Create animal photography

Lens focal length and shooting distance

Shooting wild animals is the highest pursuit of animal photographers, canvas prints full of excitement and challenge. If you want to photograph dangerous animals in the wild, you must ensure a safe distance. At this time, those common lens will be stretched, must choose more than 200mm focal length of the ultra-long lens, in order to be in the wild environment for the creation of animal photography. In a sense, the longer the lens a photographer has, the more opportunities he or she will have in wildlife photography, which requires a lot of equipment investment and a strong frame. If you're a fan of bird photography, you'll often need a 400mm telephoto lens to create your ideal shot, which is far from the norm.

Comparison of long and short focal lengths

Frame DSLRS have a focal length conversion factor of about 1.5 times and a longer equivalent focal length, which can resolve the dependence on telephoto lens to some extent. Having a telephoto lens is not enough to complete the creation. Because the telephoto lens is large and heavy, it is impossible to shoot by hand in the unsatisfactory light environment, canvas prints online so a tripod with thicker pipe diameter and heavier load must be used to match. Having solved the equipment problem, the most important thing about wildlife photography is choosing the right location. In order to create the most authentic and natural photographs, the photographer has to do as much as possible without disturbing the animals. Therefore, finding a suitable shelter is an important principle in choosing the best shooting location. Wildlife photographers often wear camouflage uniforms and even paint their cameras and lenses to hide in the shadows of shrubs, bushes and trees and observe animals from a distance. In some well-known animal habitats and nature reserves, there are often designated shooting areas, and it is difficult to create unique photos in these shooting sites. If you want to make really exciting pictures, you have to go deep into nature and photograph wild animals that haven't learned to deal with humans.

Take the lion with the usual background blur

The key to the success of wildlife photography is to integrate animals with the environment, to show them in their natural state, and at the same time, to highlight them from the environment and become the center of the picture. In the face of large predators, large canvas prints photographers often use a telephoto lens to shoot from a distance, and through the background of the blur, highlight the subject. This is also the most common way to create. Background is very important to a photo, and a clean background can make the viewer pay attention.

The mind naturally falls upon the subject. The larger the aperture, the shallower the depth of field, and the more prominent the subject. With a telephoto lens, you get a very small Angle, so you only have to move a little bit to get a completely different background. The method of expression corresponding to the background blur is to use foreground blur or foreground shade to shoot wild animals. At right, the photographer captured a lioness lurking in the grass. The photographer deliberately chose to cover the Angle of one eye of the lioness with weeds, so as to show the lurking state of the lioness before hunting and the natural scene of the lioness gradually approaching the prey. The picture is full of murderous atmosphere, which fully demonstrates the wildness of the carnivore.

Use light and shade contrast to highlight the animal subject in the picture

In addition to the simple way to blur the background, the use of dark background and bright animal subject contrast is also a common form of animal photography composition. Shadows are common in nature. If an animal's hair is bright and under light, you can choose the Angle of the shot and use the scene in the shadow as the background. At the same time, using the feature of limited tolerance of digital SLR camera, point metering shot the animal, at this time, the background of the picture will present the effect of nearly all black.

Use light and shadow effect to express the ecological scene

With strong light contrast and rich colors, a flock of flamingos are presented in the picture

The charm of light and shadow can also be used to represent animal populations and photograph the overall ecology of their habitats. A flock of flamingos crouches in a pool to rest in the strong midday light. The photographer used point metering to get the flamingo exposed correctly in the frame, and the color effect was rendered with light and the background was dimmed. At this point, the different colors of the flamingo form a color contrast. Different parts of the bird's body also have unique textures and layers due to different smooth surfaces, which echo the reflections in the water. From the water in the foreground to the background in the shadow, the image presents a natural light and shade transition under precise exposure control. The photographer used light and shadow effects to perfectly present the ecological scene.

