BBC Wildlife - Survivor

in our seed trays. As some splash around, Peacock
others will sit and wait on the fence, until butterflies are
they’ve had enough. They will then swap widespread in
over in a flurry of feathers and water. The
whole show can last for about 10 minutes! the UK
Sophie Stockton, Buckinghamshire
NEXT MONTH
The risks of satellite tags
Butter ies
Gordon Buchanan’s excellent article about
golden eagles (Good As Gold, February With butterflies experiencing alarming
2022) prompts me to ask a question that
I have often wondered about. The caption declines across the UK, it’s never been
on one of the photographs reads: “The
satellite tags weigh less than four per cent more important to help these ailing
of a bird’s overall body weight”. At first
glance that sounds reasonable. But then insects. Wildlife gardening expert Kate
I asked what would be the equivalent for
me? Four per cent of my body weight is Bradbury shows you how to garden with
around 3.25kg, and I would find that to be
an unwelcome burden. butterflies in mind, revealing the best

Given all the perils that our wildlife nectar plants for adults and foodplants
currently face, could this added burden
jeopardise their safety, compromise their for caterpillars, plus a host
performance in flight or put them at risk
in any way? What weight (in percentage of other tips and ideas. ON SALE
terms) can we add to a creature without So spend spring digging
putting it at risk? Or could it be that we for butterflies! 7th
recognise the risk, but consider the benefit APRIL
to the population as a whole outweighs the
risk to the individual?
David Moir, via email
SOUTH OF SCOTLAND GOLDEN EAGLE
PROJECT REPLIES:
We work closely with vets and raptor welfare
experts to ensure the eagles’ safety and
wellbeing at every stage, including tagging.
In 2017, an exhaustive review of any effects
of the tags on golden eagles found no
differences in the behaviour, movements and
survival of tagged and untagged birds.

Answers to Spot The Difference from page 99

GET IN TOUCH

Email

[email protected]

Post

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Bristol, BS1 4ST

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discoverwildlife.com BBC WILDLIFE 101

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The Botany Bay ABOUT THE AUTHOR
weevil was first
described by Amanda De George
Sir Joseph Banks is a naturalist, writer,
in the 18th century photographer and
discoverer of spiders.
See no weevil Visit Backyard Zoology on
Facebook and Instagram.
Searching for a small but beautiful
insect in the scorching Sydney sun structures, their search for food or for a
mate, while I struggle to juggle my own
NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA ordinary life. But of all the insects, the
Botany Bay weevil was at the top of my
Y They’re found along Australia’s east coast ‘must see’ list. Picture a small black beetle, AMANDA DE GEORGE
searching high and low for and, according to my social media feed, its body peppered with metallic blue scales,
something but, no matter how every single person I have ever known in a face that only a mother could love and
hard you look, you just can’t my entire life (and their dog) had seen one. the propensity to roll onto its back and
find it? That feeling had been plaguing me Everyone that is, except for me. play dead when disturbed. Adorable, right?
for years as I spent summer after summer But it was that otherworldly metallic blue
searching for the stunningly beautiful, yet I spend a lot of time peering into the colour that I really wanted to see with my
ridiculously common Botany Bay weevil. small worlds of insects. It’s fascinating own eyes.
observing their often complex social
People travel from around the world to
walk the coast track in the Royal National
Park and see a different kind of blue – that
of the Pacific Ocean. One side of the track
is hugged by low-lying coastal heathland
and the other with sheer sandstone cliffs.
I wouldn’t know any of this though. When
I walked a small portion of the 26km track
in January 2021, I kept my eyes fixed firmly
on the acacia trees as I’d heard that weevils
had recently been spotted there.

I took the track literally one step at a
time. Step, stop, scan leaves, repeat. I don’t
give up easily, but after a few hours in the
hot Sydney sun it was time to admit defeat
once again. And then, just as I turned to
start the trek home, I spotted them – not
one, but two weevils! Turns out they’re
actually quite easy to spot amongst the
green of the leaves.

