How to Photograph Wildlife

The famed street photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson spoke of the “decisive moment” when a person’s action or expression is at its peak, resonating in the photograph. The most successful wildlife shots also capture this decisive moment, which often comes after many humdrum moments of hanging around watching an animal standing still.

Film photographers like Cartier-Bresson relied on instinct and experience to click the shutter at just the right time. Today, we tend to rely on high-speed continuous shooting from our digital cameras. While that helps, an understanding of the animal’s behavior and concentration on their movements will ensure that you are ready for the money shot.

Telling a Story
Telling a story with wildlife photos encompasses a variety of visual approaches. The “decisive moment” usually involves action, which means the super-telephoto can’t be fully zoomed or you’ll risk losing the animal off-frame. However, when the subject is close enough and the lens long enough, tight shots of the head create very powerful pictures. I also like to show the animal in its environment, requiring a wider focal length. Verticals also add variety to the images.

You don’t always have to be on a tripod and your tripod doesn’t always have to be at full height. Ideally, you want to be at eye level with the animal, and that often means getting low to the ground. You can go handheld or bring your tripod all the way down.

I like to shoot wildlife with a Canon EOS 5D Mk III or 1DX. I have recently been using the new Tamron SP 150-600MM F/5-6.3 Di VC USD lens. It’s incredibly sharp and light weight, and a great value. Another favorite is the Canon EF100-400mm lens. If the animals are large enough and close enough, a shorter lens will do the job.

Technical Success
The key to technical success is using a shutter speed high enough to freeze the animal’s movement (unless you’re going for an artistic pan or blur effect) and an aperture small enough for the depth-of-field needed. For medium to larger animals, I’ll start with 1/640 second and f/8. You may need to go to f/11 if there is a group of animals that you want to have in focus. Birds in flight may require a faster shutter speed.

Since today’s image sensors handle higher ISO’s better, one approach is to use the Manual setting on your dial, set the shutter speed and aperture, and set the ISO to auto. If the light is constant (open sky, clould cover or sunshine), I’ll often make a couple of test shots and then set all three manually. Then, unless the light changes, I no longer have to worry about exposure. Alternately, I suggest using shutter priority, as more shots will be ruined with a low shutter speed than anything else.

Focus on the eyes: they are the most critical part of the photograph. Be sure to lock focus and then reframe the image to give yourself a dramatic composition.

Always stay safe and be aware of your surroundings when shooting in the wild. And you don’t have to head to the jungle or the Arctic; just go to your local zoo or wild animal park. They are great places to enjoy your wildlife photography.

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