The hippopotamus emerged from the water

If you ask what the key technique in animal photography is, the answer is "waiting". Like the wait for perfect light in landscape photography, animal photography requires great perseverance and infinite patience. Waiting in animal photography is more of a matter of determination, as it is often futile compared to the light that will eventually appear over time in landscape photography. If you want to take a picture of predator hunting, it takes an incredible amount of effort and time. Not only is the probability of a particular event low, but the timing of the shoot is fleeting and difficult to grasp. And this is the greatest attraction of animal photography.

It's a long wait, and you can't let up at any moment, or the good shooting time will slip away. If you film in the wild, you will also face the threat of mosquito bites. In terms of shooting techniques, it is necessary to set the shooting data first, use tracking focus and continuous shooting mode when the shooting opportunity comes, and reserve some advance for the shutter lag. The two photos in this example are "easy" to capture, but the photographer waited nearly an hour to finish. The lazy hippopotamus hides in the water and rarely appears and emerges from the water in a different position. To capture this fleeting moment, you have to stay focused.

Represent a dynamic or static ecological scene

Animal photography and sports photography have similar characteristics. In animal photography, static images represent animal forms, while dynamic images can bring a photograph to life. When shooting static animal pictures, the body and expression of animals are the key points to capture. If the subject is an animal population, then their interaction and relationship is the focus of the depiction.

Use aperture priority mode when shooting still animals. Shutter priority mode can be used to capture the most dynamic images of animals. Pay attention to the accuracy of focus when taking pictures of moving subjects. Focusing is not a problem for animals that move slowly, but more difficult for those that move quickly. The tracking focusing method can be used to quickly capture the dynamic image of the animal. In addition to camera Settings that require attention, such as tracking focus and continuous shooting mode, techniques such as high-speed synchronous flash can also be applied to animal photography as needed. The depiction of "dynamic" can also use the method of contrast. If you can find a companion that sets off the main body in the picture, using the method of contrast between movement and movement can undoubtedly enhance the expressive force of the picture. In addition, the depiction of "movement" can also be reflected through some details. In this case, the zebras begin to stir, and although the movement of the zebras is not captured in the picture, the dust raised by the horses' hoofs still fills the picture with movement.

Show the integration of animals and their environment

Animals cannot be separated from their living environment, and the integration of animals and environmental factors is conducive to the expression of animals' living habits and living conditions, so as to better interpret the theme of ecological photography. In addition, it can also make the picture contain more information, and even convey more connotation themes such as environmental protection. In this case, the photographer mixes penguins with the icy conditions of the Antarctic. In a dramatic line composition, the penguins are like guardians of the ice world, relaxed in the cold. This photo not only highlights the life of the animals, but also adds visual impact with a beautiful background.

It should be emphasized that in animal photography, the environment is ultimately the supporting role of the picture, and the expressive force of the subject of the picture should not be affected by too many environmental factors.

Shoot different species coexisting in harmony

Nature is a wonderful creator. Although many creatures belong to different species, they have a special relationship of interdependence and coexistence. In animal photography, there are few opportunities to capture such harmonious, co-existing images. In this case, a group of hippos are sitting together in the water, and two birds that are not part of the group are sitting on the hippo's back relaxing. They get along so well with each other because the birds help the hippos hunt for parasites on their skin. Thousands of years of evolution have allowed the two animals not to repel each other, but to live in harmony. When shooting the photos of this kind of subject, the photographer needs to have certain knowledge of zoology, and be quick in eye and hand when getting the shooting opportunity, so as not to let the good opportunity slip away quietly.

Open compositions show close-ups of animals

It is not common to shoot animals with close-ups and open composition, which can create a strong visual impact. Close-up photos pay attention to the capture and characterization of details. In the framing and composition, we can not only extract the animals from the background, but also show a certain expression, an action or a part of the body of the animals without including their external outline, and enlarge the part forcibly. This kind of picture can arouse the viewer's imagination and arouse people's rich association.

Shoot with a reentry lens

The reentry lens is a powerful tool in animal photography, and it works best in animal photography. In far-off, difficult subjects like birds, a cheap reentry lens is often no worse than an expensive ultra-long prime lens.