A couple of tourists looked up from
their selfies as I squealed and then let out
a couple of exhausted sobs, pushing my
husband out of the way for a closer look.
It was only a small find in the big scheme
of things, but it was mine, finally. And as
for the weevils? Well, they were even more
beautiful in real life.

Have a wild tale to tell? Email a brief synopsis
to [email protected]

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AN INTRODUCTION TO

WILDLIFE
PHOTOGRAPHY

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and tricks
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COVER: ALAN CROSSLAND/GETTYIMAGES; ROCK AGAMA: GRAEME GREEN YOUR INTRODUCTION TO LIfe in colour: a
rock agama in
WILDLIFE Ruaha National
PHOTOGRAPHY Park, Tanzania

As I’m reminded every CONTENTS
day when considering
images for the next 8 HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH
issue of BBC Wildlife, the LOCAL WILDLIFE
natural world is an endless
Explore your patch with your camera
source of inspiration for
photographers. That’s why we’ve teamed 12 HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH IN MACRO
up with photojournalist Graeme Green to
introduce you to the wonderful world of Discover a whole new world in miniature
wildlife photography.
16 HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH
There’s little that beats the feeling of ACTION AND BEHAVIOUR
seeing animals in the wild, whether it’s
elephants marching across the African Don’t miss the crucial moment
plains or sparrows and blue tits flitting
around garden birdfeeders. As many of us 20 HOW TO GO BEYOND AUTO
learned during the pandemic, being out in
nature is good for our physical and mental Switch on the manual mode
health – and photography is a brilliant way
to record those experiences and enjoy a 24 HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH
little creativity at the same time. STRIKING PORTRAITS

While quality equipment is obviously Capture the essence of an animal
important, it’s still possible to capture
wonderful wildlife moments with 28 BOOKS, ETHICS & COMPETITIONS
whatever you have to hand – even a
mobile phone. Whether you end up with Improve your craft – the right way
a prize-winning portfolio or a collection of
memorable encounters, you won’t fail to
have fun along the way. So, get out in the
wild and get snapping!

Tom Gilks, picture editor, BBC Wildlife

A BBC Wildlife special

WRITTEN BY Graeme Green
LAYOUT Alun Harris CONTRIBUTORS Tom Gilks,
Rob Banino, Sarah McPherson, Richard Eccleston

ABOUT GRAEME GREEN
Graeme is a wildlife photographer,
journalist and founder of the celebrated
New Big 5 project. See more of his
work at graeme-green.com

discoverwildlife.com BBC WILDLIFE 3

KIT WE LOVE NIKON NIKKOR Z 24 120MM F/4 S LENS
Every photographer’s gear choices are
Graeme Green rounds up his favourite photography gear personal, and Nikon is a popular brand.
A good general lens for Nikon users is
N about good images being all in will increase your comfort and the 24-120, while the 600mm f/4E FL ED
the eye of the photographer, wellbeing in the field. Good boots and VR super-telephoto will give those all-
there’s no denying that waterproof trousers are worth their important close-ups.
equipment plays a part. weight in gold, and a comfortable £1,099; £10,999 (telephoto); nikon.co.uk
Having a decent camera and chair could be the best £99 you’ve
lenses means you’re more likely to ever spent. Photographic gear is not VANGUARD VEO ACTIVE 53
achieve better-quality shots, while particularly cheap these days, but This is a sturdy 45-litre backpack with
a kitbag of appropriate accessories don’t forget you can always rent or comfy straps and a cushioned back. It’s
buy second-hand. designed for a DSLR and up to seven
lenses, and can also take a 16-inch
laptop or tablet. It’s water-resistant
and also has a raincover.
£249.99; vanguardworld.co.uk

