Wildlife & Nature FAQ

[brazilnutjr]

If you want to ask any questions about Wildlife or Nature photography just post your questions here and members will try to help out.

Or if you know a few hints and tips and want to share your knowledge please post here.

I don't really know the best place to post this question, but in August I will be taking a trip to the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest and I would like to learn about the proper care of my equipment while in the rainforest. I have a Nikon D70s with a AF-S Nikkor 18-70mm DX lense and a AF Nikkor 70-300mm G lense. I know the weather there is very humid and some of our travel will be done by canoe (we are going back into the jungle to some remote indian villages). Does anyone have experience with photography in that sort of environment? Is is safe to take my DSLR because of all the humidity, or do I need to find a small weatherproof point and shoot? Is there a way to weatherproof my gear? Any other tips or information I need to know about?
Thanks in advance to anyone who might be able to help me with this!

BrazilNutJr

 

[Overread]

Going to put a plug here for

"The Wildlife Photographers Field Manual" by Joe McDonald - I'm not sure if a new edition of this is out as it is a slightly older publication (1992) so some of the gear discussions are a little dated when it comes to model specifics; but this is one of the most detailed books I've come across for wildlife photographers. This is not a picture book with a few words its some good solid info with some pics to help it come along.

It also contains more than just gear lists with in the field details as well as working setups - a good place to make a start and get ideas

 

[Saorsa]

Wildlife photographers...how do they make a living? Calendars? I know this may sound like a strange question, but I am serious. Are most wildlife photographers, hobbyist?

Most of the ones I know of make their living running tours and workshops.

 

[Redfish]

I'm new here. Looks like I've got a lot to learn

 

[jack58]

who camps out to make the best of the morning light and evening light?

i have maybe 5-6 times at different lakes near my cabin, i love it. lol

Well... many times I've gotten up at 3am to get up to Mt Rainier and places like that at dawn. Especially if it is cold. In the summer, I'll camp out.

 

[keene]

taken with a film camera while driving

hope everyone likes i have lots of nature photos that i cab add and some black and white

 

[dxqcanada]

Frequently Asked Questions to take good wildlife images ?

Do you need an 800mm f/2.8 stabilized lens ?
- in most cases you do not need such a long focal length. It is common to have 400/500mm for wildlife.
- wide max aperture helps when shooting animals in forests ... but you will probably not be taking many images blocked by branches/leaves.

Do you need a camera that can do 20 frames per second ?
- no.

Do you always need a tripod ?
- tripods help with stability with long lenses ... a monopod is a good substitute
- if lighting is good then you can handhold many shots

Do you need camouflage clothing (and lenswrap) ?
- some photographers do ... most don't

Do you need to travel to Africa or the Amazon ?
- no. The zoo is a nice urban area ... and there are many wildlife areas around you ... you just have to know what animals are in your area.

Do you need to be EricD ?
- yes ... OK, just kidding.

 

[Josefsteyn]

I am new to the Forum and I am obviously missing something when I post a photo. I am a bit "technologically challenged" and would appreciate a referral to a place on the Forum where the uploading is explained in detail. Any other help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[bc_steve]

Ok here it comes - the big question to all those pro wildlife photographers.
How do you go about finding a subject - and from there setting up and watching without disturbing. Is it all wlidlife centres and luck or is there some skills and tips you can give over?

I'm not a pro, but I have some ideas. The animals can be reliably found as long as you're in the right place at the right time. It's possible to do that with enough knowledge of the area and the animals. If you know someone that hunts, maybe they would be willing to take you out to shoot photos. Otherwise, it is possible to hire a local guide. Here it would be a guide outfitter that normally takes clients hunting, but if you explained what you needed (ie light etc) from a photography standpoint, they could most likely provide some great opportunities. When I was in Nepal I visited a national park with a few other people and a local guide. We saw animal after animal, but when we got to the rhinos the lighting was all wrong. What I should have done was stuck around for another day and hired the guy to take just me out and with the goal of finding wildlife in the best photographic conditions.

 

[bc_steve]

Ps: I do realize that post was 5 years ago