Wildlife Photography: Go where the action is!

All images copyright Moose Henderson

Wildlife photography is all about being in the right place at the right time. Without wildlife, it is no longer wildlife photography. But what is the concept of "right place and right time"  Mostly, it is a matter of education and research. But, you can read about an animal till you are blue in the face (that would make an interesting photo, your blue face) and not know any more than you knew when you started your study. You also need to know "what you need to know".

So here are some clues: 

1. Animals look there best at breeding time; find out when they breed. For the large four legged animals like Deer, Moose, Elk; breeding time is called Rut. For birds, it is usually spring time; sometimes early spring if it is a warmer climate and sometimes late spring if they breed where it is not warm.

2. Find out where they breed; go there! For example, the Endangered California Brown Pelican looks best around January and can be seen reliability on the cliffs of La Jolla, California. With a bit more research, you will learn there is a cove near the cliffs with access to a prime shooting spot for these Pelicans. You will also learn this is a prime spot for morning photography, not so good for afternoon or evenings. 

Since you are at La Jolla to photograph the pelicans and the spot for photography is mostly good only in mornings, a bit more research will tell you that Sea Lions come up on the rocks below and the Harbor Seals are just down the road; there are ducks at Santee Lakes in nearby San Diego and Burrowing Owls in the park in nearby San Diego; now you have a morning shoot and a late afternoon shoot for January.

3. Find our where the animals feed and go there. For example, the brown bears feed on salmon every year; Salmon run upstream around mid to late August. Guess what, the best time to get good images of bears, relatively safe images, is when the bears are busy feeding on salmon. Trying to photograph a bear in April that has just emerged from six months of hibernation when the ground is still white with snow and the food is less than plentiful is asking to be a major part of the food chain. Not long ago, a photographer was eaten by bears in Far East Russia when he did not heed this advice; don't be around bears when there is no food to eat! 

4. Become creative. I am not a landscape photographer; a short visit to my portfolio will show you that I photograph animals, not landscapes. For me, landscapes are background! You know what, sometimes, these scenic landscapes make pretty good backgrounds. Go to these iconic places with these beautiful landscapes and put an animal in front of the landscape; you have an instant success.  

5. You say, but I am a poor photographer with no money to travel; I must work to support my family; I live in a hovel in the woods; I walk three miles in six feet of snow each day-up hill both ways; and so on. Big deal, it was -47 here in Far East Russia and I managed to get out and photograph a Ural Owl. So, cut the excuses and bring the wildlife to you. Can you afford a small bag of sunflower seeds; wow, instant success? No need for fancy bird-feeders. Just cut the bottom of a coke bottle, hang the bottom part with string, wire, zip ties, whatever to a tree limb and wait for the birds to start piling in for seed. It is best if you are hidden in a

blind or tent; if you have neither, throw a dark sheet or blanket over yourself and camera gear; anything to hide the human form. 

So let's get out there and have some fun! 

Wildlife Photography: Getting Close

Have you ever wondered how wildlife photographers get images that have the animal large in the frame? Most would say, you must have a really long lens. Well, yes I do have a 600mm and both a 1.4X and 1.7X teleconverter; but a long lens is useless over a long distance because of heat, atmospheric haze and general junk in the air.

Really, to get good images of wildlife, you must get close to the wildlife, Problem is, most wildlife do not like or trust humans. If we are clearly visible, they will usually not be so visible. 

One solution is your car; most wildlife are fairly tolerant of cars and will allow a closer approach than if a person is on foot. It is important that you do not make quick moves in the car and that you turn off the engine before taking any images (reduces vibration). 

I spent two years in Siberia. In the middle of never-never land; we do not have cars. But we still need to be hidden from the animals. One solution is to use a commercial blind or hide similar to this blind. I have spend thousands of hours in a hunting blind waiting for the best photographs.

Another solution would be a home made blind using available materials found in nature. You can use branches for the uprights and use reeds for cover the sides; I have also used bales of hay in the past to made a blind. There is a product called a pocket blind; basically a big camo sheet you put over your head and camera-good for travel because it is small and easily transported. Many times, you can use your auto as a blind.

Sometimes, the animals will come to you. I had a big black bear come out of a tree, walk down a slope and cross the trail within two feet of me, then go back up the slope and up another tree. Six hundred plus pounds of black fur, two feet from my face, no need to check your heart rate-it is racing. Another occasion, I was hiding within some bushes by the side of a lake photographing moose. Moose have very bad eyesight but awesome hearing. So I was being very still and getting some nice images. Soon, this moose, this is her in this image, decided to come investigate what was in the bushes (me). She came within a couple inches of my face; she had not used mouthwash that day or brushed her teeth in a good while. Nevertheless, she was a good kisser :) 

 Enjoy your time in the wild but please remember, animals are wild creatures-they can be very dangerous and unpredictable.