In this new article our Guest Author Pedro Adalia immerses you in wildlife photography and goes one step further so that you can tell stories and move people with your images.
If what you are looking for is to photograph pets, then I recommend that you read this very complete guide with all the tips and tricks to achieve impressive photographs of pets, whether you are an amateur or a professional. And if what you want is to go deeper into nature photography, this is our most complete guide, with tips, tricks and a lot of inspiration. Now yes, I’ll leave you with Pedro.
Few experiences purify the soul as much as contemplating a wild animal in its natural environment: strength, fragility and even admiration are emotions that flood us almost instantly. Any nature lover will understand the reason for this beginning full of poetry. As a wildlife photographer he looks for the look, the feeling and, ultimately, the soul of animals.
In this article I will show you some of the tricks to transform photography into the best way to bring postures closer to our neighbors, the animals, to which we sometimes forget to belong. Whether it’s a safari in Africa, an expedition to Lapland or a walk through the Retiro Park, nature opens up before our eyes in a thousand shapes and colors. Being in the right place at the right time is paramount, but when that moment arrives, how do you tell the story behind it?
It is well known that the use of a good telephoto lens (more than 300mm) is essential to be able to capture details at a reasonable distance (remember that we are dealing with wild animals, a little head, please), however, not everything is great or heavy lenses, a wide angle, for example, it can help you portray the animal in its environment, which creates a feeling of immensity or loneliness really shocking.
Be alert! nature will bring out all its arsenal to captivate you
creative impact
The three basic parameters in taking any photograph therefore have a decisive creative impact on the final image. In wildlife photography, where the light is often poor or the subject does not pose for us, it is vitally important to know “the other side” of these parameters and their possible uses.
Shutter speed for wildlife photography
The well-known shutter speed can be of great help to us to increase or decrease the movement and the consequent blurring of the subject.
To obtain a sharp and static image, a high shutter speed is required. The lower the speed, the greater the sensation of movement in the final image, this gives us endless possibilities to take creative, novel or never-before-seen photographs. I leave you an indicative list with the speeds most used in wildlife photography (depending on the effect we want to achieve):
– 1/60s for shots where we want introduce a sense of movement
– 1/320s for static subjects
– 1/500s for large slow moving animals
– 1/800s for herbivores such as deer, rodents, or antelope that always move and tremble!
– 1/1000s for fast-paced scenes
– 1/1600s for perched birds
– 1/2500s up to birds in flight where we want to freeze the movement of the wings
Aperture used for wildlife photography
The opening has the most creative impact. In addition to letting in a lot of light, a wide aperture (f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6) provides a very shallow depth of field, leading to more background blur in the image.
diaphragm opening
A shallow depth of field can be used to isolate a subject from its backgroundwhile a greater depth of field will show the animal in its surroundings with total sharpness.
ISO in wildlife photography
The role of ISO in photography is to force the camera to be more sensitive to light at times when little is available. ISO is a double-edged sword Well, it can be our best ally in the dark since it provides that extra brightness in low light conditions (dawn and sunset when animals are more active) but on the other hand, an abuse of ISO levels causes an annoying noise in the final photograph. .
But do not panic, because most SLR cameras allow great results even at high ISO levels and, if necessary, we can always reduce the consequent noise by using Lightroom or Photoshop.
Look for the personality of each animal
Wildlife Photography Setup
In wildlife photography, the model is rarely willing to help, which is why many photographers resort to the semi-automatic modes of their cameras, which allows them to avoid miscalculations in adverse situations and changing light. Use them so you don’t miss anything!
aperture priority mode
A or Av Depending on the model of your camera, this mode allows you to choose the aperture and, based on the ISO marked, the camera will calculate the shutter speed necessary to obtain a correctly exposed image.
Shutter priority mode
S or Tv depending on the camera, in this mode, you choose the desired shutter speed and the camera will calculate the aperture based on the values of the light levels in the scene, the chosen metering mode (spot, matrix or center-weighted) and the ISO value that we have at that moment.
Focus on the eyes, they talk too!
