Often when we think of wildlife we think of animals far away from home, but many people take amazing wildlife photos in their own backyards.
Photographing Furry and Feathery Wildlife
Depending on where you live, there are many ways to turn your yard into a wildlife haven for squirrels, raccoons, birds, deer, frogs and other critters.
If you want to feed wildlife, don’t feed them food from your cupboard but instead follow the wildlife attraction and sustainability tips from the National Wildlife Federation so you can be sure you’re helping them and not hurting them.
You will also be creating an environmentally friendly landscape as well because what is good for the animals is also good for the environment.
Take some time to read up on the species you want to photograph so you can better understand their habits and hopefully take better pictures of them. And you will be better able to avoid attracting potentially dangerous predators into your yard. You might also want to check out the code of ethics posted for professional nature photographers by the North American Nature Photography Association.
Just as with photographing animals, when you take a picture of a furry or feathery wild critter, follow these guidelines:
- Use natural lighting to your advantage
- Fill the frame with the subject
- Focus on the eyes
- Shoot from various angles
- Capture personality
Photographing the World of Insects
Wildlife photography also includes the miniature world of insects. Honeybees, dragonflies, butterflies, bumblees, spiders and even snails are all popular subjects.
Photographing insects can be tricky. Here are some tips from the pros to help:
- Like with larger wildlife, it will help to know your subject’s patterns of behavior. Do the butterflies frequent one flowery shrub more than others? Then stake it out and wait for the subject to come to you. Make sure to be ready!
- To get the best shots of small creatures at rest, use macro mode and fill the frame. Your camera’s manual will tell you how close your macro mode works. If you stay within the recommended range and hold your camera very steady (using a tripod) you will get some nice sharp shots.
- Unless the insect is very still, use sports mode or flash to freeze action.
- Most insects are very sensitive to carbon dioxide and will run or fly away if you breathe directly on them. So when you lean in close for your close up, hold your breath! There are a few exceptions - some beetles will freeze (they won’t say “cheese” though).
- Keep in mind some insects and spiders pack powerful, even deadly venom, so know your bug before approaching.
- Because insects slow down with cooler temperatures, early morning and twilight are easier times for capturing them with your camera. Insects are great at seeing shadows so don’t approach them from the same direction as the light casts.
Wildlife photographs can make exquisite fine art and will look beautiful displayed in a photo frame on your wall or given as gifts. When framing your favorite animal or insect pictures, always go with a simple wood or metal picture frame in colors that complement your picture. Try to avoid eye catching brightly colored frames like red picture frames that will work to distract the viewer from your photograph. Instead look for natural tones like wood picture frames. Another way to use your animal photography is in photo crafts greeting cards, calendars, iron on transfers for t-shirts and much more. There are simply lots of wonderful things you can do with your beautiful animal and insect pictures so have fun capturing the wonderful world of nature.
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