Living Luangwa – Patrick Bentley's Blog

National Geographic TV were here in August last year to shoot a documentary with Dr Brady Barr. They brought with them a 200lb Kevlar hippo ‘suit’! The purpose of this suit was to hopefully enable Dr Barr to get close enough to a hippo to obtain a sample of sweat (not actually sweat but a reddish secretion which preliminary research has suggested contains antiseptic as well as sunscreening and blocking properties.) Dr Barr’s programme hoped to conduct further research on this substance as well as to provide some entertaining TV.

I was contracted to shoot the stills for the show and it was a good laugh with plenty of action. For anyone who is interested the show will premiere in the USA on the National Geographic Channel on the 20th of January.

Photo copyright National Geographic TV.

The National Geographic team left yesterday. It was an absolute pleasure working with them and there were some seriously hair-raising moments! Unfortunately I am unable to post any pictures I took while with them until granted permission so you’ll have to make do with my ugly mug and a 3.5 metre python that Dr Barr found in an Aardvark burrow. I will post more photos of their time here once they are approved.

Content Copyright Patrick Bentley Photography

National Geographic TV are arriving here today for a two week stay. Dr Brady Barr is with them and they are going to be filming hippos. I have been contracted to do the stills for the show so may not post here for a while.

I have been putting in some serious hippo-time myself – mostly from hides. Here are a few images.

Content Copyright Patrick Bentley Photography