Wildlife Photography Tips

[natalie]

Some time ago I put together some wildlife photography tips to share with my photo club when we arranged a trip to a zoo.. so I thought I'd also share them here. If you have questions or tips of your own, please share them with us

Observation
- Spend some time watching the animal so that you can predict its movement/actions when you take a photo

Goal
- Aim to take consistently sharp images rather than worrying about composition. Both will improve with practice

Lens Choice
- Use a longer focal length to isolate the subject from its surroundings for a more natural feel

Filters
- Polariser - enriches colours and reduces reflections but you loose 2-stops of light (best to avoid this filter if your subject is in motion)
- 81A/81B Warm-up (film users) - helps to accentuate the golden light of early morning and late afternoon, and reduces the cool blue tones on an overcast day. This effect can be created digitally with the white balance control.

White Balance
Useful pre-programmed settings found on most cameras:
- Cloudy --//-- for an overcast day
- Shade --//-- for when the subject is positioned outside in shade
Try the following (recommended by Chris Weston):
- For a clear blue sky --//-- Shade setting
- Shade on a sunny day --//-- Shade
- Overcast (cloudy) day --//-- Cloudy
- Noon sunlight --//-- Cloudy
- Average daylight (4 hours before sunset and 4 hours after sunrise) --//-- Cloudy
- Early AM / late PM --//-- Cloudy
- Sunset --//-- Cloudy
For those shooting in RAW you can set your white balance afterwards using your RAW conversion software

Program Mode
- Use Aperture Priority (Av) and change the ISO speed (200-400-800) to increase the shutter speed
- Use Shutter Priority (Tv) if you are worried about camera shake

Focus & Composition
- Always focus on the eyes for a shot with impact
- Try to be at eye-level with the animal
- Choose an angle where you can see a catch light in the eyes
- Try a tight crop by using a longer focal length
- Use foliage to frame your subject

AF Mode
- Single-servo mode for animal portraits (locks focus then fires shutter)
- Continuous-servo mode for fast-moving and erratic moving subjects such as birds in flight (focus unlocked and adjusting, shutter fires whether focus is locked or not)

Continuous Shooting
- Capture sequences of images that highlight behavioural characteristics
- Don't go crazy though, and watch your focus

Depth of Field
- Blur the background to emphasise the subject (use a longer focal length for a nice dof effect)
- Big aperture (small f number) gives a shallow depth of field (area of focus) - try f4
- Be aware that an animal with a long nose or beak will need a larger f number to get both the eyes and nose/beak in focus - try f8

Hope you found these tips useful

[natalie]

More tips... for early morning light:

1. Watch your meter* – your camera can be fooled by unusual lighting conditions; spot meter for total control.

2. Add light in fog – when shooting mist or fog, increase your exposure by 1EV to bring back the brightness.

3. Avoid flare – shield the front element of your lens with a lens hood or your hand when shooting sunrise or sunset.

4. Keep silhouettes simple – make sure that you retain the distinctive shape of a subject. Don't let it bleed into other silhouettes.

5. Be persistent – inspiring views deserve inspiring light, so don't be satisfied until you get it.

Tips courtesy of the Digital Camera Magazine e-newsletter

*Not sure what metering is? see here: http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=metering (copied below)

Matrix or Evaluative Metering
This is probably the most complex metering mode, offering the best exposure in most circumstances. Essentially, the scene is split up into a matrix of metering zones which are evaluated individually. The overall exposure is based on an algorithm specific to that camera, the details of which are closely guarded by the manufacturer. Often they are based on comparing the measurements to the exposure of typical scenes.

Center-weighted Average Metering
Probably the most common metering method implemented in nearly every digital camera and the default for those digital cameras which don't offer metering mode selection. This method averages the exposure of the entire frame but gives extra weight to the center and is ideal for portraits.

Spot (Partial) Metering
Spot metering allows you to meter the subject in the center of the frame (or on some cameras at the selected AF point). Only a small area of the whole frame is metered and the exposure of the rest of the frame is ignored. This type of metering is useful for brightly backlit, macro, and moon shots.

[Bahamut]

Don't despair, great photos can be taken with even the modest equipment, you just have to work harder at it

... be ready, even at home.
You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. I am now on 42 bird species observed in my own back yard.

... be there.
The more hours you spend in nature, the luckier you get, that's a promise.

... stalk.
Never approach the animal directly, look like you are gonna pass it by. Limit eye contact. Find your spot and get comfortable. In most cases the animal will relax and return to what it was doing after a while when it decides that you are not a threat.

... and most importantly imho, more looking less rushing.
Get to know the particular animal so you can start predicting its next move, favorite rock, branch etc. That will allow you to position yourself for optimal light and angle. I once spent five days observing the aftermath of a lion kill in the KNP, from dawn till dusk, just to see what would show up next. Just because the lions left doesn't mean the show is over. (No great photos as the kill was a bit hidden buy thorn bush, but what great memories I still have and they are more important to me personally.)