Looking for tips for taking wildlife photos? Get a handle on a few digital-camera techniques to bag stunning outdoor wildlife photos.
The old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” is spot on. While some people can form images in their minds from words alone, others appreciate photos to make a description clear and stimulate thought. When I speak about photography, I often use the word “hunting” in the context of “searching.” Every time I venture out into nature, I’m searching for a story to tell about how people interact with the world around them. I figured out long ago I could tell these stories using both words and images.
I “hunt” for just about everything in the outdoors: the people, animals, and scenery that comprise our world. In stark contrast with wedding or portrait photography, with outdoor photography, you have very little control over your subjects’ movements or the weather; there’s no posing for the “perfect” shot. Outdoor photography is often about being in the right place at the right time. Even still, you can achieve greater success by getting to know the environment in which you’re working and the equipment you use.
Know Your Camera
Cameras have changed immensely since I first started shooting some 50 years ago. In the early days, when film was king and digital photography wouldn’t become mainstream for decades, you never knew whether you captured the image or not until you got the film developed! The best photographers in the business took hundreds of photos in hopes that one would pay off – which meant they needed to carry hundreds of rolls of film into the field with them.
Like most people of the 1960s and 1970s, I started with a Kodak Instamatic camera that used 126 film (35 millimeters wide) and progressed to 110 film (16 millimeters wide). I honed my skills in adjusting depth of field and shutter speed through trial and error. To use a hunting analogy, these cameras were single-shot rifles compared with today’s digital semiautomatics. Early digital cameras weren’t anything to write home about, but today, plenty of high-quality digital cameras – and even most cellphones – can produce exceptional photos if you spend time learning their capabilities.
Before you run out and purchase a camera, lenses, and other equipment, ask yourself what your intent is. Do you want to sell your photos at a farmers market or publish them in print, or are they solely for your own enjoyment? Good cameras are expensive, so figuring out your objectives can save you hundreds of dollars.
If your photos are for your own personal use, then your smartphone probably provides everything you need already. If you prefer to use a camera, inexpensive point-and-shoot models will do the job. These cameras slip into your pocket and are great for family outings. If you’re looking to sell your photos or want to take action shots, you’ll want a more advanced camera with removable lenses and multiple settings. The great thing about digital cameras, no matter which one you choose, is that you’ll see instantly whether you got the shot or not.
Learn How to Capture Wildlife
Some people love those sharp, close-up animal photos; some want to see movement-evoking action; and others appreciate soft visual touches. All can be accomplished with practice and by manipulating your camera’s settings. Old 35-millimeter film cameras required carefully composing photos, properly using F-stops (depth of field), calibrating shutter speed (controlling the amount of light that reaches the film), adjusting ISO (film speed) – and a bunch of luck. Today’s digital cameras configure most of this for you. All you’ll need to do is ensure proper settings, use auto-focus, and let the camera do the work.
Relying on digital auto-settings works for me about three-quarters of the time; for the rest, I manipulate settings manually. Shooting stationary wildlife is straightforward and well-suited to auto-settings: Judge the distance, stay concealed, and take the shot. Similarly, shooting landscapes and scenery asks of you to simply secure the camera and go for it. You’ll sometimes have the luxury to wait for the perfect light, and a cabin on the prairie isn’t going to run off the way a moose or a cowboy herding cattle will.
Capturing movement, such as of deer leaping or downhill skiers, is another story. As when shooting waterfowl with a shotgun, the photographer must keep the camera moving, swinging through every shot. You don’t stop your shotgun after the trigger has been squeezed, and you don’t stop your camera after the shutter has been released. Doing so will mean a missed photo. If you don’t believe me, I have plenty of photos of the rear ends of deer to prove my point. With action shots, some knowledge of old-school photography is valuable to have, because it can yield exceptional results.
In the beginning, I recommend you try each shot on automatic, and then switch to manual mode and play with the settings. Compare the photos, and determine what works best for you.
Maintain a Stable Camera
Modern digital cameras have a built-in anti-shake feature, but stability is the key to sharp photos, and no technology is foolproof. You’ll still want to brace yourself against a tree, use a bean bag draped across a log, or invest in a tripod or monopod.
- Tripods. A tripod offers the most stability but can also be the most cumbersome to use. Tripods consist of three adjustable legs with a small platform that holds your camera. They’re tough to lug around, especially when photographing wildlife. However, when I photograph scenery, I use a tripod whenever possible.
- Monopods. As the name implies, a monopod has one leg. The premise is that when using a monopod, your body’s own two legs make the full setup into a tripod. Monopods are light, easy to transport, and can double as walking sticks while on the trail (I’ve used mine for stability many times while traversing streams).
- Bean bags. Perhaps the simplest piece of gear you can carry, a bean bag thrown across a log or a vehicle window frame can allow you to get a shot you’d otherwise miss. My mother made the bean bag I carry, and I’ve used it to steady my rifle while deer hunting as much as I have for stabilizing my camera.
Protect Your Tech
Back in the days of totally manual cameras with solid metal bodies, weather (or the occasional tumble) wasn’t a major issue. However, today’s cameras run on electronic mechanisms that don’t tolerate moisture or getting banged around. You need to protect your gear as much as possible. When shooting from a canoe or kayak, I keep my cameras in a waterproof bag while on the move, only taking them out when I’m ready to use them. When in woods and fields, I keep a 1-gallon clear plastic bag in my pack in case it starts raining or snowing. The bag keeps my camera dry, and I’ve even had success shooting right through the plastic.
Moisture isn’t the only threat. Modern cameras run on batteries, and batteries quickly die when exposed to extreme heat and cold. To avoid disappointment, I keep spare batteries in my shirt pocket, just in case. To help preserve the battery in my camera, I carry the camera inside my shirt or jacket to take advantage of the body’s temperature-regulating effect. Even when I was shooting in the extreme heat of the Arizona desert, this method reduced the heat enough to save my camera’s battery.
Find a Photo Opportunity
Sometimes, the perfect photo opportunity will present itself unexpectedly – but usually, you’ll have to go and find it. Don’t be afraid to ask people who are experts of territory unfamiliar to you. On a recent visit to national parks, I enlisted the aid of Backcountry Safaris in Grand Teton and Yellowstone Wolf Tracker in Yellowstone. The days I spent with each guide gave me the information I needed to go out later and search on my own.
Outdoor photography is unlike any other type of photography. Every shot taken is one you have to work for. Know your subject and have faith in your gear. More importantly, have faith in your abilities and instincts for finding a story waiting to be told. Grab your camera, keep an open mind, use your imagination, and, above all, have fun.
Dana Benner has written about the outdoors, history, the environment, and self-sufficiency for 35 years, publishing his work in numerous publications.