Wildlife Photography How To

Whether you’re photographing birds in the backyard, planning an outing to a local zoo, or shooting big cats on safari, achieving correct exposures is absolutely essential. This task is often challenging, as subjects move in and out of ever-changing light.

When it comes to bird photography, no species is more majestic and more sought after than the bald eagle. Its status as America’s national bird wasn’t always a sure bet (Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey). Bald eagles also nearly went extinct during the 20th century from their eggshells thinning due to the proliferation of DDT. But today as a result of aggressive protections under the Endangered Species Act, as well as the banning of DDT, these beautiful birds have made a dramatic recovery.

Today we’re going to discuss lens fogging—a serious problem that plagues outdoor photographers this time of year. When this occurs you’ll either miss a spontaneous opportunity while waiting for a lens to clear up, or you’ll snap the shutter and end up with a worthless photo.

Wildlife and nature photography is certainly a niche market but it turns out to be bigger than many think. According to our contributing photographers in this month’s column, photos of nature and wildlife can be sold for a broad range of uses, including stock, editorial, book publishing, interior design, fine art, and even assignment. Other important questions we ask our wildlife and nature photographers this month include what does it take to make your passion for these subjects a business? How do you market and promote your images?

We all try to shoot outdoor photos in the morning or late afternoon whenever possible to take advantage of the "best light." But that doesn't mean it's impossible to capture stunning images under harsh midday sun—especially if you understand the pitfalls and compensate accordingly.

We all strive to capture photos in which the primary subject of a scene is full of detail and properly exposed. Today, however, you'll learn a different approach whereby the subject is shy on detail but full of drama and impact.