The Stutchbury Family Story
1950s – The Beginning of a Legacy
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1950s – The Beginning of a Legacy |
In 1951, Jeff and June Stutchbury move to the shores of Lake Nyasa to hunt crocodiles for their valuable skins — the start of a lifelong bond with Africa’s wild places.
On 25 April 1954, Ralph Stutchbury is born in Luanshya, Zambia.
1955, Jeff joins the Northern Rhodesia Game and Tsetse Department as one of the first game rangers.
Jeff’s early work lays the foundation for Camera Africa — documenting life in the bush and developing a deep respect for the land and its wildlife.
1960s – Growing Up Wild
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1960s – Growing Up Wild |
At six, Ralph begins boarding school at St Andrew’s Preparatory in Grahamstown, South Africa, travelling across Southern Africa each term, an unforgettable adventure for a young boy.
Jeff meets Veronica, who would become his second wife in 1963.
Un 1965, Ralph’s first brother, Glenn, is born, followed by his youngest brother, Wayne, in 1968. The family continues life in and around the bush, moving between camps and National Park outposts.
During this decade, Jeff manages camps across Hwange National Park — Main Camp, Robins, and Sinamatella — helping to shape early safari tourism in Zimbabwe and deepening the family’s connection to the wild.
1970s – The First Safaris & A New Vision
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1970s – The First Safaris & A New Vision |
Jeff pioneers safari tourism on Lake Kariba, opening Camera Africa Safaris at Sanyati West and later Spurwing Island Lodge (1971).
Ralph attends school in South Africa and returns home to join RBC/RTV as a trainee reporter and cameraman.
He begins filming the transition from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe — capturing history through his lens.
Jeff and Veronica manage Bumi Hills and launch ‘Water Wilderness’, the first waterborne safaris on Kariba.
1980s – The Filmmaker Emerges
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1980s – The Filmmaker Emerges |
While Jeff and Veronica managed Chikwenya Safari Camp on the banks of the Zambezi — guiding guests and leading photographic safaris that embodied his lifelong respect for wildlife — Ralph was carving his own creative path.
He founded Eyes & Ears (Pvt) Ltd, producing some of Zimbabwe’s most memorable TV and cinema commercials. His collaboration with Nigel Launder earned recognition at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, marking a milestone for Zimbabwean film.
Ralph worked with leading local talent such as Mukadota, Simon Shumba, the Rusike Brothers and Oliver Mtukudzi.
1990s – Witness to a Changing Africa
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1990s – Witness to a Changing Africa |
As Zimbabwe and the wider region evolved, Ralph turned his lens toward the continent’s stories of change, resilience and conservation.
He produced acclaimed documentaries for Discovery Channel, BBC and National Geographic, travelling across Southern Africa to film wildlife, landscapes and the people protecting them.
His work included Vets on the Wild Side for Discovery and If the Rains Don’t Come for the BBC — films that captured Africa’s challenges and beauty with honesty and respect.
Ralph’s daughter Mana is born in 1997, named after Mana Pools in honour of the family connection to this area of Zimbabwe.
2000s – The Storyteller’s Eye
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2000s – The Storyteller’s Eye |
Ralph and his wife Barbara manage Busanga Plains Camp with Mukambi Safaris in Zambia’s Kafue National Park — a remote wetland alive with lions, lechwe and vast open skies.
During their time there, Ralph films The Lion Tree, a documentary about a resident pride of lions living on the plains. Their daughter, Mana, is homeschooled alongside her cousins in the heart of the park, growing up surrounded by wildlife and freedom much like Ralph once did.
Between seasons in the bush, Ralph continues developing films and photographic projects on elephants, baobabs, and dhows — shaping his reputation as one of Africa’s great visual storytellers.
2010s – From Film to Fine Art
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2010s – From Film to Fine Art |
Ralph’s still photography evolves into large-format fine-art prints — exhibited and collected for their honesty and depth.
He focuses on publishing, releasing Baobab, Elephant, and preparing Dhow and Rock Art as part of his series.
Camera Africa by Ralph Stutchbury is formalised as a brand, uniting books, films, safaris and photography under one vision.
2020s – A Living Legacy
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2020s – A Living Legacy |
Ralph continues to live and work in Harare, Zimbabwe, using it as a base for expeditions across Southern Africa.
Camera Africa evolves into a platform that invites others to experience Africa lived, not just seen — through guided photographic safaris, exhibitions, books and fine-art prints.
His daughter, Mana, begins helping share the legacy globally, ensuring the Stutchbury story — of family, wilderness, and storytelling — continues to inspire new generations.
