INTRODUCING
MATT YARDLEY
A PRIVATE SAFARI GUIDE
AND WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER
MEET MATT, A WARM AND FRIENDLY INDIVIDUAL WITH A QUIET MANNER;
A HIGHLY-RECOMMEND PRIVATE GUIDE AND EXCELLENT PHOTOGRAPHER.
‘EXPLORE AFRICA AND SHE WILL
CREATE A HOME IN YOUR HEART.’
‘EXPLORE AFRICA AND SHE WILL CREATE A HOME IN YOUR HEART.’
Matt Yardley
BACKGROUND
MATT YARDLEY, A FIFTH-GENERATION SOUTH AFRICAN, WAS BORN
AND RAISED ON A SUGARCANE FARM IN ESHOWE, A TOWN DEEP IN
THE HEART OF ZULULAND, KWAZULU-NATAL.
MATT YARDLEY, A FIFTH-GENERATION SOUTH AFRICAN, WAS BORN AND RAISED ON A SUGARCANE FARM IN ESHOWE, A TOWN DEEP IN THE HEART OF ZULULAND, KWAZULU-NATAL.
As a child, he and his family spent every available moment camping, hiking, fishing and exploring
every corner of KwaZulu-Natal, to Mozambique and beyond. Growing up, the Zulu people in his
community taught Matt about the African bush; the art of tracking, the use of medicinal plants and
old folk tales.
As a child, he and his family spent every available moment camping, hiking, fishing and exploring every corner of KwaZulu-Natal, to Mozambique and beyond. Growing up, the Zulu people in his community taught Matt about the African bush; the art of tracking, the use of medicinal plants and old folk tales.
His very first job was on the farm where he removed snares
designed to trap wildlife as well as alien plant species
growing in the natural bush or sugarcane fields.
His very first job was on the farm where he removed snares designed to trap wildlife as well as alien plant species growing in the natural bush or sugarcane fields.
The lessons he learnt through hard work, perseverance and passion for conservation helped
shape his career. After high school, Matt studied Sound Engineering in Melbourne (Australia)
while living with his aunt, uncle and cousins. Later, back in South Africa, he worked in retail while
studying business management. After five years he left a well-paying job he enjoyed to once
again answer the call of the bush…
The lessons he learnt through hard work, perseverance and passion for conservation helped shape his career. After high school, Matt studied Sound Engineering in Melbourne (Australia) while living with his aunt, uncle and cousins. Later, back in South Africa, he worked in retail while studying business management. After five years he left a well-paying job he enjoyed to once again answer the call of the bush…
‘AFRICA BURNS A WHOLE IN YOUR HEART THAT
CAN ONLY EVER BE FILLED BY PHYSICALLY
BEING IN AMONGST THE SOUNDS AND SMELLS
OF THIS EXCITING LAND.’
‘AFRICA BURNS A WHOLE IN YOUR HEART THAT CAN ONLY EVER BE FILLED BY PHYSICALLY BEING IN AMONGST THE SOUNDS AND SMELLS OF THIS EXCITING LAND.’
Matt Yardley
QUALIFICATIONS
After training at &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in northern KwaZulu-Natal, Matt obtained his Field Guide (NQF4) certificate through FGASA as well as a Professional SKS Dangerous Game Qualification to be a lead guide on foot in dangerous game areas.
Matt also holds a Level 3 First Aid qualification, the highest first aid level that can be achieved.
NOTEWORTHY
ACHIEVEMENTS
At &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve Matt received the 100% Feedback Award for two consecutive Years. In fact, he didn’t get any negative feedback on guest comment cards for two years.
EXPERIENCE IN THE BUSH
In seven years, Matt completed 3 000+ game drives and hundreds of hours of walking in Big Five reserves. He has very successfully guided guests through Botswana, Namibia and Zambia, amongst other Southern Africa countries.
Matt’s photographic journey, which started during his time at &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, was defined by borrowing cameras from friends, selling guitars for petrol money to get to the bush and saving tips from guests to finally buy equipment of his own. To date, he has guided many photographers of all calibre, from beginner to pro.
… WHERE HE HAS BEEN
Every corner of South Africa, including Lesotho and Swaziland as well as countries in Southern Africa and the Indian Oceans – Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia and Madagascar, to name a few.
While Matt believes every corner of Africa has a unique charm and new adventure to be had, Zambia has captured a special place in his heart.
‘The wild areas are untamed and blindingly beautiful and the people are amongst the most friendly and resilient I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. We once visited a Leprosy colony where smiles and laughter littered the disappearing faces and dancing on feet that had missing toes.’
WHERE IS HE GOING …
Chad, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan, Gabon, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, DRC, Malawi and lesser known African countries.
WHY GUIDING?
‘As a guide you have the privilege of inviting someone into your world and showing them the best it has to offer. Not only that, but sharing something new, or even learning something new together, is an everyday possibility.’
