Tips For Learning To Take Great Animal And Insect Pictures
Often people think that you have to be in exotic places to get great wildlife pictures
, however great wildlife pictures may be as close as your own backyard.
Photographing Wildlife with Feathers or Fur
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, never feed them human food from your own cupboards. Instead, follow the tips from experts like the National Wildlife Federation so you can feed the wildlife without hurting them.
And if you follow the advice of wildlife experts, you will create a backyard that is friendly to animals and 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. By understanding the subject of your picture, you can get better pictures as well as avoiding any potential problems like attracting a predator 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 pets, 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 Insects
Wildlife photography also includes the tiny world of insects. Honeybees, dragonflies, butterflies, bumble bes, 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. For example, when taking pictures of butterflies watch where they land to see if they prefer a specific type of flowery bush or shrub. Then stake it out and wait for the subject to come to you. And be ready!
The best way to get pictures of small creatures resting is to use macro mode on your camera and fill the frame with your subject. 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.
Many types of insects are very sensitive to carbon dioxide and will fly (or run) away if you breathe on or near them. So remember to always hold your breath before you lean in to take the picture! There are a few exceptions - some beetles will freeze (they won't say "cheese" though).
Always be respectful and aware of the type of insect and spider you're taking a picture of as some have some powerful venom that can make you very sick.
Since insects slow down with cooler temperatures, start out early in the morning or at twilight so you can have a little easier time capturing the perfect picture. Insects have the ability to see shadows extremely well, so never approach them from the same direction as the light casts otherwise you will certainly scare them off.
Photographs of wildlife can make for beautiful fine art, the type that you'll want to frame and display proudly and give as gifts. It's also fun to display your animal photos 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.
by: Autumn Lockwood
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