In this new article, our Guest Author Pedro Adalia immerses you in wildlife photography and goes one step further so that you can tell stories and excite with your images.
If what you are looking for is to photograph pets, then I recommend that you read this comprehensive guide with all the tips and tricks to achieve impressive photographs of domestic animals, whether you are an amateur or a professional. And if what you want is to delve into nature photography, this is our most complete guide, with tips, tricks and lots of inspiration. Now yes, I leave you with Pedro.
Few experiences purify the soul as much as contemplating a wild animal in its natural environment: strength, fragility and even admiration are emotions that overwhelm us almost instantly. Every nature lover will understand the reason for this beginning full of poetry. As a wildlife photographer, he seeks the look, the feeling and, ultimately, the soul of animals.
In this article I will show you some of the tricks to transform photography into the best way to approach postures with our neighbors, the animals, to which we sometimes forget to belong. Whether it's a safari in Africa, an expedition to Lapland or a walk through the Retiro Park, nature opens up before our eyes in a thousand shapes and colors. Being in the right place and at the right time is paramount, but when that moment arrives, how do you tell the story behind it?
It is well known that the use of a good telephoto lens (more than 300mm) is essential to be able to capture details at a safe distance (remember that we are dealing with wild animals, a bit upside down, please), however, not all are large. or heavy lenses, a wide angle, for example, can help you capture the animal in its environment, which creates a truly powerful feeling of vastness or loneliness.
CREATIVE IMPACT
The three basic parameters in taking any photograph have, consequently, a decisive creative impact on the final image. In wildlife photography, where light is often poor or the subject does not pose for us, it is vitally important to know "the other side" of these parameters and their possible uses .
SHUTTER SPEED FOR WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY
The well -known shutter speed can be of great help to increase or decrease the movement and the consequent blurring of the subject.
To get a sharp, still image, a high shutter speed is required. The lower the speed, the greater the sensation of movement in the final image, this gives us endless possibilities to take creative, innovative or never-before-seen photos. I leave you an indicative list with the most used speeds in wildlife photography (according to the effect we want to achieve):
– 1 / 60s for shots where we want to introduce a sense of movement
– 1 / 320s for static subjects
– 1 / 500s for large slow-moving animals
– 1 / 800s for herbivores such as deer, rodents or antelopes that are always moving and shaking!
– 1/1000s for fast moving scenes
– 1/1600s for perched birds
– 1/2500s upwards for mid-flight birds where we want to freeze the movement of the wings
APERTURE USED FOR WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY
The opening has the most creative impact. In addition to letting in a lot of light, a wide aperture (f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6) provides a very shallow depth of field, leading to more background blur in the image.
A shallow depth of field can be used to isolate a subject from its background , while a greater depth of field will show the animal in its surroundings in full sharpness.
ISO IN WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY
The role of ISO in photography is to force the camera to be more sensitive to light at times when little is available. The ISO is a double-edged sword because it can be our best ally in the dark since it provides that extra light in low light conditions (dawn and sunset when the animals are more active) but on the other hand an abuse of ISO levels causes an annoying noise in the final photograph.
But don't panic, because most SLR cameras allow you to give great results even at high ISO levels and, if you need it, we can always reduce the resulting noise by using Lightroom or Photoshop.
WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY SETUP
In wildlife photography, the model is rarely willing to help, which is why many photographers resort to the semi-automatic modes of their cameras, which allows avoiding miscalculations in adverse situations and changing light. Use them so you don't miss a thing!
APERTURE PRIORITY MODE
A or Av depending on your camera model, this mode allows you to choose the diaphragm opening and, based on the marked ISO, the camera will calculate the shutter speed necessary to obtain a correctly exposed image.
SHUTTER PRIORITY MODE
S or Tv depending on the camera, in this mode, you choose the desired shutter speed and the camera will calculate the aperture based on the values of the light levels of the scene, the chosen metering mode (spot, matrix or center-weighted ) and the ISO value that we have at that moment.
TELLING STORIES IN WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY
As photographers, we often focus on taking the “perfect” photo, that is, the one that complies with all the rules that almost force us to memorize (rule of thirds, conventional framing…) but what is a perfect photo? The one that follows the pre-established canons?
In my opinion, a photograph must transmit to the viewer what the photographer felt at the time of taking it or what he tried to capture in it , and for this, it is often necessary to forget about theory and let yourself go .
Animals are full of feeling and, if you know how to observe, they will give you equally harsh and beautiful scenes, which are very easy to humanize and empathize with. In short, sometimes, to tell a story it is necessary to take risks. Let's look at some of the techniques you can use to convey more intensity in animal photography.