Advantages of turning back lens:

Its volume and weight are much lighter and smaller than the telephoto lens with the same focal length.

Disadvantages of reentrant lenses:

The imaging principle and internal structure of the reentry lens are very special. A fixed mechanism on the front lens surface is difficult to transmit light, which reduces the amount of light input, so its applicable aperture is relatively small and cannot be adjusted.

Manual focus must be used.

3. There will be a circle blurred background outside the focus of the photo taken by the return-lens, which will affect the image quality.

Photograph birds with a wide-angle lens

How to create animal photography

Birds fly over towns in Africa's Cape of Good Hope

Shooting birds with a wide-angle lens is not fanciful. In many parks, birds have been living with people for a long time and are not afraid of being approached, so a wide-angle lens can be used to capture the birds taking off. In addition to the depiction of the birds themselves, the picture of birds flying in the blue sky is presented with perspective effect from far and near, which also contains many meanings such as longing and hope. Such successful works are also often used in various commercial advertisements, implying the meaning of moving forward in pursuit of the ideal.

Photograph birds in flight

Capturing the moment of birds flying is a difficult point in animal photography, and it is also a shooting technique that must be mastered.

Most birds are gregarious. When you come to the habitat of migratory birds, do not be busy shooting, but observe the rules of bird activity, such as their flight path, landing point and formation of the flock of birds, whether there is predation, feeding young birds, mating and other behaviors, in order to choose the most moving scene for shooting. Subsequently, to choose a best shooting location, had better have a wide field of vision, concealment strong characteristics, so as not to continue to shoot the shutter sound alarmed birds. Set the camera to tracking focus and continuous shooting mode. If the camera is slow, use JPEG to increase the number of consecutive shots. In addition, according to the focal length of the lens as close to the target as possible, the use of a tripod shooting success rate is higher. Then focus the camera on the parked bird, half press the shutter and start tracking the focus. Birds usually have a preparatory movement before taking off. Once the bird takes off, move the picture quickly toward the area the bird is about to fly over, and press the shutter at the right time. The background of the picture is best to choose a clean sky. It would be ideal to capture birds flying wing to wing.

Photograph animals in wetlands

Wetlands refer to natural or artificial, permanent or temporary marshes, wet plains, peat lands or watersheds with still or flowing water. Wetland, known as the kidney of the earth, is an ecosystem with a variety of unique functions and an ideal habitat for many plants and animals. Therefore, it is also a paradise for animal photography. In the wetland, due to the existence of water system, the ground, water flow and vegetation have rich color and texture under the irradiation of morning and evening light. The most common animals in wetlands are birds, which hunt for tiny insects or fish. In this kind of scene, the photographer cannot ignore the stunning environment. At this time, the way to express the composition of a single animal often seems pale. With the compression effect of telephoto lens, birds' habitat and activities can be photographed. Combined with the rich lines of wetlands, an original ecological picture of animal life can be formed. The photographer can also appropriately select the ideal foreground and background to modify the picture. In short, when animal photography is conducted in wetlands, more environmental elements are added to achieve better picture effects.

The eye is the soul, and like human photography, animal photography emphasizes the capture of the eye. Eyes have a mind, which is very suitable for use here. The features of animals are very different from those of humans, and sometimes only the eyes and nose appear in the same focal plane. At this time to achieve reasonable framing and depth of field control, in order to show the animal's demeanor, skin, hair texture incisively and vividly.

Combined with landscape shooting silhouette

By using the technique of landscape photography to photograph animals, we can obtain artistic conception, unique perspective and full of vitality. Animals in the picture can be used as a composition element in landscape photography, and the effect of silhouette can be interpreted under special light conditions.

For example, under the setting sun, sunset, backlight, and beautiful contour light, etc., the theme of the photo can be enhanced and the praise for life and nature can be expressed. In composition, the animal element can be placed at the golden section or the intersection of the thirds. In this case, the photographer used silhouette to photograph the elephants in the sunset, aluminum prints which highlighted the formal beauty of animals and complemented the peaceful atmosphere of the earth and evening.