Boulders Beach photos: shooting the penguins well

A boardwalk is the natural place to stand for Boulders photos, and there is a reason. Cape Town Tourism says the boardwalks wind through the dunes and vegetation and give great viewing spots while protecting nesting penguins and their chicks.¹ The SANParks brochure adds that the penguins are best viewed from Foxy Beach, where the boardwalks take visitors to the birds.⁶ Plant yourself at a bend in the planks, wait, and let the colony come into frame.

The birds are small. African penguins stand approximately 68 cm tall, which is below knee height for most adults.² A phone held at chest level looks down on them from above, while a camera held low or a phone resting on the rail puts you closer to eye level. A short zoom does the rest, and it means you never have to lean over the barrier for a closer view. For Boulders Beach penguins close up, the rail and a longer lens do the work, and stepping nearer does not.

Leaning is the behavior to avoid. The national management plan records visitors at Simon's Town and Stony Point leaning over or crossing barriers to photograph penguins, or trying to touch them.⁷ SANParks asks visitors not to touch or feed the birds because their beaks are as sharp as razors.⁵ Treat the rail as the edge of your frame and take what the penguins offer, since they will usually offer plenty if you stand still.

Once you have the whole colony, look closer. CapeNature describes a white underside with unique dark spot patterns, so every adult carries its own markings.¹³ It also lists a pink hairless fleshy area around the black eyes, extending above and onto the beak, and an upside-down U-shaped black band across the chest.^9,10 Those details are the picture: a tight frame on the eye patch or the chest band says more than a wide shot of a crowded beach.

Young birds make good subjects because they look unlike the adults. CapeNature says immature birds are grey blue all over and lack distinct markings.¹⁴ A grey youngster standing beside a marked adult is an easy way to show scale and age in a single image. Keep an eye out for them in the breeding months, when chicks are leaving the nest.

Sound is part of the experience too, though you cannot capture it in a still. South African Tourism notes that African penguins used to be called Jackass penguins because of their braying.¹⁹ If your camera shoots video, a short clip with the audio on can carry the whole mood of the colony. Hold the shot steady against the rail and let the noise do the work.

On a day tour your time is fixed, so plan the frames before you step off the bus. The site's tour allows 1 hour at the Boulders Penguin Colony, a Cape Point half-day listing allows 25 minutes and a penguin half-day listing allows 2 hours. With 25 minutes you take a wide shot, a close-up and a detail. With 1 hour you can add the cove and a youngster. With 2 hours you can wait for the right moments and move along the planks.

Crowds shape your pictures. Cape Town Tourism says the boardwalks were built for nearly 60,000 visitors a year.²⁴ Work in short turns, keep your bag off the rail, and step aside after a few shots so the next person can have the view. Parking is limited, especially in peak summer, so arrive early if you drive yourself.²⁵

Finish with a safety note for the car park. The management plan records penguins killed by cars, especially at parking lots close to the colonies.¹¹ Walk slowly, check under the wheels before you pull away, and do not follow a bird to get a shot. A good picture of a penguin is worth less than the penguin, and the colony only survives if visitors behave.