Dream GARDEN CAMERA TRAP BUNDLE
kit!
Camera traps are a great way to get
images of shy or nocturnal creatures –

you simply set everything up then
wait for an animal to trigger
the shot. You need wireless
triggers and flashes that
are optimised for camera
traps, so they don’t run
out of battery after five
hours and are always

ready to fire.
£295; store.camtraptions.com

4 BBC WILDLIFE Photography Guide

Dream SONY ALPHA 7R III
kit! Sony users will be familiar with this
high-resolution mirrorless camera,
CANON EF 600 F/4L IS III USM LENS combining high speed (up to 10
As a Canon user, I like the versatile frames per second) and fast autofocus
24-15mm lens for general use. But to capabilities. £2,199; sony.co.uk
get really close to the action, you need
a long lens. Weighing just over 3kg, VANGUARD ALTA RAIN COVER
this new model is not too hefty and Rain covers are a must for protecting
will deliver beautifully sharp images of your cameras and lenses when you’re
skittish creatures. It’s not cheap, but out in the great British weather. The Alta
you can always consider hiring one. range comprises four sizes to cover a
£13,389.99; canon.co.uk
range of lenses and are easy
SANDISK EXTREME to fit quickly. From £19.99;
PRO UHS II MEMORY CARD vanguardworld.co.uk
SanDisk’s Extreme PRO UHS-II
HIDE TRAGOPAN V6 card has write speeds of up to
A nice, light (3.3kg) hide made from 260MB/s for rapid, successive
a waterproof material that also helps shots and can handle RAW and
keep the inside cool on hot days. Plus, JPEG files.
it has several windows for poking your £78.99; westerndigital.com
camera through.
£220; tragopan-shop.com

FJÄLLRÄVEN HIGH COAST
HYDRATIC TROUSERS
These trousers are windproof,
waterproof, breathable and have a
generous fit. They also have zips on
the bottoms of the legs so you can take
them off while keeping your boots on.
£195; fjallraven.com

SCARPA RUSH TRK GTX
A solid, comfortable and tough pair
of walking boots. They have a Gore-
Tex lining and keep my feet dry
without feeling heavy on my feet.
They also provide good grip and a
decent ankle support.
£185; scarpa.co.uk

BBC WILDLIFE 5

VANGUARD ALTA SKY 66
Designed to carry a super telephoto
600mm lens with a DSLR or mirrorless
camera attached. There’s cushioning
inside and a section on the front for
a tablet (up to 9 inches). You can also
attach a tripod to the front.
£229.99; vanguardworld.co.uk

THE NORTH FACE TREVAIL
HOODED DOWN JACKET
Warm but extremely light and
breathable. It compresses down to
fit in rucksacks and has a hood.
Women’s version also available.
£220; thenorthface.co.uk

BEFREE 3 WAY LIVE
ADVANCED TRIPOD

A sturdy and convenient
model, weighing just 2kg.
It measures 40cm when
closed, but opens up to a height of
151cm and can manage any lens/
camera combo up to 6kg.
£257.95; manfrotto.com

CANON EOS R5 HAGLÖFS’ BOW GLOVES GITZO SYSTEMATIC
The EOS R5 is a mirrorless camera that A snug fit with a smartphone-compatible TRIPOD KIT, SERIES 4
has 45-megapixel resolution for more index finger and thumb, so you can wear
detail in images and greater potential for them while using your devices. This tripod is suitable for big,
cropping. It has a full-frame sensor and £60; haglofs.com 600mm telephoto lenses
can shoot at up to 20 frames per second and extends to a height of 170.5cm.
in full-resolution raw. £1,197; gitzo.com
£4,299.99; store.canon.co.uk

Dream
kit!

