Wildlife Photography Tips ( Part 2) 

Article by Maverick eye

Click here to read part 1 of this article

In the first part of this article , we saw some wildlife photography tips that experience has taught me. In “wildlife Photography tips -part 1″, we studied the key element called Observation , understood the nuances of choosing a good frame & learned the importance of anticipating & predicting the behavior of animals & birds.

Lets look at some advanced tricks today:

4)      Thinking out of the box

A good frame is always great but then again in order to get to that frame, it helps to think out of the box with respect to certain subjects. With animals, you essentially think about capturing their whole form. But, the key element is the animal or bird and how you perceive their character and their impact on this planet. It could be deciding factor on that frame sometimes. In the image below, I could have gone for a complete body shot of the crocodile. But, looking at the light and the proximity to the crocodile, I felt I should tighten the frame and bring out a different angle. In short, with the frame below, it hints at one of the first footsteps to grace this planet and more of a tribute to one of the most ancient and long standing species. It could work in the same way for different other animals like the feathers for a peacock, the eye for an eagle, the claws of a vulture etc. Each of the above mentioned frames uniquely identify that particular animal and could give a totally fresh perspective to your image.

5)      Panning and capturing movement

Panning is a very crucial element of wildlife photography. Technically, it is a method to capture fast motion with only the main subject in focus in the foreground. A good knowledge of an animal’s movement pattern can help you anticipate a specific move and help you capture it. It is always useful particularly with hyperactive animals like monkeys and also, birds in flight. The trick is to keep a constant focus on the subject and move the camera along with it without losing the focus. It might appear difficult at first but with constant practice, it would become rather easy. In the image below, the monkey was hunching up as if to jump and  all I had to do was ascertain the possible trajectory and have the camera ready to click at the exact moment. With practice, it would become natural to click at the precise moment. Panning works with any moving subjects and can be return extremely wonderful frames especially with birds in flight.

6)       Look for good lighting and shadows

Lighting is a very important factor of any type of photography and wildlife photography is not different. You can even use it to your advantage with certain subjects and can actually use shadows also to create a more dynamic effect. Make sure that you observe the light and look around to ensure that no shadows are coming over excessively over the subject you are shooting. The best time generally for shooting is early morning or in the evening after 4. It would be really tough to shoot in the afternoons as the sun might be mercilessly bright and giving you results which you might not expect. In the image given below, the light was wonderful in the way it fell on that crocodile’s front portion and the shadows that fell on the posterior part of its body gave the whole image a more dynamic and mysterious look. It could make the subject more aggressive or even make it project out more in the frame.

7)      Color combinations

It is always nice to observe the color combination in the frame and a careful consideration of such frames can give amazing results. You can see the result of observing color combination in the image of the two owls, given above. Sometimes, minor adjustments in where you stand or maybe even kneeling on the ground can change the background to an extent that the whole frame might look different and appealing. Don’t be hesitant to kneel or even lie on the floor to get a better frame with good colors. I have seen people being embarrassed to do that but remember that you are shooting for yourself and the final output depends on how much effort you put in, to get that good shot. In the image below, a 20 minutes wait by the tiger enclosure got me this frame but I am glad I did since it returned the best photograph ever captured on my camera, to date. The yellow and orange colours of the tiger’s body, blends in perfectly with the green algae infested water. A lot of people had asked me whether compositing was done on the image by placing the tiger later, in the image with just the water in it. Well, that is what a good frame can do to the viewers.

8)      Extraordinary in the ordinary

This is again a totally different element to photography and has got to do more with your eye and its perception powers than any technical aspect. You need to train your eye to find excitement in anything that you see around. To put it in simple terms,  you should be able to see life in a centipede as much as you see life in a lion. People tend to forget this aspect and look at only certain beings in awe. For me, anything and everything around me surprises me and excites me. This helps because it keeps my senses alert and helps me find beautiful frames in normal scenarios. In the image given below, bats are flying around in a disturbed state. For a normal guy, it might not be special because they are just bats and you get to see them in bunches on the trees. But, to see such a huge flock of bats in flight during broad daylight is indeed special. That makes this frame special and kind of puts it in the extra ordinary category. So,  is all in the manner in which you see the world around you. Focus on the world around you in detail and it can get you interesting and surprising results in the frames.

In short, I do agree that technical knowledge is quintessential but when it comes to wildlife photography, but relying more on your instincts and quick response could get you great shots. For subjects whom are unpredictable and beyond your control and lighting which could vary drastically in seconds, you don’t have much time to work on the settings to get a perfect shot. You need to have a basic idea, set the camera in advance and make sure that you have already visualized a frame in your mind to enable the click at that perfect moment. Trusting your instincts backed by a good knowledge of the subjects, the location and the equipment along with a little bit of luck can deliver you a good wildlife image.

To end with Ansel Adams’ quote yet again – ““It is my intention to present – through the medium of photography – intuitive observations of the natural world which may have meaning to the spectators.”

Read Wildlife photography tips part 1 here.

Click here to see other stunning pics from Maverick Arun.

Click here to read oher lifestyle articles from this site.