This document provides 20 tips for improving wildlife photography. Some key tips include thinking of safety first when photographing wildlife, being prepared to take a shot when an opportunity arises, knowing your camera settings and having your camera ready to shoot, using the appropriate lens for the subject, controlling camera settings like aperture and shutter speed, and practicing techniques like panning to capture birds in flight. With preparation and practice, photographers can improve their ability to capture compelling wildlife photos.

1. 20 TIPS FOR BETTER
WILDLIFE
PHOTOGRAPHY
Bob Mandell

2. 1. THINK
SAFETY
FIRST

4. ERMINE
YELLOWSTONE

5. FALLING
INSECT REPELLANT
DEER TICKS (LYME DISEASE)

6. 2. ALLOW ADEQUATE TIME
• PROS SPEND DAYS FOR ONE SHOT.
• ESCAPE FRIENDS AND FAMILY

10. 3. LOCATE THE
WILDLIFE
• RANGER STATION
• FISHING GUIDES
• PHOTOGRAPHY STORES

11. 4. USE CAR AS A BLIND

12. USE STEALTH METHODS

13. 5. BE READY FOR THAT
SPECIAL MOMENT
• It may be the only chance you ever get.

18. “BOY WERE YOU
LUCKY”

22. 6. KNOW YOUR
CAMERA
• ASK FOR HELP

23. 7. HAVE YOUR CAMERA
SET UP TO SHOOT
• TRY TO ANTICIPATE WHAT KIND OF SHOT YOU
WILL TAKE.
– HIGH SPEED
– DEPTH OF FIELD
– CANCEL OLD SETTINGS
• EXPOSURE COMPENSATION

25. CHANGE THE BATTERY
AND MEMORY CARD
BEFORE EXHAUSTED.
• USE THE CHARGED BATTERY FIRST

26. 8. WHAT LENS IS
NEEDED?
• PRIME VRS. VARIABLE FOCAL LENGTH
• LARGE ANIMALS 70-300 mm
• SMALL ANIMALS 300-600 mm
• MY GO-TO LENS: 80-400 mm

27. RENT A LENS
• BORROWLENSES.COM
• Keeble and Suchart
• Eg. 200-400mm lens 1 week $280
• Eg. Sigma 50-500mm 1 week $90
• Try it before that special trip

29. 9. CONTROL THE
CAMERA SETTINGS

30. APERTURE OR SHUTTER
PRIORITY?
• RELATION OF APERTURE, SPEED OR ISO
• SPEED TOO FAST GIVES DARK PHOTO
SHUTTER SPEED (at least 2x the focal
length)
– Eg. For 300 mm lens shoot at 1/600
APERTURE WIDE OPEN MAY BLUR

31. f STOP
• BIRDS STATIONARY f7.1 TO f11
• BIRDS IN FLIGHT f5.6 TO f7.1
• LARGE ANIMALS f8 TO f16

32. FOUND THE ANIMAL,
HE’S TOO FAR AWAY,
NOW WHAT?
• What is the first thing to think about?

33. 10. WHERE IS THE
SUN?
• CAN I MOVE?
• SHOOTING AGAINST THE SUN
• TREE SHADOWS

34. TIME OF DAY

35. COME BACK THE NEXT
DAY

36. 3:30 pm

39. 7 am

40. 10 AM

41. f 5.6
1/2000
ISO 400

42. 11. BE AWARE OF
THE BACKGROUND
• BACKGROUND JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE
SUBJECT
• MOST COMMON PROBLEM IS “TOO BUSY”

44. 12

49. ISO 1600, f8, 1/3000

50. 12. STEADY THE
CAMERA
SHUTTER SPEED AT LEAST
TWO TIMES THE FOCAL LENGTH

51. 13. CHOOSE BEST
FOCUSING METHOD
• SPOT
• CENTER WEIGHTED
• MATRIX

52. ANIMAL STATIONARY
FOCUS ON THE EYES
ANIMAL IN TREES PROBLEM

54. MOVE FOR BETTER SHOT

57. 14. RECOMPOSE

58. CENTERING

59. 15. FILL THE FRAME
• GOAL IS TO FILL AT LEAST 2/3 OF THE FRAME.

63. GET LOW
FOR SHOT

64. 16. MORE THAN ONE
ANIMAL
• TOO MANY OPTIONS?

68. CAMERA ANGLE TO
MAKE SUBJECTS THE
SAME DISTANCE

72. 17. PREPARE FOR
BIRDS IN FLIGHT
• LOOK FOR A FLIGHT PATTERN?
• SMALL BIRDS MOVE QUICKLY
• BIG BIRDS PREPARE TO TAKE OFF
• LANDING INTO THE WIND

73. PANNING
• TRACKING THE BIRD
– 300MM LIMIT
– FOCUS AND TRACK BEFORE SHOOTING
– START SHOOTING WHEN FILL HALF THE FRAME
– KEEP SHOOTING AFTER THE BIRD PASSES
– FOOT STANCE
– KEEP BOTH EYES OPEN TO FIND BIRD

76. 18. SHOOT-THINK-
SHOOT

78. 19. USE EXPOSURE
COMPENSATION
RARELY
• SPOT EXPOSURE REQUIRES THAT YOU BE
FOCUSED ON THE SUBJECT.
• SPOT METERING

79. Exposure -1

80. 20. PRACTICE,
PRACTICE, PRACTICE
• “THE MORE I PRACTICE THE LUCKIER I GET”

81. ENJOY THE MOMENT