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Western
square-dotted blue butterfly
(Euphilotus battoides)
Photo by WDFW biologist Jim Cummins |
Backyard
Wildlife Photography Tips
Adapted from Philip Tulin’s “Outdoor Eyes”
Be
Patient
Nature is on its own timetable and you cannot speed it up or slow it down.
Be
Ready
If you have a camera in hand, always be prepared and ready. Plenty of
opportunities are missed because of not being prepared.
Nature
Rules
Nature always wins. There will always be photo opportunities for you each
day. You will never get them all because you weren't ready or you looked
out at one of your feeders five seconds too late. In fact, you may still
be talking about an opportunity that you didn't capture that occurred
five years ago. Look forward to the next opportunity.
Never
Disturb A Singing Bird
A singing bird will sound an alarm when disturbed. When the bird alarm
is sounded, all the other wildlife will pay attention. Depending on the
distance of the alarm, the intensity of the alarm and the significance
of the alarm, all the other wildlife will respond accordingly. If the
bird alarm is due to your presence, your nature moment will be limited
as most of the wildlife will move away from you.
Learn
The Safety Distance From Small Wildlife
By learning the safety distance to a small animal, you will frighten less
animals away.
Don’t
Be Perceived As A Threat
All wildlife that doesn't feel threatened will continue to go about their
normal wildlife ways. Learn how to stop and remain still until the wildlife
considers you safe.
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Bald eagle
Photo
by WDFW biologist Russell Link
|
Try
To Photograph An Unobstructed Eye
When we view a photograph of wildlife, our eyes always look straight to
the eye of the animal similar to the same way we establish eye contact
with another person.
Small
Wildlife Appear Even Smaller
Try to photograph small animals from a low camera position to accentuate
their size.
Learn
To Photograph Wildlife On The Move
Practice photographing wildlife that is moving in your backyard or at
the park.
During the next week, spend about 20 minutes in your own back yard and
observe squirrels. You will notice a very interesting pattern. The squirrels
have a tree to tree, branch to branch, roof to roof highway that they
always seem to go on. With thousands of combinations of branches and trees
to jump and run on, they always seem to pick the same route. So, if you
didn't recognize this pattern before, what else did you not recognize?
Once you've identified the route, try to take an anticipated midair photograph
of where you expect that squirrel to be. It will prepare you for "In-The-Moment
Photography". Understanding that nature is not random will give you
more wildlife photography opportunities.
For more tips on how
to improve your wildlife photography, including “Seeing With Outdoor
Eyes and Understanding the Languages of Birds,” click
here. |
