Page 87 - World of Animals - Issue #33

Wildlife photography

Tip 1
Choose the right kit

Your guide to the equipment you need
to capture amazing bird photos
The first thing you need for photographing birds is a camera

capable of coping with their high-speed movement. When
making a purchase, look for ones with fast focusing abilities
and the capability to shoot at fast frame rates (5fps
or faster is ideal) so you can take a burst of images to
capture small movements. A cropped sensor camera will
let you get in closer than a full frame sensor camera will
when using the same focal length (for instance a 70-200mm
lens effectively becomes a 112-320mm). Silent shooting modes
will also reduce your chance of being heard by your subject.
Ideally you want a lens with a focal length of around
500mm, but these can be pricey. A 300mm combined with a
teleconverter will work too. A high-speed memory card with
plenty of storage is needed to cope when using continuous
shooting modes and binoculars will help you find your target. To

stop you being spotted, though, a pop-up hide or camouflage
cover for your lens can be useful extras.

Taking a burst of images will
A longer focal length lens will let allow you to freeze the action
you get fantastic close-ups while and not miss the moment
keeping back from the animal
Do your research so Tip 2
you can be prepared
to capture special Be a tactical shooter
behaviour and habits
of that species
Do your research and learn to stay unnoticed
The path to great shots starts at home, where you need to do
your research before you pick up a camera. Use sites and forums

such as birdforum.net and birdguides.com to find out where
certain species live, and also consider migration periods when
planning when to shoot. Research to find out what time of day

the species is most active – this is often dawn or dusk so you
may want to plan your shoot for then. Finding out key behaviour
of that species will also teach you what to keep an eye out for.
Once on the shoot, it’s important to stay undetected, so
avoid wearing bright colours and perfume. Don’t approach your
subject too quickly, walk at an angle and stay low so they don’t
feel threatened.

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