How to Photograph Animals in the Wild
Animal photography, particularly those photographs captured in the wild where the animal is in its natural habitat can be truly spectacular. Of course, unlike humans who usually stay still for a photograph, animals do not always do what you want them to. The big question is how do people take such fantastic shots of animals in the wild? Look at any online photo-sharing site and you will see plenty of fantastic photos but you may not realize the time and effort it’s taken – as well as the equipment – to get such great shots. Here we will look at a few of the things you should consider when photographing animals in the wild.
Zoom lens
Wild animals, on the whole, will stay away from people and as soon as they see them nearby will run away. Birds and shyer animals in particular are prone to be scared if we get too close, and whilst larger animals may not run, they are certainly more dangerous the closer you get. This means that a zoom lens is an ideal solution.
The lens that you choose is important and can really make all the difference. There are some photographers who will disagree and feel that a zoom lens will spoil the quality of the image, but this is not always the case. A 28-300mm lens for example can create good images of birds in trees in the distance or larger animals that are closer. When you use a zoom lens you won’t need to change your lens too often and this can help you to prevent dust from getting into your camera and creating a dirty sensor. So choose a lens with a longer range for optimal flexibility.
Faster shutter speeds
Animals don’t always stay still, so a faster shutter speed is a must. The shorter or faster your shutter is open the less likely you are to get the continuous movement of an animal appearing as a blur.
A good shutter speed of at least 1/500th of a second or faster is a good idea when it comes to photographing animals. This is particularly the case when it comes to restless animals or those that are more active. This speed will allow you to freeze the motion of the animal and ensure that parts of it don’t blur.
Increase ISO
Don’t be afraid to increase your ISO. When your shutter speed is faster your exposure will become darker. In order to balance this out, you will need to increase your ISO. The more sensitive you are to light the less time is needed in order for the light to hit your camera sensor.
In addition, when you increase your ISO you increase the image signal that your camera receives. This means that you also amplify the amount of noise that appears in your photo. There are things that you can do to reduce this noise if it is not something you want to deal with. However it is important to remember that having a picture that is a little noisier is a small price to pay for the details that you want in a better-exposed photo.
Don’t be afraid of higher ISOs. It can be a great idea to play with your settings until you find something that works for you. A little noise is after all better than a blurry, underexposed, photo that may not offer you all the sharpness of detail you were looking for.
Find the right time to shoot
Finally, there is certainly a better time of day to take photographs of animals and it is important to work this out; if the sun is directly overhead then the light will be too bright in your photos and the shadows too dark. You should be aiming for the time of day when the sun is closer to the horizon. This diffused light will work much better with your subject.
Hopefully, these tips will give you some ways in which to improve your animal photography, saving you time and frustration when you can’t get the results you’re looking for.