Do we have any wildlife enthusiasts here? Then this post is just for you! If you look enviously at someone else’s photos of various birds and wild animals (like I do), and you’ve always wanted to be one of those photographers, then you’re in the right place.

The first, and perhaps most important, ability a wildlife photographer must possess is patience. Be prepared to walk dozens of kilometers over uneven terrain or remain motionless in a hide for several hours until you find your ideal shot. And after that, you’ll need lightning-fast speed and extreme caution—the perfect scene will only last for a few fleeting moments. Besides all this, you’ll also need some knowledge about your future subjects: what attracts them, what frightens them, when you might encounter them, and when you definitely won’t see them.

If getting a good landscape photo required being a bit of a geographer, and a good portrait required being a bit of a psychologist, then photographing wildlife requires being a bit of a biologist. Simply being a photographer might get you technically good pictures, but for artistic masterpieces, you need to know and understand what you are photographing.

Wildlife Photography: Gear

Let’s move on to the technical side.

You’ll need a good camera with fast autofocus and a high continuous shooting speed. A full-frame sensor is desirable, but a smaller sensor size will also work, provided it performs well at high ISOs. The presence of image stabilization will also be a great advantage; shooting will primarily be done with very fast shutter speeds, so gaining a few stops in exposure will significantly improve the final image quality.

The choice of lens is quite limited. You need a long focal length: 150mm and higher. Birds and other wild animals won’t come close enough for you to get a successful shot, so you’ll be forced to photograph them from a considerable distance. Currently, there are several lenses on the market that solve this problem, both from major camera manufacturers and third-party producers (Tamron, Sigma). Ideal options include 150-600mm and 200-500mm lenses; they allow you to get shots with different compositions without changing your position and thus without making unnecessary noise.

Among other accessories, it’s desirable to have a tripod. First, it somewhat eases the strict limitation on shutter speed selection, and besides that, it reduces the probability of damaging your camera. Telephoto lenses are large and heavy, usually heavier than the camera itself. In such cases, to avoid excessively burdening the connection point between the camera and the telephoto lens, the lens is often attached to the tripod instead of the camera body.

Apparel and Protection

Also, pay attention to your attire; bright colors are absolutely discouraged, as they will scare away animals. Camouflage clothing appropriate for the season is exactly what you need. This way, you’ll successfully blend in with nature, and unsuspecting animals will appear in your frame.

Don’t forget about the weather and its tendency to change abruptly. Rain jackets will take up very little space in your bag but will provide invaluable service during a downpour (which, of course, the weather forecast might not have even mentioned). And besides protecting yourself, you also need to take care of your equipment. Just like your rain jacket, have a rain cover for your camera bag. Of course, some manufacturers assure you that their products are waterproof, but in any case, it’s not worth taking unnecessary risks and damaging thousands of dollars worth of equipment.

Best camera settings for wildlife photography

Now let’s look at the parameters it’s desirable to shoot with for good results. We’ll leave ISO selection to the camera, having previously raised its upper limit quite high. Of the other two exposure parameters, we prioritize shutter speed, and there are two reasons for this. Both of which we’ve already discussed, but let’s revisit them.

First, we need a fast shutter speed to freeze our subject. Animals are fast, even when standing still. So, the shutter speed should be at least 1/500th of a second, and for a running animal, even 1/2000th or faster.

The other issue related to shutter speed comes from our lens, or more precisely, its long focal length. Remember that for each focal length, there’s a certain sharpness limit below which your body’s tremors will affect the shot. The formula was simple. For a full-frame sensor, the shutter speed should be faster than one divided by the focal length. This means that with a 500mm focal length, we need a shutter speed of 1/500th of a second or faster. This problem is somewhat alleviated if the camera or lens has stabilization capabilities. In that case, you only focus on the subject and freezing its motion.

And after such strict shutter speed requirements, I think it’s clear that the aperture should be opened as wide as possible, allowing more light to reach the sensor.

Focus and Capture

Focusing isn’t much different from portrait photography. The priority is the eyes, and fortunately, many modern mirrorless cameras recognize an animal’s eye and offer to focus at that point. If eye-tracking autofocus isn’t available, use Single Point and Dynamic modes. Manual focusing isn’t recommended; it’s extremely difficult to do accurately with such long focal lengths.

Wildlife is one of those genres where one shot is never enough. Turn on your camera’s continuous shooting mode, and by holding down the shutter button, capture as many frames as possible in quick succession. This will drastically increase your chances of getting a beautifully focused shot at just the right moment.

The Most Important Rule & Summary

And now, the last, and most important rule if you’re going to photograph wildlife:

Do No Harm.

Nature is priceless. No photograph, not even the most brilliant one, is worth anything if, in obtaining it, you have harmed any animal or plant. Always remember that as a photographer, you are simply an observer; you should not change anything. Everything should remain as it was before and after you. That must be your primary goal. No extra broken branches, no trash left behind. In that case, you will be a part of nature, and your photographs will have true value.

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Key Takeaways for Wildlife Photography:

• Be Patient.
• Know your subject: Understand what you’re about to photograph.
• Camera Choice: Your camera should have a good sensor, ideally stabilization, and a high continuous shooting speed.
• Dress Appropriately: Be selective with your clothing; blending in with nature is crucial.
• Lens Choice: Zoom lenses with variable focal lengths are preferable, and the widest possible maximum aperture is best.
• Shutter Speed: When choosing shutter speed, consider both the need to freeze your subject and to neutralize camera shake.
• Focus: Focus on the subject’s eyes; the rule here is the same as in portrait photography.
• Continuous Shooting: Burst mode will increase your chances of getting a successful shot.
• Do No Harm.