7 Ways to Enhance Your Wildlife Photography

7 Ways to Enhance Your Wildlife Photography
Photography can be a great hobby for many seniors. Whether you are new to it or you’ve done it for years, there always something you can work on to get better and improve your eye. And then there’s the question of what to shoot. Many people have found wildlife to be an excellent subject for photography. Shooting wildlife has some similarity to other subjects. Start by getting the basics right, then polish your skills as you go along. Here are some tips that may prove useful: 7 Ways to Enhance Your Wildlife Photography
1. GET THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT
A lot of wild animals easily panic at the sight of humans. They might run or fly away at the slightest disturbance. Photographers therefore have to keep their distance so as not to scare them off. Getting a good shot in this manner requires tools such as a powerful zoom lens, a capable camera, and a stable tripod.
2. LEARN HOW TO USE THEM
Having expensive gear does not miraculously turn a novice into a great photographer. Gaining mastery of the tools take time and exposure to a variety of different situations. This is especially crucial in photographing creatures that tend to move around quite a bit. Settings must be modified in a snap according to the situation. For instance, auto focus is best for birds which might take off in an instant while manual focus is essential when singling out a small creature in the bushes. Practice, and then practice some more.
3. DO EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON SUITABLE SPOTS
Read up on nearby places that are suitable for this type of photography. Local and national parks tend to have plenty of wildlife. Their websites should list the kinds that can be seen within their boundaries. Learn about their behaviors through books or online resources as preparation for the trip. Join a local club that shares the same interest. The members should be able to provide plenty of practical advice.
4. OBSERVE PATIENTLY
Once on the site, look for a good spot that is a good distance away from the subjects and observe them patiently. Make a note of their behaviors as individuals and as a group. These should provide ideas on what moments to capture and such. Survey the surroundings for a nice background to add context to the image. Dramatic landscapes and fascinating habitats abound in the wilderness so take advantage of them.
5. DON’T MISS A SHOT
One of the greatest challenges is capturing that magical moment when the subject does something utterly amazing. This could be its final lunge to get a prey where it is fully extended in mid-air, or maybe a rare soulful gaze into the camera with sunset in the backdrop. With subjects that move about as often they do, the opportunity can go away in the blink of an eye. Photographers must be quick to act. The camera should also be set for continuous shots particularly in a fast action sequence.
Ethics is a thorny subject. Each individual tends to have his own standards on what is acceptable and what is not. However, the general principle is to be as authentic as possible when photographing wildlife . The subjects should not be influenced to do something or go somewhere by providing food. Let them behave as they normally would and do not stress them out. The golden hour is the time right after sunrise and just before sunset when the light is less harsh all around. There is a beautiful reddish tint that gives everything an ethereal glow. Many photographers try to wait for this time to get a desired effect. As an added incentive, diurnal animals tend to come out and become highly active around these periods.