HELINOX CHAIR ONE
Helinox has several chairs that are
lightweight, compact and collapsible,
including the Chair One, which has a
tough alloy frame. It weighs just 890g
and fits into a 35cm-long bag.
£99.95; helinox.eu

6 BBC WILDLIFE Photography Guide

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SEE THE UNSEEN

HOW TO

PHOTOGRAPH
LOCAL WILDLIFE

Photographic opportunities of the natural world are never
far from home, even if you live in the city

FOXES: MARK SMITH; RED SQUIRREL: SCOTLAND: THE BIG PICTURE/NPL; PHOTOGRAPHERS: PAMELA JOE MCFARLANE/GETTY Bbeholder is a fitting phrase You can take great wildlife photos without
for wildlife photography. For going on expeditions to exotic locations
some photographers, it’s all
about capturing elephants and through a national park or waiting to see
lions in the Serengeti, while what happens in your garden, we have
others seek rare and obscure an array of fascinating and characterful
frogs deep in the Amazon, or species that have great photographic
polar bears and penguins at the potential. It could be a garden spider
frozen ends of the Earth. in its web, with the light catching the
morning dew, or a blue tit buzzing to and
But many wildlife photographers
find plenty to point their lenses at
without ever getting on a flight. The
UK is incredibly rich in wildlife, with
red squirrels, deer, Arctic hares, puffins
and foxes among our most popular and
commonly photographed species. The
British weather also helps to produce
evocative photos, particularly in winter
– think Arctic hares curled into balls,
bracing themselves against blizzards,
or foxes’ colourful orange coats against
backgrounds of brilliant-white snow.

The UK isn’t a country where
charismatic megafauna simply falls into
your lap. But, whether you’re wandering

THREE TOP TIPS

GET TO KNOW YOUR AREA FIND AN ORIGINAL TAKE GO FOR GOLDEN HOURS

Go and explore with your Every great photo has a Getting out in the early
camera. Find out where the creative take. There’s no morning or late evening
animals and insects you want shortage of red squirrel to catch the golden hours
to photograph live or feed images, but for yours of light (around sunrise
(but don’t disturb dens or to stand out, it’ll need and sunset) often provides
nests). Make repeat visits to something different – a warm, colourful conditions
fields or parks where you’ve nice use of light, for pictures. It also means
seen a particular individual. a funny pose
Start with portraits and be or great the light comes in
ready to catch action shots. action. sideways, rather
than from a sun
A vivid backdrop of sunlight on distant that’s high and
trees creates an image that pops shining down
on an animal.

8 BBC WILDLIFE Photography Guide

Found throughout the UK, foxes
make appealing photographic
subjects. This fantastic shot,
capturing the playful antics of a pair
of cubs, has great symmetry and a
clean, non-distracting background.
The foxes are comfortably doing
their thing, and the photographer
has used a fast shutter speed to
freeze the action.

Canon EOS-1D X,
1/3200 sec at F2.8, ISO 500

“There are always interesting wild
creatures on your doorstep”

discoverwildlife.com BBC WILDLIFE 9

from your garden feeder. Deer grazing noticed that pigeons regularly walked IN THE KITBAG
the grassy stretches of parks can make through pockets of dappled evening
elegant, charismatic shots, particularly sunshine on his shed roof, he was able to PARAMO/PAJARO
in autumn, while relatively sedentary capture these common birds in, literally, a
species, such as ducks and swans on whole new light. HALCON JACKET
ponds and rivers, open up all sorts of
creative possibilities. It all boils down to Cities, too, are brimming with wildlife. It’s essential to
simply getting out there and acquainting Animals can be found in urban parks, high keep warm and
yourself with your local patch. up on buildings or patrolling residential dry when you’re
streets in the early evening – you just out in the great
Gardens, no matter how small, are have to know where and when to look. British weather. The
the perfect place to start. Peer among And the advantage of urban wildlife is it’s Páramo (men) and
the grass stems and flowerbeds to often habituated to people. Pájaro (women)
discover your resident invertebrates and Halcon jackets
experiment with shots of leaves, flowers Photographing wildlife close to have Nikwax Analogy Waterproof
and petals. You can attract a variety of home means you can really get to know fabric, which provides protection
avian species to bird tables, baths and your wild neighbours and study their from the wind and rain, yet without
feeders, and many gardens receive visits behaviour. You’ll learn what they do and the noisy rustle of some waterproof
from badgers, foxes and hedgehogs. where they go, depending on the time of materials. The front pockets are also
Even a ubiquitous and familiar species year and the weather, presenting you with large enough to hold a couple of spare
such as the pigeon can take on a whole a range of photographic potential. It’s lenses. Both are available in green – a
new persona when captured in creative not easy to get access to elephants and must for shooting wildlife.
ways – when photographer Richard Peters lions, but there are always interesting wild £300/350; paramo-clothing.com
creatures on your doorstep.

