To capture great nature and wildlife photos, take some tips from two experts: Pat Leeson and Matt Poole. Leeson鈥檚 photos have graced National Geographic magazine and several wildlife books. Poole, visitor services manager at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Massachusetts, has taught wildlife photography at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
- Aim for feeling. 鈥淎ny image that captures a feeling you want to save as a memory is a good photo for you,鈥 says Leeson. 鈥淚f you can get a photo that elicits the same feeling in other people, then you have a classic.鈥
- Look them in the eyes. 鈥淧hotos are most effective taken at an animal鈥檚 eye level,鈥 says Poole, even if that means you have to crouch. 鈥淚f nothing else in the frame is sharp, make sure the eyes are sharp.鈥
- Reduce background noise. Look out for 鈥渙ut-of-focus birds right behind the one you鈥檙e shooting,鈥 says Leeson, 鈥渙r a telephone pole growing out of the head of whatever it is you鈥檙e photographing 鈥 Find an angle where you can eliminate things that distract your eye.鈥
Start early. Stay late. 鈥淲hen the sun is low鈥 鈥 soon after sunrise and just before sunset 鈥 鈥渢he color of light tends to be a lot warmer,鈥 says Poole. 鈥淚t鈥檚 often called the golden light or the magic light.鈥 Midday is not a great time for photos because the overhead sun creates harsh shadows.
Wading birds at sunset at J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. - Aim to be first. Being first on the scene 鈥渋ncreases the feeling of intimacy with the place and the moment,鈥 says Leeson. There鈥檚 a practical benefit, too 鈥淚f you鈥檙e shooting insects like butterflies,鈥 says Poole, 鈥測ou鈥檒l be a whole lot more effective if you start early when it鈥檚 still relatively cool and when insects, because they鈥檙e cold-blooded, are still relatively sluggish.鈥
Know your camera鈥檚 limits. Leave the full-frame bird images to the folks with killer optics and giant telephoto lenses. Simpler cameras work well for landscapes and 鈥渙verall scenes that incorporate the animal in some way,鈥 suggests Leeson. Or try close-ups of more approachable things like butterflies and flowers, says Poole.
Shooting stars erupt in showy purple blossoms at J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge in North Dakota. - Steady the camera. 鈥淗aving a stable camera is everything,鈥 says Poole, 鈥渨hich is why we always suggest that people use tripods.鈥 Resting the camera lens on your car鈥檚 door frame and shooting from inside your stopped car also works well. Plus, cars scare animals less than humans do.
- Be patient with yourself. Even the pros miss some shots. Pat and Tom Leeson learned to build in extra time on eagle shoots. 鈥淭he first time an eagle comes and flies right over your head and hits the fish 鈥 your breath is taken away,鈥 says Pat Leeson. 鈥淣either one of us could focus even. But after you鈥檝e seen it 100 times, you鈥檙e finally able to focus and be in sync.鈥 Adds Poole, 鈥淭he more you do it, the better you get, just like anything else.鈥
- Respect your subjects. Baiting wildlife on a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the鈥痓et365下载ios鈥 for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
Learn more about national wildlife refuge is illegal, as is altering wildlife habitat. Keep a safe and respectful distance from animals. - Relish your time in nature. The perfect image may escape you. Enjoy the experience of being out in nature just the same.
