6 Tips for Photographing Wildlife

6 tips voor het fotograferen van wilde dieren

Photographing animals can be incredibly unpredictable and challenging. Unlike humans, you can’t ask animals to pose or stand still. You’re completely dependent on their natural rhythms, such as when they sleep or eat. Then there are the elements, such as the weather, that can throw a spanner in the works. Whether it’s too hot or it suddenly starts raining, you always have to be flexible and prepared to adapt. It’s this unpredictability that makes animal photography so challenging and rewarding. Our very own photographer Patricia shares six tips for photographing wild animals at the zoo or in a wildlife park.

#1 Make the most of the autumn colours

Autumn colours are vibrant and striking with deep shades of orange, yellow and red. You can use these colours cleverly to make your images powerful and atmospheric. Make sure they stand out in your photos by choosing the right composition. For example, photograph a canopy of leaves in a park, a tree losing its leaves or a loose leaf that you find on the ground.

Choosing the right time of day can also make a big difference. During the golden hour, just after sunrise or just before sunset, the light becomes softer and warmer. This gives your images a natural glow and makes the autumn colours stand out even more. The low position of the sun creates a nice balance between light and shadow,
giving your images a cinematic effect.

A little tip: Use post-processing tools like Lightroom or Snapseed to further enhance the colors without making them look unnatural. Play with the saturation and contrast to emphasize that warm autumn atmosphere.

#2 Shutter Speed/Speed ​​& Bokeh (Sharpness/Depth)

When you’re capturing wildlife, speed is everything, and by that I don’t just mean how quickly you react, but how you set up your camera. Shutter speed is one of the most important settings I pay attention to. A rule of thumb I always keep in mind is that my shutter speed should be at least equal to the focal length of my lens. For example, if I’m using a 500mm lens, I’ll make sure my shutter speed is at least 1/500th of a second. This helps to get sharp images, especially when photographing animals in motion. A fast shutter speed can make the difference between a pin-sharp photo and one that’s just a little blurry, and you don’t want to find that out after the fact!

Shutter speed isn’t the only factor that plays a role in getting the perfect exposure. It’s also important to set your ISO and aperture correctly. Increasing your shutter speed to freeze motion can decrease the amount of light reaching the sensor. To compensate for this, I increase my ISO. This makes the sensor more sensitive to light, allowing me to still get well-exposed photos even in low light. Aperture, or the opening of the lens, also plays a big role. By choosing a larger aperture (smaller f-number), I let in more light. This is especially useful in low-light situations, but also creates a nice, out-of-focus background (bokeh). This keeps the focus completely on the animal. Be aware that an aperture that is too large can reduce the depth of field, meaning that not everything in your image will be equally sharp.

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#3 Lens Choice

When I go out to photograph animals, I always think carefully about which lens I take with me. A lens with a large zoom range is highly recommended. This allows you to bring animals from far away closer and capture them in detail, such as a lion on safari. In addition, a zoom lens offers flexibility; you can quickly switch between wide-angle and close-up, without changing lenses. This makes it easier to capture unexpected moments. For animal photography, a zoom lens increases your chances of the perfect photo and makes the experience even more fun. When you are going to photograph with a telephoto lens, it is advisable not to zoom in as much as possible. This way you can still crop the photo nicely in your editing program afterwards, such as the photo of the two tigers.

#4 Burst Mode

Burst mode is a great solution when you are photographing animals. In a fraction of a second you can take a whole series of photos, so you don’t miss a single moment. Whether it’s that one second of a bird spreading its wings or a fox darting away, with burst mode I know for sure that I’m capturing it. For me it’s a bit like being able to freeze time and then calmly choose which shot is the best. It gives me so much more certainty, especially during exciting and fast-paced moments.
Burst mode is a feature on your camera, and also on most smartphones, that allows you to take multiple photos in a short period of time by holding down the shutter button. It’s ideal for capturing fast-moving action. How burst mode is displayed can vary from camera to camera. On some models it’s called “Continuous Shooting,” while on others it’s called “High-Speed ​​Mode” or simply “Burst.” So it may take a little digging around in the settings, but it’s worth finding out how it works on your camera.

#5 Tripod

For me, a tripod is essential when photographing animals. It not only provides stability, but also the peace of mind to wait patiently for the perfect moment without having to hold the camera steady all the time. Especially with longer shutter speeds, when every little movement can cause blur, a tripod is a great tool. I also use a tripod for my smartphone to make behind-the-scenes recordings and extra shots for short videos. It is nice to have my hands free to take pictures, while my phone remains stable. It gives me the freedom to fully concentrate on my photography, which makes the whole process a lot more relaxed and efficient.

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#6 Backpack

When I spend a day at a zoo, I notice how important a good backpack is. You are often there for a longer period of time and then it is nice to have everything you need at hand. I often only take my camera with the lens I picked out at home to the zoo, but it is still useful to have a backpack that also fits some food, a bottle of drink and loose items such as my car keys, power bank and my smartphone. This way I don't have to go back to the car every time and I keep my trouser pockets free. It makes the difference between a relaxing day and lugging loose items.

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