When I retired from The Herald a few years ago, one of my immediate goals was to become a better wildlife photographer.
I’m still working on that, but here’s some advice from what I’ve learned so far.
Do your homework
Through the years, I’d gotten some great advice from the paper’s professionals. I also studied my camera’s instruction manual for a better understanding of what it could do. If you want to improve, regularly practice your camera’s features so you can use them immediately when needed.
Also, study local wildlife to better understand your subject. Where does it live? What does it eat? What time of the day is it active? When does it have its offspring? Is it migratory? For example, Snohomish and Skagit counties have thousands of swans and snow geese that spend the winter here. They’re good subjects from November into April.
Bring your camera
This may sound obvious, but how many times have you seen something incredible and thought: “Wow, I wish I had brought by camera.” The answer is to keep a camera close by as often as you can, even if it’s just the one in your smart phone or a model you can stick in your pocket.
Go to the park
Spend time photographing in local parks, forests, or areas like the Port of Everett that provide trails and public access. Get to know the wildlife there and study its habits both during a day or a season. Birds and animals are creatures of habit and you will soon learn where to be and when.
Be patient
When I first started photographing wildlife, I would take a few snapshots and look for a new subject. Now, I try to improve my initial efforts. Study your early photos for distracting elements that you need to eliminate. Can you get closer without harassing the subject? Can you improve the composition? If you sit still and wait, will the subject forget you’re there and act more naturally? Will something unexpected happen?
Plan your photos
Most wildlife are creatures of habit. They often go to the same areas around the same time to do the same things. If you’ve been patiently observing a subject and have a good sense of its schedule, you can plan a good time to show up when the light will be special. Wildlife are often most active at dawn and dusk, for example, which usually has the best, soft light. Midday light is often too harsh. Overcast days can have even, soft light, but the sky can be drab. You also should scout out good backgrounds for your photos. For example, I like to photograph swans and snow geese with snow-capped mountains in the background. I frequently look for fields where they feed that have the Cascade Range in the background.
Perspective
Most snapshots are taken by people sitting or standing and looking down at the subject. Think about lying on the ground or climbing up a tree or a hill and changing the perspective.
Disguise yourself
Most wildlife flee from people, especially those coming toward them. If you go early, wear drab clothing, use cover and sit still, wildlife will often come to you. I often photograph from my car while parked alongside the road because many creatures are used to seeing vehicles and don’t consider them a threat. Use a bean bag or a folded coat to steady your camera in the window frame.
Camera equipment
What equipment to buy is debatable, but I prefer a camera with interchangeable lenses.
My camera is a Canon 7D, but there are many good ones out there.
I find that a 400mm telephoto lens is a good one for wildlife, especially for photographing birds.
I usually handhold the lens or use a monopod, which is easy to carry.
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