THE ALLURE OF
PHOTOGRAPHY
‘The unpredictability of nature and the learnings it provides are just a few points that keep me forever intrigued. It’s also where I find my best photography opportunities. I try to draw out emotions and tell a story, not only through the image itself but by enchanting the emotions in those beautiful haunting moments in the editing process.’
STYLE OF
PHOTOGRAPHY
Matt loves to blend and break the ‘rules’ of photography; to create his own interpretations as it makes photography all the more fun. While he loves experimenting, he admits that Monochrome or Fine Art Photography remains his favourite style.
‘It truly tells a story by bringing out the raw emotion of a picture, making it unique to a typical shot.’
OTHER
Cultural Shoots, Night Photography, Flash Photography and Star Photography. Matt has also learnt a lot of techniques in muted tone photography, sepia and simple colour shoots using Adobe® Photoshop Lightroom.
PHOTOGRAPHIC
GUIDING
Capture incredible scenes and create stunning images with the expert help of a talented, experienced photographic guide with an immeasurable passion for Africa. Matt has spent hours honing his skills around basic and advanced camera functions and Adobe® Photoshop Lightroom and loves sharing these skills.
‘Knowing your camera and how to edit can make all the difference.’
His goal is ultimately to take people on a similar journey through Africa and photography that he experiences daily; to share moments of magic in the African bush.
MEMORABLE
MOMENTS
‘I have witnessed lions hunting giraffe; leopards successfully hunting an adult waterbuck; lions trying their very best to catch a porcupine, unsuccessfully; a cheetah trying to catch a honey badger who was trying to pull a 3-metre African rock python out of the ground…’
FAVOURITE
PHOTOGRAPH
‘CATS ON THRONES’
‘There was something about the manner in which the two large male Cheetahs walked which exuded confidence. I wanted to capture the emotion. In the distance I saw a broken Euphorbia tree which the Cheetahs were heading towards. The tree resembled a throne. Storm clouds were building. I knew this would be the perfect backdrop. One of the brothers climbed the tree, puffed his chest up and stared into the distance. I don’t think I breathed as the Cheetah, the tree and the storm clouds formed the perfect scenario.’
EXPERTISE
CAPTURING THE SMALLEST DETAILS and truly appreciating the immense significance behind them.
‘Nature is full of tiny details that can be missed whilst racing around. If you delve into it, stories start to unfold. For example, how can something as small as a termite provide safety for a cheetah? The Answer: Termites build mounds for the queen to breed. Cheetahs use the mounds for elevation to look for predators. Just a simplified example of how two completely different species affect one another. It’s in this detail that I believe value is found.’
OTHER INTERESTS
AT ONE STAGE, MATT OWNED FIVE GUITARS AND HE STILL LOVES
PLAYING DAILY. HE EVEN HAS EQUIPMENT SET UP IN HIS BUSH OFFICE
WHERE HE RECORDS MUSIC.
AT ONE STAGE, MATT OWNED FIVE GUITARS AND HE STILL LOVES PLAYING DAILY. HE EVEN HAS EQUIPMENT SET UP IN HIS BUSH OFFICE WHERE HE RECORDS MUSIC.
Matt also loves sports and still plays cricket and touch rugby, sports he played at school, along
with hockey.
A local lifestyle magazine in Australia did a feature on him as a musician and he also built an
Instagram following of 13 000, which includes Slash from Guns and Roses.
MATT YARDLEY & ADORE AFRICA
Our Shared Views, Passions & Visions
‘Africa is endless… Its landscapes, food, culture and wildlife have so much to offer, how do you fit it
all into one lifetime? This is why I love to do what I do. You can walk out of any door in Africa and find
yourself immersed in the bright colours and smells of the villages, the breathtaking views of the
landscapes and the thrill of the chase on safari. Every day is a brand new day with its own beauty and
adventure. I have a burning passion for my continent. I was born here, I live here, I’ve learnt the cultures,
the languages and travelled across the wilds; I have experienced Africa in its entirety and now I want to
share it with the world. I love meeting new people and bringing them into my world so that they can
experience the fulfillment of Africa.’
– Matt Yardley
‘Africa is endless… Its landscapes, food, culture and wildlife have so much to offer, how do you fit it all into one lifetime? This is why I love to do what I do. You can walk out of any door in Africa and find yourself immersed in the bright colours and smells of the villages, the breathtaking views of the landscapes and the thrill of the chase on safari. Every day is a brand new day with its own beauty and adventure. I have a burning passion for my continent. I was born here, I live here, I’ve learnt the cultures, the languages and travelled across the wilds; I have experienced Africa in its entirety and now I want to share it with the world. I love meeting new people and bringing them into my world so that they can experience the fulfillment of Africa.’
– Matt Yardley
