We all have genres that we normally shoot, but sometimes, we want to try photographing outside our comfort zone. You can start getting great photos in other areas without becoming a full-time job or spending a fortune on additional kits. Here’s how to do it with wildlife photography.
There are many different breeds of wildlife photographers. At the top of the food chain is Photographicus Obsessius. They study individual species, so they know all their behaviors and can call them by Latin names. They wake up at 2 a.m., drive 50 miles or more, and sit uneasily for hours with a long lens, hoping to capture a less spotted, larger crested, yellow-bellied fallowl. perform the mating ritual once a year between seven o’clock in the morning on March 28. They don’t leave the house unless they wear green camo. Armed with a $20,000 lens mounted on their camera, they look like a piece.
Thank god for them. Like professionals in every field, they often talk about their passion and do a lot to help raise awareness and protect the wildlife they photograph. The world needs more of such people, especially considering the truly terrifying mass extinction event the planet is going through. Also, they usually get some smashing shots. However, it’s not you or me.
At the other end of the scale are those of us who love wildlife and want to take good pictures of them but don’t want to put in that much effort. However, we still want to get good photos. I fell into this camp. Photographers like us often shoot landscapes or photos of our family or pets. But sometimes, we want to take pictures of local birds and bees. If you’re with me here, the good news is that it’s entirely possible, and you can start using the kit and knowledge they already have.
When we think of wildlife photography, we often imagine rare species with unusual behavior or take close-up portraits of creatures with blurred backgrounds. It doesn’t have to be like that.
Most of us are surrounded by wildlife. I’m lucky because I live in a small seaside town in a rural district. This place is full of birds, and on my early morning bike ride I will also regularly encounter deer and a variety of smaller mammals such as hares, rabbits, and various mustaches. . Then in the sea are seals and dolphins. But even in cities, wildlife encroaches on the environment. Urban areas always have something to capture, whether flocks of wild pigeons, gulls, foxes or insects. Having nature on our doorstep, in our parks, streets, backyards and gardens means there is always something to photograph.
It doesn’t matter if the subject is a common sight to you. Many people ignore the mundane, so photographing it can show the beauty of nature to your audience, who may not have glanced at the creature a second time. Moreover, when we grasp the unusual ways they behave and all creatures have some unusual habits, we can share with the world about these wonderful ordinary animals like how.
Of course, we can attract those creatures to us. Hanging bird feeders, pouring water and planting insect-friendly flowers will bring wildlife to you. To prove this point, I was sitting in my backyard typing on a hot summer morning, and I had just filled a bird feeder with seeds. I know birds will visit within five minutes. I have a short telephoto zoom lens, one Lens 40-150mmequipped on my camera OM-1, but I can also use even more basic tools to get these photos. The sparrows and pigeons photos accompanying this article were all taken today.
Perhaps controversially in some camps, I use aperture priority (A on most cameras, Av on Canon). Why? The light reflected from a bird perched on a wall, in the shade of my barn, or overhead is different, and I can move quickly from one bird to another when something catches my eye. me. In manual mode, this means wasting time changing settings. Therefore, I can miss. In aperture priority mode, the camera does the heavy lifting.
I set the shutter speed in the camera’s menu to an absolute minimum of 1/1,200 second, sometimes faster than that if I want to stop motion completely. ISO is turned on automatically with up to 12,800, which I know will give me good quality images with controllable noise levels. That will vary between cameras; Only experimenting with yours will tell you at what ISO your photos become unacceptably noisy.
At this distance and short focal length, f/4 is a good aperture for me, as I have the whole bird in focus. I switched to continuous autofocus with AI bird tracking and recognition. That’s not available on every camera, but check if it’s on your camera. My camera also has a unique feature called Pro Capture. That buffered and recorded a few frames before pressing the shutter button completely, taking my reaction time out of the equation.
Once I’ve learned a bird’s behavior, I can usually predict what it will do, so I turn off Pro Capture. I find half the fun of action shots with wildlife is reaching the decisive moment through learned skills. Being able to turn off technology and manage photography without assistance gives me a greater sense of accomplishment. Still, Pro Capture is a great way to avoid the frustration of missing out on the action, something important for most photographers. I use it when photographing less familiar species that I haven’t seen any signs of that the creature is about to do something interesting.
Don’t be afraid to shrink. It gives you more opportunities to put the animal in the frame; it is difficult to track a fast-moving subject with a long lens. Also, your camera probably has more megapixels than you need, so there’s plenty of scope to crop. But more importantly, including the surroundings can add context and interest to the photo.
Because the environment and sky are brighter than average gray, I added 0.7 stops of positive exposure compensation. On my camera, this means two-click front facing. On entry-level cameras, this will require pressing the +/- button and rotating a single control dial, known by some brands as the command dial. Yes, it’s counter-intuitive, but increase exposure when shooting bright scenes.
I don’t just shoot birds; Insects are also here. Even without a macro lens, they still make great subjects.
Walking with my camera, I have a lot of opportunities to capture wildlife, but I find the secret is standing still and waiting for it to come to me. It is not necessary to wear green military clothing in an urban environment, and often there is little need elsewhere. Muted color will do. If you stand still, most creatures will ignore you. Also, don’t stare at wild animals as they will see you as a threat and run away; you have two fearsome forward-facing eyes, like their predators.
You may decide in time that you want a longer lens. You get what you pay for, and many cheap 75-300mm lenses are acceptable at some focal lengths but don’t give great results, especially at their extreme settings. It’s worth saving or checking out used deals on better lenses. If a cheaper lens is all you can afford, experiment to find where it gives the sharpest images. You’ll find a sweet spot with the aperture and focal length combinations that deliver excellent results.
Are you a seasoned wildlife photographer? How did you get started? Or you, like me, often shoot other genres but like to take pictures of animals. Maybe you’re just getting started. It would be great to hear your stories and see your photos. Please put them in the comments.
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