Top tips for Wildlife Photography

Are you just getting started with Wildlife photography or are looking to improve your photos of wild animals? Well you are in the right place because in this article we are going to be talking about the top 10 wildlife tips.

Do Research

The best way to get that perfect shot, is to know the animal you are shooting. Talk to local experts, read books or blogs or watch videos about the animal you are wanting to capture and the area that you are hoping the capture them in.

Learn when they are most active, what they eat and where you are most likely to find them. Do they make sounds or calls that might help you to find them? Are there any patterns in their behavior that might help you capture them in the perfect pose?

To capture this image of a sunbird making her next I did some research on when and where they build their nests.

Have the right equipment

Now you don’t necessarily need expensive equipment for wildlife photography, but it does help. Even shooting with the latest iPhone you would be limited to what you could capture.

Lenses are probably the most important piece of equipment for wildlife photography. I have 3 lenses which I use for different subjects. The first is my Canon 100-400mm. This is great for a subject that is far away, such as birds.

Then I have my Canon 100m Macro. I use this for the smaller subjects, such as crabs and insects.

Finally I have my Sigma 18-50mm. This lens also has a macro feature making it great for getting close ups of slightly larger animals such as lizards. But is also great for leaving a bit of space around your subject in an image.

Whatever equipment you are using, make sure you know how to use it and can change the settings quickly. If you are fumbling to get your settings correct you will miss the moment.

If you need help learning how to use your camera make sure you check out my Get To Know Your Camera course

This was a lucky shot which I was not prepared for. I had my macro lens on the camera as I was primarily shooting insects in the rainforest, when I spotted this Cassowary walking through a clearing. This shows that you can use any lens for wildlife photography even if each have their own specialities.

Slow down, stop, look, and listen

The best way to find your creatures is not to go rushing through the forest or whatever environment, making lots of sound. Slow down, reduce the amount of noise you are making and the animals will start to appear. Stop every few minutes and look around. Not just left and right, but look up into the trees, look at what’s on the ground. Listen to the sounds around you. Take in your environment completely. You never know what you can find.

The only reason I found this spider was because I was walking very slowly through the jungle, looking at each plant and leaf.

Be patient

Getting the best wildlife photo has as much to do with luck and patients as it does with photographic skills. Finding the subject in question is the first challenge. You may have to wait hours at a location for them to turn up, or not show at all, only to have to go back again and again, until you finally get a shot.

The other way that you need be patient is waiting for the creature to get into the right pose.

Many animals have patterns in their behavior. For example a bee may go from one flower to another, to a third and back to the first one again. Look for these patterns and be ready when they land on the flower you want them on.

To capture this shot of a rainbow bee eater, I sat and watched a group of them landing and taking off from this dead tree for at least half an hour before one landed in the perfect position.

Focus on the eyes

Whether you are shooting humans or animals, the eyes are the most important part of the image. They are the entrance to our souls and show the emotions and feelings of the animals. Simply we connect through the eyes.

Many modern cameras have eye detection focus modes which can really help with getting your eyes sharp. It can also be a good idea to use a big depth of field and even rock back and forth slightly whilst taking a few photos.

The eye of the green tree frog is sharp and is therefore what the viewer looks at, it doesn't matter that most of the frogs body is out of focus.

Shoot at the right time

If you have done your research from tip number 1 then you will know what is the best time of day to get out and shoot your animal. The majority of animals are most active during what we call the golden hour, that is the hour just after sunrise and just before sunset. This is also when we get the best light for photography, so try to get out during these times for the best result.

The weather can also have an effect on how your animal behaves. If it is raining they may be hiding somewhere dry instead of out in the open. If it is windy, swaying tree branching might make it harder to get the shot. If it’s a really hot day your animals may be hiding in the shade and not out in the sunlight.

Finally the time of year may affect what you can shoot as many animal migrate to warmer or colder climates. The activities of animals also change throughout the year as they go through breeding seasons or hibernation.

Birds are most active first thing in the morning and therefore I got up early to capture this show of a kookaburra.

Get Low

This tip goes for any type of photography, but is especially useful in making your wildlife appear bigger. As the rule goes if you shoot something from above it will always appear smaller but if you shoot from below it will appear bigger and more powerful.

I was crouching down for this photo of a Komodo Dragon. Getting down on his level makes it seem like we are equalls.

Capture action

Portraits of animals are great, but there is nothing quite like getting the action shot. These are hard to do and involve a lot of skill and patients, but when you get it, the wait is always worth it. Action is a great way to tell a story about the animals life.

I saw this honey eater flying towards the tree where the Kookaburra was sitting so started shooting, just as they started to interact.

Practice makes perfect

The only way you are going to improve your skills is to practice. Get out as often as you can, and shoot as many different subjects as possible. The more you shoot the more comfortable you will become with your camera, the environment, and the challenges of light and weather.

The more time you spend in your favorite animals environment the more you will learn about them and it will become easier and easier to get the perfect shot.

It took me many attempts to get a photo of a bird in flight that was perfectly sharp.

Have fun

Ok so this is the final tip. Wildlife photography is suppose to be fun. Don’t just focus on your camera, take breaks and actually enjoy the environment you are in, enjoy the experience you are having. If you come home from a shoot without a single good photo, don’t feel bad it’s all part of the process. I bet you still had a nice walk or enjoyed a nice view. Nature is unpredictable but that is why we love her.

Photographing these rock wallabies was one of my favourite wildlife encounters, I loved watching them bound around the rocks and see the joeys in the pouches.