Wildlife Photography How To

Nailing exposure is often a challenge with all forms of outdoor photography because of ever-changing light, complicated scenes, and a variety of tones from foreground to background. With wildlife subjects this task may require even more thought and precision.

When I started in photography my pictures were factual; they fulfilled the “here’s what it looked like” requirement and checked off all the familiar guides: a clearly-defined subject; properly placed leading lines; the rule of thirds obeyed; backgrounds taken into careful consideration. But they were static images, and there was no real communication of what the images were about.

Shutter Speed is an important consideration with an interesting duality. Many photographers opt for high shutter speeds in an attempt to assure maximum sharpness—admittedly a key consideration when setting up a shot. But there are times when a slow shutter speed will deliver images with a heightened sense of artistry.

Optimum image quality is the holy grail of all photographers regardless of whether they shoot portraits, landscapes, wildlife, or just about any other type of images. And when photos fail to meet expectations, it’s easy to blame our gear or the shooting conditions we confront.

It’s impossible to capture great images if your photos are consistently unsharp. There are several fixable issues that can result in soft photos, from faulty technique, incorrect camera settings, gear malfunction and more.

Selecting the appropriate shutter speed for a given scene is important for most types of photography if you want the best possible results. This decision is important with landscapes and wildlife shots—particularly when shooting hand-held, for scenes with motion, and while using long lenses.

Everyone knows how shutter speed, aperture, and ISO interact to arrive at properly exposed photos. But nailing exposure is only part of the challenge if you want to create images with maximum impact.