Quick Tips for Wildlife Photography...
Joe Kegley | E-Mail | Updated 03-03-09
Wildlife Photography can be broken down into three main phases.
- Getting\Positioning yourself near Wildlife.
- Camera Operation.
- Post Processing.
The following is a list of guidelines for those just starting out. One can make photography as complex as one likes, but I try to keep things as simple as possible while still maintaining some degree of quality.
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Plan... and have the time to be patient
Study up before you go. Know what wildlife frequent the area for the season you will be visiting. Learn the trails, roadways, and potential canoe routes within the location you will be visiting. Aerial views (satellite photos) are very handy for finding small open water areas that are off, but near the road. These views will sometimes show old roads and canals not listed on highway maps. I use Google Earth frequently for this.
Be willing to spend some time at the locale, immerse yourself in the environment. Don't go out for a couple of hours, plan on being out all day long. If the lighting of the midday sun is not to your liking for photography, then use that time to scout and learn the area. You will be surprised how handy the exploring you do will be on your next visit.
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Go by yourself
Go by yourself or at most with just one other person. Very rarely have I taken what I thought was a good photograph in a group setting. Besides the fact that increased numbers also increase your odds of spooking wildlife (#1 reason), I find a group of people distracting. It's not the other folk that are the problem, it's me, I end up wanting to socialize. Personal flaw I guess, but my best photographs are always produced when I am alone and not distracted. This is not to say avoid places where there are people, some great photographs can be obtained at places where the animals are acclimated to humans. Just be aware that when you take familiar company it is very easy to be distracted and miss opportunities. By being alone you also avoid scheduling conflicts (you go where you want to go and stay as long as you like).
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Use a tripod
Use a tripod where possible. Not only that, use a remote shutter release too. I have found hand holding my camera with an image stabilization lens is no match against a tripod and a remote shutter release. In fact, for my large telephoto lens, I use a tripod and IS. Using a tripod is something a person can do to increase their image quality without having a broad knowledge of photography or their camera. It's a no brainer. While inconvenient at times, using a tripod makes a huge difference!
Shoot at the eye level of your subject
When possible and safe, adjust your position so that your eyes are level with the eyes of your subject. Many times this is easier said than done. If shooting shorebirds on the beach, lay down in the sand, maybe using a frisbee as a platform for your lens foot. A canoe or kayak will get you lower for waterfowl dabbling in the water, or better yet, wear some chest waders and get in. Obviously shots of birds in flight can be a little tricky to get eye level with. Bird photos near the photographers eye level always look more interesting than the ones shot from below the bird.
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Shoot near dusk and dawn
Natural lighting is best when the sun is low in the sky. Sun directly overhead can cause harsh highlights and dark shadows on your subject. This is not to say don't photograph during the day, a light overcast in the sky is sometimes good for midday photography. The right overcast can filter and spread out light more evenly, removing some of the harsh highlights and dark shadows, though you might lose some feeling of depth to your images.
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Shoot in RAW format
You have more control of how your final image looks when you shoot in a raw format and post process on your computer into a jpg, as opposed to letting the camera create the jpg file. Specifically I find it is easier to adjust exposure flaws and occasional white balance issues. If I were good enough to shoot all my images perfectly I might let the camera convert the raw data into a jpg image. But my images usually need some help.
This does add some complexity since you must use a post processing software tool to convert your raw image. I use Camera Raw that comes with Adobe Photoshop. Digital SLRr cameras usually come with software that will convert the raw files generated by the camera into a viewable format such as a jpg. But this software usually lacks the editing features found in Camera Raw and Adobe Photoshop.
(Note: If you are new to digital slr cameras then you might want to leave the camera in the jpg mode initially and concentrate on learning your camera's features and understanding exposure.)
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Turn off in-camera processing
I keep in-processing features such as 'sharpening' and any enhanced 'color management' processing turned off on my camera (I am not talking about auto-white balance here, on my camera that works fairly well in outside environments). Instead of letting the camera do the processing I do all my color management and sharpening during the post processing of the RAW file. Sharpening is generally the last step one should do during any processing.
(Note 1: If you are not going to use Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Adobe Lightroom, or Apple's Aperture, to post process your images then you should keep (or turn on) the desired post processing features on your camera.)
(Note 2: If you are new to digital slr cameras then you might want to leave the camera set to the default settings initially and concentrate on learning your camera's features and understanding exposure. Most entry level digital slr cameras have some sharpening turned on by default, while the more professional level cameras have sharpening turned off by default.)
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Learn all you can about exposure
Be familiar with how your camera behaves when it comes to exposure. Know how it reacts to auto exposure and be willing to adjust using exposure compensation. Learn how to read a photograph's histogram and correct your settings as necessary. While manual exposure might be best in a perfect world, I find I am just not fast enough (and too lazy) to use it on wildlife that is not perfectly still. I use aperture priority when shooting wildlife on subjects that are in motion (or might move). I recommend "John Shaw's Nature Photography Field Guide" for good basic theory on exposure. While the book is a little outdated, it gives a very good foundation on exposure.
Don't let the technical aspects of photography overwhelm you. You don't have to be a total techno geek and learn every aspect of light management to take good photographs. I personally go by feeling and reference of what I am familiar with. I know from experience my camera behaves a certain way in specific circumstances, and I learn to adjust as necessary.
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Don't be afraid of manual focus
I use auto focus mostly, especially when my quarry is moving. Some very good wildlife photographers can use manual focus with some degree of success on moving targets, but I am not one of them. When I have a still subject in a very busy background (shrubs and branches), in addition to auto focus shots, I also try to get some shots focusing manually. Sometimes the manually focused shots end up being the more accurately focused images. Accurate auto focus has dependencies on the lighting of the subject and where the focusing point decides your subject is. Sometimes the autofocus might decide on the branches in the foreground instead of your desired subject. To cover all bases I always try to get some manually focused shots when I can.