THE ART OF BLUR
Play with the approaches. Allowing the animal to be isolated from its surroundings or showing the scene in a different way creates much more attractive images. It is also a good idea to place interspersed elements in the image that, when blurred, create a very peculiar atmosphere.
THE ANIMAL IN ITS ENVIRONMENT
When you see a beautiful frame in which you can show the animal within the landscape that surrounds it, do not hesitate, shoot! This will give the image a curious sense of vastness.
FOCUS TO EYES
The eyes are the mirror of the soul and in animals it was not going to be less. A wild look can convey everything: terror, happiness, sadness, motherhood and even anger. To give it a magical touch, I recommend that, as much as possible, you place yourself at their eye level, as the visual impact will be much greater.
RISK! BREAK THE RULES!
Look for that novel framing that at first glance seems impossible. Capturing close-ups is also a good way to transmit (skin, feathers, eyes, horns, hands...).
LOOK FOR THE WEIRD
What I am most passionate about animal photography is the uncertainty, because you never know what nature is going to give you, hours and hours of waiting that can end my patience or a dream photograph.
Try to get new images in which the animals show almost human attitudes , that will help the viewer to empathize with them even more.
HIT THE POETRY
The gift that separates us from the rest of the animals is the word, use it! And no, you don't have to be Pablo Neruda to be able to create emotions, just use your own words to tell what you want to convey with your photography. Accompany your photographs with that sad story, funny anecdote or reality shock that the viewer often needs.
TRY NEW TECHNIQUES
There are many ways to take curious images in which animals are the protagonists: zooming , sweeping ... Depending on the environmental conditions, I encourage you to try the so-called high and low keys which, depending on the type of light available, can be A great way to portray animals .
High key photography shows a subject against a mostly white background and for this we need a hard light and a dark subject. These types of images convey feelings of calm and joy. They serve to portray landscapes or nearby planes.
Low key images are those in which the subject is isolated in a low light environment or, in other words, with a black background. The low keys express the opposite: drama, sadness or aggressiveness. They are widely used in taking portraits.
USE OF BLACK AND WHITE
I declare myself an unconditional fan of the monochrome world. The black and white effect allows you to freeze the details in a much more impressive way, giving it that attractive timeless touch . This style of photography allows lights, textures and shadows, your best allies, to stand out much more giving that sensation of drama.
The essence of any photograph is based on the light of the environment in which we find ourselves and knowing how to play with it can be as complicated as it is rewarding. Don't be afraid to hit the old!
EDITION
Nor should we forget that editing is an essential part of photography, it is the way you give your work that personal touch that distinguishes you from other artists.
OTHER ALLIES
In the world of photography, it is not bad to have some "photographer's allies" such as when it comes to stabilizing an image. I admit it, with a pulse like mine (to steal tambourines), shooting freehand sometimes becomes a high-risk job and, although the stabilizer that most cameras and telephoto lenses have is more than enough, I recommend the use of a bean bag in case of going in a vehicle (a kind of pillow or bag of seeds where you can rest the camera comfortably) or find a natural support point that allows you to obtain a good shot.
The use of a monopod can be another option in case you have one already purchased or when you cannot find another support.
As for the tripod, I see it as unnecessary in most cases, since your actors will rarely pose for you how and where you want.
You can also make use of so-called hides , covered structures that keep you hidden from the watchful eyes of animals, allowing you to get much closer to your target. They can be either private or paid (much larger and often placed in strategic places where animals gather).
However, your best travel companions will be patience, knowledge and, of course, luck. When dealing with wild animals, of an unpredictable nature, it is vitally important to know their behavior and customs (species meeting places, water areas, wildlife passages, spaces with an abundance of prey...). A good early start, a long wait, a climate that is not always favorable... until in the end, he appears, something that I can assure you makes you forget all the hardships of the past.
PHOTOGRAPHY AS SALVATION
It is well known to all that the world is an increasingly sad and lonely place, where man seems to fight against a nature on which he himself depends. The destruction of habitats, global warming or the mass extinction of species are terms that fill us with fear and sadness but, in the end, become indifferent.
Human beings seem to learn only through their own facts or experiences, hence the importance of telling stories, not just taking pictures. With photography we can move and even awaken in others the "obligation" to take care of those places and characters that we capture. Why is an elephant so important? And a newt? Let the world know that we are part of the same balance in which we all depend on each other.
And remember, you don't have to go to the other side of the world to immortalize moments worthy of changing consciences. Go out, admire, aim and shoot!
This is an article by Pedro Adalia. You can follow his work on his websiteand on his Instagram profile.
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