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A Wildlife Photography Primer By Robert Winkler
Responsible wildlife photographers observe a strict code of ethics. The cardinal rule: if anything you do directly or indirectly endangers, restricts or harasses an animal, stop and leave the animal alone. The integrity of a wildlife photograph evaporates if the subject was not free to come and go, if it shows fear or anxiousness, if it has been provoked to attack or to defend itself. Beginners especially should never photograph at a bird's or a mammal's nest, where human presence puts a severe strain on parents and young. This can have mortal consequences that may not be apparent: abandonment of the young by the parents, exposure of the nest to predators and exposure of unattended young or eggs to life-threatening heat or cold. Don't even check the robin's nest outside your front door. At night, a raccoon or domestic cat could follow your scent trail to the young, whose main defense is their camouflage. Animals, of course, can become dangerous if they perceive a threat. It was in an attack from a threatened owl that British bird photographer Eric Hosking lost an eye.
The best wildlife photographs are the most natural ones, and you don't need powerful or costly equipment to take them. A 70-210-mm zoom lens—standard with many 35mm single-lens reflex cameras—is adequate in most situations. Use medium-speed film (200-400 speed) for a good balance between sharpness and light sensitivity. At the most popular wildlife refuges, a steady parade of non-threatening human visitors has conditioned some animals to accept a close approach. In Everglades National Park, for example, the 200mm focal length of a zoom lens will often give frame-filling images of water birds. Where animals are not so tame, you can get close-ups by using a blind—a tent or wooden structure with openings only large enough for a lens. Lacking a blind, use the following stalking techniques, designed to minimize an animal's alarm while bringing you close enough for a good shot:
When you're in an exotic locale on photo safari, vary your camera position if doing so won't endanger you or your subjects. Shooting only from a safari vehicle's window will give all your pictures the same look. The best wildlife photographers have an instinct for conveying something characteristic, unusual, exciting or evocative about an animal—and remember that the light itself may create your picture. React quickly when these moments occur. Since the rewards of wildlife photography are so great, is there a way to
repay our subjects? Photographs alone seldom reveal wildlife's
plight—human encroachment diminishes habitat daily, and the risk of
extinction only rises for the weakest links in the biodiversity chain. By
supporting the cause of conservation, a photographer strengthens awareness
of wildlife's predicament and proves his or her pursuit is more than
mercenary.
Text and photo ("Canada Goose") Copyright © 2003 Robert Winkler |
fascination
with birds, mammals and other animals takes hold in early childhood and in
many of us it never abates. Hunting with a camera, you can
"capture" wild animals while doing them no harm. Aside from
reliable equipment and biological knowledge, a wildlife photographer's
greatest asset is patience. Abject failures and near misses go with the
territory, but master the fine art of waiting and you're destined for
stunning pictures.
