Into the Wild: Pro Tips for Beginner Wildlife Photographers
By Karlyn O'Hanley, NSEN Journalism Volunteer
The practice of photography has never been so accessible. From built-in high-tech cameras in our phones to endless YouTube tutorials the opportunities for capturing life through a changing lens are limitless.
If you happily lose track of time staring into your viewfinder, watching endless wildlife videos and spend your free time scoping out wide open natural spaces, keep reading.
Wildlife photography is a fantastic way to get outside, learn more about the wildlife in your region and practice your camera skills. If you keep it safe and respectful everything else will come together with a bit of time, patience and practice.
“Don’t hesitate or allow yourself to make excuses. Just get out and do it. You will be very, very glad that you did.” – Christopher McCandless, Into the Wild
Taking great photos doesn’t require the latest and greatest equipment. Many believe that a good photo is less about the camera and more about the photographer. Like any new skill, we improve with time and practice.
Research
When it comes to respectful and efficient wildlife photography you’ll want to dive into a bit of research. Get the 411 on everything from the animals’ daily habits, mating season and how they look and act when they're stressed.
A helpful tip when researching wildlife is to look for regionally specific resources. For example, locally you’d look for information on Moose in Nova Scotia.
There’s serious value to learning about the wildlife we intend to photograph. The more the photographer knows about the model and environment the more they’re in control of their creativity. Not to mention it helps keep you and the animal safe. Animals such as Moose go through rut season during the fall and can get quite aggressive.
Timing Is Everything
The early bird gets the worm as they say. Get out early and stay out late. All the best wildlife images are usually captured within a couple of hours of sunrise, sunset or soft overcast. Save the harsh direct midday light sunlight for scouting locations and having lunch.
“The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” ― Christopher McCandless, Into the Wild
Let there Be Light
Most wildlife photographers position themselves for front-lit shots, pointing their shadows at the subject. That works but remember that light is more manageable near sunrise and sunset. Plus, the back and sidelight are nice for capturing compelling images.
For backlighting you’ll have to be set and ready during the first and last 20 minutes of the day if the sky is clear, longer if it's hazy or cloudy. Keep your ISO low to limit the noise in the image during the editing process.
Sidelight is a personal favorite; it adds depth and dimension by sculpting the subject. To take full advantage of being out when the sun is low about 45 minutes before and after sunrise is a good time of reference. Check your local listings.
Silence is Golden
Less is More. Less sound, less motion and less scent. Wild animals’ senses are extraordinarily more sensitive than our own.
If you have a camera that supports a silent shutter, use it. This helps you take those shots and not disrupt the animal because of the clicking from your shutter.
To ensure you don’t stand out to wildlife the best thing you can do is blend into the background using camouflage or a blind. Less motion is imperative if you're moving around the wildlife will be distracted and head in the other direction.
Most of us apply scented sunscreen and bug spray before we head outdoors. Instead, opt for non-scented alternatives. Less is more, especially with scents animals can pick them up farther than you’d think.
Disclaimer, never follow wildlife. The place to be is ahead of an animal. Try to get ahead of the animal and get where they’re going so they come to you.
Act cool and pretend like you’re ignoring the animal as you walk a zigzagged path. Make sure to keep them in the peripheral of your vision without locking eyes. If you and the animal make eye contact they’re likely to dash away.
Telephoto Lens
When it comes to wildlife photography, we want to give animals space and respect their habitat. The photos we regularly see in magazines and television commercials are shot using a telephoto lens. Who knows when the animal last hunted or had a meal?
We don’t want to be the thing that prevents them from catching the next one. It could be devastating. The telephoto lens is the ideal tool to allow you to stay far away but get those close-up shots we all love.
The lenses come in all sorts of sizes, budgets and they even go from zoom to fixed focal lengths lenses.
Drop to eye level
As a rule, if you look through the viewfinder of your camera, you're going to want the subject to align with your height. Always do whatever you can to get as close as possible to eye level.
The easiest way to have a photograph that connects with the animal is to have the camera looking right into the animal's eyes. It's much more powerful when you're at the same height.
Alternatively, if you shoot slightly upwards the animal comes across as dominating which can enhance the emotion of your photo.
Look at the subject itself, the quality of light and the background. Look for color brightness and potential distractions and how the subject will look. As you move, position maneuver based on how the subject looks against everything.
Beware of bright patches. Do everything in your power to position yourself so you have no white patches in your image.
Watch your backgrounds
Treat the backgrounds in your photos as though they are as important as the animal itself. This will make your photo quality jump through the roof.
Make sure everything is level, watch out for busy backgrounds and most of all make sure there are no distracting highlights in your photo. In many cases, a bad background can be fixed by moving a few steps in either direction.
A strong background compliments and highlights your subject without distraction. Aim for clean distant backgrounds.
Close backgrounds that aren’t busy can work; you want something that talks about the animal’s habitat but not so much it takes away.
Keep in mind that branches and highly reflected vegetation can cause bright spots in the frame. The viewer's eye will naturally go to the bright patches. Try moving a few steps over.
You don’t need to see the entire animal in the photo. Try for interesting storytelling photos. A small portion of the animal peeking around corners or through branches are popular.
Animals heading towards the photographer are always more engaging. It's worth putting in the effort as animals tend to look in the direction they’re going. Keep your eye on the viewfinder when your subject is in view. The more time with your eye on the viewfinder the more shots you'll be able to capture.
With these beginner tips you're that much closer to seeing wildlife and improving your camera skills. If you keep it safe and respectful everything else will come together with a bit of time, patience and practice.
Over time when you look back on your photos, you’ll be shocked by how deeply you fell into the wild.