In the wild: How to photograph animals that avoid the spotlight
Wildlife photography is a thrilling hobby that offers a glimpse into lives of animals in their natural habitats. Understandably, there is an appeal of photographing these majestic beings, yet photographers often find themselves faced with the challenge of snapping a picture of animals that shy away from the cameras. Whether elusive, nocturnal, or naturally cautious, these creatures require a unique approach and a deep understanding of their behaviour to be captured through the lens.
“Photographing wild animals requires a lot of patience and therefore can be a time-consuming process. However, the gorgeous unique photos will be all worth it in the end” says James Whitten, Marketing Manager at photoGuard.
Which animals are the most difficult to photograph?
Endangered animals, like the mountain gorilla or the Magellanic penguin are obviously very hard to find and photograph. Some animals, for example leopards are just very good at camouflaging themselves.
Leading camera equipment insurer photoGuard shares few tips on how to capture wildlife animals.
Patience
Being a great wildlife photographer requires a lot of patience. Animals are not models and they will not tilt their head to the side the way the photographer wants them to unless they are prepared to wait around for hours, or even days. All of this waiting around will enable the photographer to observe the animal's habits, discovering which ones are the most intriguing and at what time of the day they become active to seek food.
Waiting for animals to approach rather than initiating contact is advisable. Approaching too closely can potentially disrupt their natural behaviour or be perceived as a threat. It's important to avoid staring directly into animal’s eyes, as this may be interpreted as aggressive behaviour.
Distance
One should aim to maintain 1,000 feet (300 meters) from wild animals, as advised by most park rangers. It is important to stay inside the vehicle, even if there is limited time and the animal seems a bit too far away. Even seemingly harmless animals like giraffes have caused injuries to overly eager filmmakers. This serves as a reminder that all wildlife should be respected.
Telephoto lens
For more nervous animals such as herbivore deer or antelope, getting extremely close to them is unlikely. Therefore, a photographer would typically require a lens with a zoom capability of 400 – 600mm. However, the drawback of this is the necessity to carry heavy equipment.
“Remember that animals spend most of their time finding food to eat, if you disturb their behaviour, you are having an impact on their survival” warns Whitten.
Read more wildlife photography tips on:
https://www.photoguard.co.uk/photographing-wild-animals
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