Photographing at Eye Level to Improve your Wildlife Photos

A photo of a gelada, taken on a cliff in Ethiopia. This picture was taken during a photo walk.

Tip 7: Usually Take Pictures on a Level With the Animal's Eyes

In wildlife photography, it is important to try to photograph animals from eye level. As I explained in the article on choosing a point of view, if an animal is photographed from a low or high angle, the proportions change and the photographs look unnatural.

Taking pictures at eye level with the subject creates a connection between the subject and the viewer of the photo. It is a way to strengthen the reading of the picture and convey the messages of the photo better.

Tip 8: Always Keep the Eyes in Focus

An essential rule in wildlife photography is to keep the eyes of the subject in focus. It is also important to try to have a gleam in the subject’s eye. The sun should reflect in the pupil of the subject. The gleam in the subject’s eye can also create a connection with the viewer by directing his gaze.

A wildlife photograph where the eyes are blurry is an unsuccessful photo.

The photographer should always focus on the animal’s eyes. Then he can adjust the depth of field based on the points of interest that he wants to have in focus.

Tip 9: Choose the Environment Well

Many wildlife photographers focus solely on the animals when they take a photo. They do not pay attention to the environment. I believe that this is an error in composition.

The environment is as important as the subject. It can be compared to packaging or gift wrap. For us, the environment consists of the foreground, the background, and the negative space. What’s uglier than a picture of a bird on a broken branch or of mammals walking around broken branches on the ground?

The function of the background is to highlight the points of interest by creating contrasts in light or color.

The foreground should be seen as a step that leads to the points of interest.

The background and the foreground may be blurry or sharp, but they must be harmonious and in good condition, and they should enhance the points of interest.

Many photographers neglect these elements, so the beauty of the animals they photograph is lost, and their photos are neglected. Never forget that in photography, the packaging and the details are as important as the content.

Tip 10: Respect the Natural Environment

I will conclude this series of tips with the one which is most important to me. All wildlife photographers must preserve nature and respect the environment where they move. They must never forget that they are guests in nature. They must respect the environment, for the sake of the animals, but also for the sake of those who will come after them. Never break young trees, never crush flowers unnecessarily, and never disturb the animals in their natural habitat. Always respect reproduction and nesting areas.

The creation of a photo should never be detrimental to the photographed species. The animals are the natural inhabitants of the places where we work. Without them, wildlife photography would not exist. Without them, the human race would not exist. We must preserve the fragile harmony of nature, because there is a threat that one day, everything will disappear.

Finally

Wildlife photography is a very complex field which has its own specific features. A wildlife photographer is also a naturalist and a photographic technician. He must know the terrain and the weather. But he is also an artist who creates works of art while caring for and respecting the world into which he is invited. He must never forget that he has responsibilities. If all of us respect all these rules, we will always have beautiful photographs, and the wonders of nature will survive.

Be humble, patient, constant, persevering, and persistent because the road to excellence is long.

Adjust the Settings of your Camera to Improve your Wildlife Photos

A photo of a young wild boar in a meadow in Charente-Maritime, France.

Tip 4: Have a Suitable Camera and Equipment

In order to create interesting wildlife photographs, a photographer must have extensive naturalistic knowledge of the species he is photographing and should know how to choose a behavior or attitude to photograph. But he will create technically good pictures if he has the proper equipment. The type of equipment needed depends on the type of animal. For moving animals or swift-moving birds like sparrows, a DSLR with a fast burst mode and a lens with a focal length over 300 mm are essential.

For close-ups of animals, in contrast, a simple SLR or a bridge with an excellent macro lens is sufficient.

In most wildlife photography fields a tripod is necessary, because you may be waiting for a long time. Wild animals do not appear on command. They decide when they will come forward.

Optional accessories, such as a flash, a noise blocker, or a remote trigger can be useful.

If a wildlife photographer wants to create interesting photos, he should definitely have equipment that fits his needs. The equipment does not need to be expensive or the newest available, but it should match the photographer’s needs.

Tip 5: Have the Right Settings on your Camera

A wildlife photographer must perfectly master his camera and gear if he wants to create interesting pictures. This technical training often begins with reading the manuals that come with the equipment. In general, the language is pretty incomprehensible to a beginner. The technical documents supplied by the manufacturers of cameras or lenses are just reference documents: they are not written to teach you how to use the device in different situations. The language used is obscure and the content frequently is not arranged in the right order to teach you about the camera. But you have to read it, and then get help understanding it from other photographers.

It is in the interest of the manufacturers to provide complex documents with the camera and then sell courses that teach you how to use it. The goal of the manufacturer is not only to provide equipment. Today, the service for the equipment and the workshops are more profitable than the devices themselves.

For experienced photographers, these technical manuals are very useful because they have mastered all the concepts. They see the document as technical reference material where they come to learn how to use the settings on their equipment.

But whatever level the photographer is on, there should not be anything about his equipment that he does not know, and he should not be learning how to set up the camera on the field. If he is, he will be too late to capture an often-fleeting encounter with wildlife. Wild animals are not good models.

Tip 6: Use a Blind, Approach the Animals, or Go on a Photo Walk

Wild animals are often unpredictable. Even when I know their behavior and their habits well, it takes time to create interesting photographs.

The first advice I give to participants in my courses is to learn how to use a blind. Whether in a fixed blind, used for birds and large mammals, or a mobile floating blind, the photographer should be invisible to the animals. The ideal is to blend into the landscape to avoid arousing suspicion. A blind is the easiest way to do this because the animals are not suspicious and act naturally. This is the best technique for capturing natural behaviors and attitudes of life that are not affected by your presence. Learning to use a blind takes time and experience. But once the technique is mastered, it is a real asset for a photographer.

The second most important technique is approaching the animals. This requires perfect knowledge of the terrain. The photographer always stays downwind from the animal he is approaching. On one hand, the wind does not bring his scent to the animals. On the other hand, the animals always move upwind as well to detect potential predators. Once the photographer has spotted his subject, whether with binoculars or with his unaided eyes, he will use the topography of the ground to move forward. The rule is to move forward so that you can see the animals but the animals cannot see you. As with using a blind, this is a technique that takes time to learn. The first trials are often unsuccessful, but how satisfying it is when a photographer is able to get within yards of a wild boar!

Going on a photo walk is the third technique for taking wildlife pictures. It is based on chance encounters with animals. Still, it requires naturalistic knowledge, a good knowledge of the terrain, and the ability to move quietly. It is during lucky meetings that the photographer manages to take his photos.

Using a blind, approaching animals, and going on a photo walk are three different techniques for creating interesting wildlife photographs. But they all require naturalistic knowledge, a good command of the camera, a good knowledge of the field and a good knowledge of the weather.