Animal photography is just about the hardest thing there is.
That's because they can hardly be directed in the wild.
In this video I hope to teach you in five steps to make better pictures of animals.
To start with you have to bring all equipment and stuff of course.
Secondly you have to have an animal, because you have to take a picture.
Thirdly, you need to know the place and the perfect time.
And if you are very well prepared, then
is also about the right settings and taking pictures.
And the last step, believe me, that's certainly not the easiest.
Be patient and take the right moment.
Animal photography is often quite difficult, because especially in the
free nature, but also at home, animals are hardly or not at all directed.
How should you proceed?
in five steps I'll explain how to do it.
My name is Hennie van Heerden and I am a wildlife photographer.
Personally I like to photograph in the wild
, but of course you understand that for this video.
It could be a very long video if we would have to wait
for a wild animal.
So today we are allowed to work with this beautiful eagle owl.
At least think of one thing when working with animals
is there really only one thing most important and much more important than the picture.
Because you shoot at the end.
And that is the welfare of the animal. Respect is key
To photograph animals in action you need a number of things.
Of course an animal and a location.
Stuff like a good camera, a fast camera, good lens and of course a charged battery. And not unimportant.
A basic knowledge also helps of course.
And what is most important is a good dose of patience.
What of course helps when photographing animals in action is the right equipment.
Today I shoot with this super fast Canon EOS 90D.
And it has a burst mode of 10 frames per second, which of course helps
enormously in capturing action. Mounted on it is an EF 70 200 millimetre lens.
Very good image quality and also a super fast focus.
before you go on the road. Make sure you have everything you need.
And not only your camera and your lens of course, but also the little things. Is your battery charged?
Do you have enough memory cards with you?
Do you have something to eat or drink with you?
Because wildlife photography often means a lot of waiting.
If you go out with your dog to photograph, think
of something tasty for him as a reward.
If he has done well.
Do you have any questions about photographing animals in action
or do you have any other questions? Then ask your question.
Down here in the comments and also tell what you like
to photograph and which animals and with which equipment.
When you photograph in the wild, it is often worthwhile to visit
instead of walking around endlessly,
to find a quiet spot, sit down and look around you and above all to listen.
Because you often see animals by ear instead of seeing them.
Moreover, it is often the case that animals see you before you see them.
If you immerse yourself in nature, you will see that after a while
the nature around you will start to behave naturally again.
And then it is possible that suddenly the little bird is sitting on a branch next to you.
If that roe deer comes out of the mating to forage for example.
What is of course quite important for photographing animals
in action is the location and time when you are going to do that.
To know when to do that and where to do it, information is your best friend.
Internet gives you every opportunity to find out where an animal is mainly active.
In the case of wildlife it is very often the case that
they become active very early in the morning or in the evening.
That's nice, because then you often have very nice light, diffuse morning light or warm evening light.
is also possible in the middle of the day and on a day like today where
drizzles a bit is ideal, because then you have soft light, which is also very important.
When photographing animals the background is perhaps even more important than the subject itself, because it determines how
your picture will look in the end.
What the atmosphere is in your photo.
Often it is best if the background is a bit calmer, so
does not take attention away from your subject.
Even if it's a bit further behind your subject, it loosens the
subject in the picture, so it gets more attention.
Which of course is very important before you start photographing.
You check if your lens and your camera are set correctly.
For example, you look at the distance at which your lens is set
or that its image stabilizer is on and such things more.
Here you check what kind of aperture does your camera have?
Where is your ISO still on?
For example, did you shoot last night at very high ISO
and is it still there?
It would be a shame if you shoot a beautiful action now and fail. Because of that.
what I still do
I often have a very small checklist in my bag.
Before I start shooting I run all those things like ISO, aperture.
The mode on which my camera is set to aperture preference or an automatic mode.
And stuff like that, I check a little bit before I start shooting. Are you well prepared!
Where do I put an animal in my composition?
Especially with an animal in action it is important that the animal has the space
to perform that action.
So when you put your subject on one third of your composition
and leave free space in the direction in which the action takes place,
then you give the impression that he can move in that space. Like I am now.
Also keep in mind that when you shoot with a lens like this,
you have to take the depth of field into account.
aperture 2.8 results in a very shallow depth of field,
so when you focus together on the tip of the nose,
the eye behind it is often already out of focus.
Always try to keep that eye in focus.
Keep in mind that you often have to work with high shutter speeds to freeze action.
Freezing action actually starts with a thousandth of a second at
and faster animals like birds of prey, for example.
Then you even have to think of two thousandths or even three thousandths
of a second to get that action beautifully sharp.
It is the intention that it stays focused during the action of the animal.
So instead of one shot put it on AI SERVO autofocus.
Unless you are very lucky.
Then there is one more step you have to go through.
And that's a lot of patience.
Certainly in the wild, but of course just as good when you photograph your pet.
An animal has a will of its own and then you will have to adapt.
Finally you have everything right. Your settings are good.
Finally, you want to go photographing and then the animal has no sense anymore. Can happen.
Stay patient, stay alert, really pay attention and then
comes a moment when it does exactly what you want.
When you're ready, you've got him at exactly the right moment.
Do you want to work with animal photography yourself now? Then follow these five steps!
Of course take the right equipment and stuff with you and check
beforehand if you have everything with you.
Step 2: Search for an animal and learn more about its characteristics.
Step 3: Check the best location and the right time.
Step 4: Get to work!
Pay special attention to your background, composition and settings.
And step 5: Be patient and grab the right moments.
Well hopefully I've given you some tips on how to get started with animals in action
!
Thanks in part to this beautiful boy we had a fantastic day here this afternoon.
Do you want to know more about photography?
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Good luck and thanks for watching.