TIPS FOR WILD LIFE AND NATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO ARE JUST STARTING OUT

By Matata Mercy

If you are interested in wild life and nature photography then should be in position to enjoy some of the images that contain lots of nature.

This photo has been widely shared online since wildlife ...

These images have been able to take your breath away. This could have been a photograph of a landscape that was breath taking or this landscape could have been washed in the golden moon light.

As a result of all these amazing images, you could be asking yourself how the hell did they actually do that.

8 Things to Pack in Your Bag as a Wildlife Photographer | Nature TTL

Most of these photos came out after hardwork, persistance, patience and some bit of luck in it. Here are some tips that can help you to become a better wild life and nature photographer.

1. Ensure that you do some research before moving out

 Before you are able to pick up that camera and start heading out to shoot the photos, you will need to do some homework on the things that you are going to photograph.

You might not be prepared well enough but this will help you. It can feel bad to walk in a situation and feel clueless and also helpless. You should educate yourself so that you can make good use of your outing.

2. What kind of gear should you carry?

Having the latest camera or gadget is not necessary but what you will certainly need is your persistance and patience are very essential.

 You should not buy the greatest zoom lens or camera  inorder for you to produce nice photos of wildlife and nature. You should be able to understand any limitations that your gadgets could have.

 You should have realistic expectations and also avoid being disappointed. While packing for your trip, you should not over pack because it will most likely weigh you down and even make you very uncomfortable while moving.

This will make you not to enjoy what you are doing and yet it is something that you could actually avoid doing and this makes all photographers uncomfortable. Do some research on the animals and scenes that you are going to be photographing.

You should choose what is least and also most important to you. First make choices and commit to them before you start packing so that you are sure of what you will need to avoid overloading.

 If you are planning to photograph animals and birds or any other kind of wildlife that can scare them quickly then you will need to pack your camera with the best zoom lens so that you can be able to take pictures from a good distance away from those subjects that you are photographing.

 The truth is  that there is no secret formula but you will need to have an idea of what kind of scene  you will be at.

3. Carry a very good bag with you

However much you plan, you will need to do carry all the items that you need as you move to your destination.

You should consider having a bag that is wide enough to be able to accomodate all those things that you will need while on the trip.

The bag should be able to properly carry the things that you need and also in addition be very comfortable with your body.

These bags will normally vary in size, quality and also price. In order for you to have some kind of piece of mind, you need to have a bag that is weather proof  or which is actually water resistant.

When you have good bag with you, the journey will be more enjoyable and you will have a very comfortable exprience.

4. Have a good pair of shoes that can give you comfort

One thing that you should think about properly is the kind of shoes that you will be wearing when you are enjoying nature.

 In order for you to have a very good experience, you will need to have comfortable feet and this simply means that the shoes have to be good.

 Having a good pair of hiking shoes or boots will help you alot as a wildlife photographer.You will come into contact with dirt, insects, snakes and dirt.

The shoes therefore have to fit you well and also be comfortable so that you can be able to walk long distances with no problem other wise you will end up cutting your trip short if your feet become uncomfortable.

5. Prepare for any other requirements

Before you embark on your wild life journey you will need to find out whether there are other requirements needed for you to be able  to access some of the wildlife locations like national parks or zoos.

Are there any permits needed for you to be able to gain access or other there parking lots for your vehicle or specific times in which you are required to visit those locations out there.

You will also need to do some research on the things like animals or birds that are usually photographed so that you do not waste time shooting the same scenes that have been shot before. You could also be able to shoot in different formats or angles.

You can find a park ranger to take you around, this will help you take creative shots that will put your work far apart from others out there.

 After you have done your research and know your destination very well, you can now proceed with photographing the nature that you like.

6. Start shooting your photos in RAW

Now that research is done, start shooting. You should start shooting your photos in the RAW mode of the camera.

By RAW images, i mean that these are images that are unprocessed, another person could say images that are uncooked and they are actually straight from the camera's image sensor.

 These images contain a large amount of pixel information compared to the JPEG  and might also take up alot more space in the memory card. This additional information will help during the post processing time.

7. Ensure that you use the lowest practical ISO possible

The number of ISO photographic films and image sensors  are actually related to the sensitivity to light

You should know that the higher the ISO number the less light is required to create the image. When the light sensitivity is high, the image noise also increases  and therefore it is advisable to use the lowest ISO possible.

Use a fast shutter speed to be able to capture the movements of animals and wildlife that are moving quickly and an increased noise cannot be noticed easily other than a blurred image.

8. Make use of Auto Focus mode when photographing wildlife

Making use of Autofocus will make your wild life photography fun and exciting. Auto focus is a great tool that you should actually make use of. Animals and birds, most especially the many varieties of wildlife out there are always on the move.

These animals and birds easily shift positions and will either move closer or even farther without caring about the photos that you are taking.

 The Auto Focus continous and Auto-servo modes will help you alot as they will keep a moving wildlife in focus.

All you need to do is to place your selected focus area over the wildlife or bird you want and then press the half-button so that you can be able to engage the Auto Focus mode.

The focus will be tracked as long as you follow the wildlife as you maintain the pressure on the shutter button.

You can read the manual of your camera so that you can find out how you can make use of the autofocus capabilities for your model and also how you can be able to select each of the modes.

9. Carry along with you a tripod

Having a tripod when you are going on a photographing spree of the wild life is a great idea. It is better to carry with you one tripod and not carry it with you and you lament about how you missed a great shot due to the lack of it.

You should find the lightest and also the most compact tripod that will help hold your camera in place during the set up.

Photographing wildlife can sometimes be so difficult but if you persevere and do it right, you will create some huge artistic and also spiritual rewards from your work.

So i urge you to go out there and do what you love to do most and ensure that you do not forget to put the camera down and take some time off to actually enjoy the world around you.

Comments

  1. Nature photography is a well-known and most passionate field to work. However, it also helps you to explore our planet that others may miss. So it is an amazing way to enjoy the beauty of nature. At the same time, nature photography can be a great career path. Because if you can become a professional nature photographer, you generate some extra income. So follow the below steps to become a nature photographer.

    Learn at: https://thephotoediting.com/how-to-become-a-nature-photographer/

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