From bears, whales and the big five in Africa to polar animals, special bird species and smaller animals such as koalas. Many wildlife photographers would like to have one of these animals in front of their lens. But wildlife photography also requires a lot of patience, technical knowledge of equipment and sometimes even physical effort to capture that one unique moment. Photographing wild animals is not easy and there are also a number of ethical rules.

Wildlife photography brings you closer to nature as a photographer and offers a unique opportunity to capture wild animals in their natural habitat. The challenge and excitement of finding the animal is the attraction for many wildlife photographers. Moreover, it is very satisfying when you succeed in capturing that one rare or special animal. As an amateur wildlife photographer (I normally focus more on travel, outdoor and documentary photography), I captured a crocodile, kangaroo, koala, dolphins, musk oxen, flamingos, konik horses, penguins, reindeer and this seal that I spotted along the Danish coast.

Ethical tips wild life photography

Photographing wild animals is exciting, both for you as a photographer and for the animals themselves who may be aware of your presence. Be aware that you are in their natural habitat and that caution is therefore required. Animals that are not or less used to people or feel threatened for some other reason are unpredictable and can be dangerous. Especially if they have young and want to protect them. The most important thing in wildlife photography is therefore to respect nature. You do this by making your presence as inconspicuous as possible. This prevents you from causing a nuisance to the animal, scaring it or even (dangerous) confrontations with the animal.

This also applies to ‘less wild’ animals. Think of the Konink horses at the Oostvaarderplassen, Scottish Highlanders on the heath or the musk oxen in Dovrefjell National Park. These animals may not be ‘wild’, but they are certainly not tame. After all, they are not pets. They are often reintroduced or used as large grazers to prevent the landscape from becoming overgrown. As a visitor, you can and may sometimes walk safely through the same landscape, but only if you adhere to the rules. These are indicated on signs before you enter the area. For example, these state that you are not allowed to feed the animals, are not allowed to pet them and that you must keep a safe distance. For one animal this is at least 200 meters, for another less or more. Adhere to this, even if someone else does not. You are not only disrupting the natural behavior of the animal, but you can also be in serious danger. These animals are unpredictable and can feel threatened if you come too close. They can then suddenly attack.

• Use a telephoto lens to get a close-up shot of the animal
• Always keep a safe distance and at least what is advised
• Do not make noise (use the silent mode on your camera if possible)
• Do not make sudden movements
• Only share interesting spot locations with each other and not online to avoid it getting crowded
• Feeding wild animals to attract them is absolutely not done!
• Check the guidelines and codes of conduct for nature and wildlife photographers from organizations such as the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA)

Practical tips for wild life photography

To increase the chance of spotting a wild animal and capturing it well, there are also a number of practical tips that you can apply. These relate to both the equipment you use and your behavior when you are looking for a specific animal. In any case, read up well in advance. About the animal itself, its behavior and the environment in which it lives. This helps you predict where and when it is best to go looking. In addition, you will know better what to do if the animal appears to have young, notices you or perhaps even comes to you. So prepare well. Furthermore, your equipment is of course also important, especially the telephoto lens and the focal length it has. The focal length determines how ‘close’ you can zoom in with the lens. The higher this number, the closer you can get. Depending on which animal you want to photograph, you will need a smaller or higher focal length. Further practical tips:

• Wear inconspicuous clothing so that you do not stand out in the environment
• Patience is essential: move slowly and sit still to ensure that you do not stand out or that the animal ignores you when it does notice you. By not standing out, you are less likely to be seen as a threat
• Go out early or late at dusk, when most animals are active and the light is softer
• Use a DSLR or system camera with a telephoto lens suitable for wildlife photography. Use at least 200mm, but a 400mm is more ideal
• Also pay attention to the aperture of the telephoto lens. The lower the f-number, the better you can photograph in low light
• Use a tripod to take sharp photos. Due to the movement of some animals and the heavier weight of the telephoto lens, you run the risk of blurring in your photos
• Use continuous autofocus and work with a fast shutter speed to keep moving animals sharp