In the last issue we talked about how to take great photos of babies.

In this issue we are going to talk about wildlife photography and how to

catch the animals by surprise.

 

Photography has been around for more than a century and our topics

will never cease.  There is portrait, landscape, wedding, and wildlife

photography just to name a few.  One of the most rewarding styles of

photography centers on wildlife.  It may take you several hours before

finding the perfect picture and capturing it, but the reward is more than

worth the wait.

 

Wildlife photography is perhaps the most difficult in the profession. You

have to have the time, inclination, and of course the camera. Most

wildlife shots are captured using a telephoto lens because the animal

will not walk near you. Every once in a while you will be able to capture

the fox, elk, bear or other animal as it comes through the woods in your

path, however most of the time they are yards away and elusive.

 

Wildlife photography doesn't wait for you to happen a long and snap a

photo.  You need to immerse yourself in the site you choose your

camera at the ready, and set for the light of the day.  Most automatic

cameras work great on the preset for those who are just learning to

take wildlife photographs.  Photography has always been about the

moment and the best photographers can catch the moment with a

speed and agility of the animal they are capturing.

 

Start with small subjects when you begin your foray into wildlife

photography.  Practice on your pet.  Let them roam naturally and see if

you can capture the wild and crazy moments on film without the

photograph ending up blurry.  All great photographers have studied and

practiced.  They also use more than one shot.  Making sure your

camera has a quick shutter speed will help you take more than one shot

as your move with the animal.  When you have the subject in your site

you need to follow it while focusing and then quickly snap as many

pictures as you can before they move out of site.  This technique is

known as panning.  Rather than the subject coming to you, you follow

the subject.

 

When you have mastered your pets you can begin to explore the

outdoor world of wildlife photography.  Some of your subjects will be

standing still and this is another practice technique.  Be aware of the

lighting and placement while trying not to disturb the animal.  It is most

easy to get a squirrel when they are intent on eating or foraging for

food.  If you stay silent and walk carefully you can often get pretty close.

 

If you are choosing a larger subject such as a deer or bear you will want

to stay far enough away to get the shot, and not draw attention to

yourself.  Bears are dangerous creatures, but they can be

photographed if you use common sense and don’t tread upon their

territory.  Wildlife photography and thus the photographers have a code

of ethics when attaining the perfect shots.  You will want to follow these

ethics for your safety and the animals.

 

Wildlife photography is a waiting game for the perfect picture to sprint

across your viewfinder.  It takes patience and a lot of practice, but the

reward of having a family member or friend go, “ where did you get that

photograph?  I have got to have one,” will sweeten the deal.

 

Make sure you look for your next issue soon. We will be talking about

using lenses in photography.