Telling stories in wildlife photography
As photographers, we often focus on taking the “perfect” photo, that is, the one that complies with all the rules that almost force us to memorize (rule of three thirds, conventional framing…) but what is a perfect photo? The one that follows the already pre-established canons?
In my opinion, a photograph must convey to the viewer what the photographer felt at the time of making it or what he tried to capture in it and for this, many times it is necessary to forget the theory and let yourself go.
Animals are full of feeling and, if you know how to observe, they will give you scenes that are hard and beautiful in equal parts, which are very easy to humanize and empathize with. Ultimately, sometimes to tell a story it is necessary to take risks. Let’s look at some of the techniques you can use to convey more intensity in animal photography.
The art of blur
Play with the approaches. Allowing the animal to be isolated from its surroundings or showing the scene in a different way creates much more attractive images. It is also a good idea to place elements interspersed in the image that, when out of focus, create a very peculiar atmosphere.
The animal in its environment
When you see a nice frame in which you can show the animal within the landscape that surrounds it, do not hesitate, shoot! This will give the image a curious sense of vastness.
Focus on the eyes
The eyes are the mirror of the soul and in animals it was not going to be less. A wild look can convey everything: terror, happiness, sadness, motherhood and even anger. To give it a magical touch, I recommend that, if possible, you wear at the level of your eyes, because the visual impact will be much greater.
Take a risk! Break the rules!
Look for that new frame that at first glance seems impossible. Capturing close shots is also a good way to transmit (skin, feathers, eyes, horns, hands…).
look for the weird
What I am most passionate about animal photography is uncertainty, because you never know what nature is going to give you, hours and hours of waiting that can end my patience or a dream photograph.
Try to get novel images in which animals show almost human attitudesthat will help the viewer to empathize even more with them.
give poetry
The gift that separates us from the rest of the animals is the word, use it! And no, you don’t have to be Pablo Neruda to be able to create emotions, just use your own words to tell what you intend to convey with your photography. Accompany your photos with that sad story, funny anecdote or shock of reality that many times the viewer needs.
Try new techniques
There are many ways to take curious images in which animals are the protagonists: zooming, sweeping… Depending on the conditions of the environment, I encourage you to try the so-called high and low keys which, depending on the type of light available, can be a great way to portray animals.
The photographs in high key they show a subject against an almost white background and for this we need a hard light and a dark subject. These types of images convey feelings of calm and joy. They are used to portray landscapes or close-up shots.
The images in low key they are those in which the subject is isolated in a low-light environment or, in other words, with a black background. Low keys express the opposite: drama, sadness or aggressiveness. They are widely used in taking portraits.
High keys allow you to create idyllic scenes like this one
Use of black and white
I declare myself an unconditional fan of the monochrome world. The black and white effect allows to freeze details in a much more impressive way giving it that timeless touch so attractive. This style of photography allows lights, textures and shadows, your best allies, to stand out much more, giving that sensation of drama.
The skin of the elephant in contrast to the white of its tusks
The essence of any photograph is based on the light of the environment in which we find ourselves and knowing how to play with it can be as complicated as it is rewarding. Don’t be afraid to hit the old stuff!
Edition
Nor should we forget that editing is a fundamental part of photography, it is the way you have to give your work that personal touch What sets you apart from other artists?
Other allies
In the world of photography, it is not bad to have some “photographer’s allies” such as when it comes to stabilizing an image. I admit it, with a pulse like mine (to steal tambourines), shooting freehand sometimes becomes a high-risk job and, although the stabilizer that most cameras and telephoto lenses have is more than enough, I recommend the use of a bean bag in case of going in a vehicle (a kind of pillow or sack of seeds where to support the camera comfortably) or find a natural support point that allows to obtain a good shot.
The use of a monopod can be another option in case you have one already purchased or when you cannot find another support.
As for the tripod, I see it as unnecessary in most cases, since your actors they will rarely pose for you how and where you want.
You can also use the so-called hides, Covered structures keep you hidden from the watchful eyes of animals, allowing you to get much closer to your target. They can be either private or paid (much larger and often placed in…