travel
Photographer of the Year
Mana Pools, Zimbabwe ©Jens Cullmann Canon EOS-1D X Mark II┃EF300mm f/2.8L IS II USM┃f/5┃1/2000┃300mm┃ISO 320
Mana Pools, Zimbabwe ©Jens Cullmann Canon EOS-1D X Mark II┃EF300mm f/2.8L IS II USM┃f/2,8┃1/500┃300mm┃ISO 640
Photographer of the Year
Mana Pools, Zimbabwe ©Jens Cullmann Canon EOS-1D X Mark II┃EF300mm f/2.8L IS II USM┃f/4┃1/2500┃300mm┃ISO 2000
Mana Pools, Zimbabwe ©Jens Cullmann Canon EOS-1D X Mark II┃EF200-400mm f/4L IS USM┃f/5┃1/2000┃400mm┃ISO 1250
Africa Geographic Travel
Photographer of the Year
Mana Pools, Zimbabwe ©Jens Cullmann Canon EOS-1D X Mark II┃EF200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXT┃f/5,6┃1/2000┃560mm┃ISO 400
Photographer of the Year
Mana Pools, Zimbabwe ©Jens Cullmann Canon EOS-1D X Mark II┃EF200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXT┃f/4,5┃1/125┃366mm┃ISO 3200
Mana Pools, Zimbabwe ©Jens Cullmann Canon EOS-1D X Mark II┃EF500mm f/4L IS II USM┃f/5┃1/3200┃500mm┃ISO 1250
Photographer of the Year
Mana Pools, Zimbabwe ©Jens Cullmann Canon EOS-1D X┃EF500mm f/4L IS II USM┃f/4┃1/320┃500mm┃ISO 400
Africa Geographic Travel
Photographer of the Year
Mana Pools, Zimbabwe ©Jens Cullmann Canon EOS-1D X┃EF200-400mm f/4L IS USM┃f/4┃1/320┃300mm┃ISO 2500
Photographer of the Year
Mana Pools, Zimbabwe ©Jens Cullmann Canon EOS-1D X┃EF200-400mm f/4L IS USM┃f/6,3┃1/400┃560mm┃ISO 1600
Mana Pools, Zimbabwe ©Jens Cullmann Canon EOS-1D X Mark II┃EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4x III┃f7,1┃1/500┃700mm┃ISO 1000

To comment on this story: Login (or sign up) to our app here - it's a troll-free safe place 🙂.


African safari

Why choose us to craft your safari?

Handcrafted experiential safaris since 1991.

Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early/late or a few kilometres off course, and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity?

African travel

Trust & Safety

Client safari payments remain in a third-party TRUST ACCOUNT until they return from safari - protecting them in the unlikely event of a financial setback on our part.

See what travellers say about us

Responsible safari

Make a difference

We donate a portion of the revenue from every safari sold to carefully selected conservation projects that make a significant difference at ground level.

YOUR safari choice does make a difference - thank you!

[wpforms id="152903"]
<div class="wpforms-container wpforms-container-full" id="wpforms-152903"><form id="wpforms-form-152903" class="wpforms-validate wpforms-form wpforms-ajax-form" data-formid="152903" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data" action="/stories/jens-cullmann-2020-photographer-of-the-year-gallery-two/" data-token="9c583b00b75640ed1c93685fae416465"><noscript class="wpforms-error-noscript">Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.</noscript><div class="wpforms-field-container"><div id="wpforms-152903-field_1-container" class="wpforms-field wpforms-field-email" data-field-id="1"><label class="wpforms-field-label wpforms-label-hide" for="wpforms-152903-field_1">Email Address <span class="wpforms-required-label">*</span></label><input type="email" id="wpforms-152903-field_1" class="wpforms-field-medium wpforms-field-required" name="wpforms[fields][1]" placeholder="Email " required></div></div><div class="wpforms-submit-container"><input type="hidden" name="wpforms[id]" value="152903"><input type="hidden" name="wpforms[author]" value="284"><input type="hidden" name="wpforms[post_id]" value="131890"><button type="submit" name="wpforms[submit]" id="wpforms-submit-152903" class="wpforms-submit" data-alt-text="Sending..." data-submit-text="Subscribe" aria-live="assertive" value="wpforms-submit">Subscribe</button><img src="https://africageographic.com/wp-content/plugins/wpforms/assets/images/submit-spin.svg" class="wpforms-submit-spinner" style="display: none;" width="26" height="26" alt="Loading"></div></form></div> <!-- .wpforms-container -->