ANATOMY 2COLOUR POP
There is spectacular
OF A use of colour in this
image, with the roe
SHOT deer nicely sharp amid
a haze of bright, warm
Three key points yellow flowers. The two
that make a good monochrome magpies –
pleasingly balanced at the
image great deer’s eye-level – add a
welcome contrast.
1TELLING A STORY
Deer portraits are 3 BLUR THE LINES
relatively easy to obtain Photographers
if you’ve done your sometimes try to avoid
groundwork, but the having foliage in the
addition of the magpies foreground, but here the
takes this shot to a new idea is embraced, with the
level, telling a story and flowers almost cocooning
capturing a moment of the deer. The bold yellow
natural behaviour. ‘splodges’ add to the wild
look and feel of the image.

JULES COX

10 BBC WILDLIFE Photography Guide

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WEX Photo Video

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HOW TO

PHOTOGRAPH
IN MACRO

Smaller targets require more skill to shoot,
but the results will o en make a bigger splash

BUTTERFLY: MATTEO TUROK/500PX/GETTY; SUNDEW: BEN HALL/2020VISION/NATUREPL.COM I’ Macro specialist Ripan Biswas captures
the unsung heroes of the natural close-ups of flying termites in India
world – particularly insects and
plants – and photography is a great snakes, fungi and all the other examples
way to provide them with some of tiny life on Earth, many of which are
much-needed positive PR. Certainly, every bit as colourful and fascinating as
images of bees, spiders, butterflies,
beetles and ants tend to get fewer
‘likes’ online. They also take a back
seat in print sales to images of more
charismatic megafauna. But there’s a
whole new world to discover when you
decide to look into life in miniature. And
while the shots may not always draw the
same attention as those of large mammals,
close-up photos of invertebrates and
plants can be just as visually stunning,
whether you’re focussing on the
compound eye of a damselfly or the
intricate structure of a sundew.

Macro doesn’t just mean insects and
flowers. It can include frogs, lizards, mice,

THREE TOP TIPS

USE FLASH TRY A TRIPOD GO EYE TO EYE

Use flash to freeze the A tripod will not only It’s helpful to get down
moment and illuminate your eliminate camera shake, to the same level as
subject. To get the maximum but will also help you the creature you’re
depth of field, photographers compose your frame if photographing. This is
use the highest possible you’re manually adjusting how you get the best
F-number, which requires the focus. angle to photograph your
a slower shutter speed. A
flash comes in handy in this subject, and means The intricate structure and bold
situation, both for the extra the background hues of sundews make them
light and to eliminate shake will usually be fascinating subjects. These tiny
or movement of your subject. smoother. It plants are carnivores, luring,
To make the light soft and also helps trapping and eating unsuspecting
uniform, use a diffuser. to use high insects. Their incredible, other-
F-numbers worldly detail can only be captured
Get on a similar plane to your so you can in macro, revealing what lies unseen
insect subjects for that up- get a greater in a bed of soggy sphagnum moss.
close, bug’s eye view depth of
field. Canon EOS-5D Mark II,
1/6 sec at F4, ISO 100

12 BBC WILDLIFE Photography Guide

“There’s a whole new world to
discover when you decide
to look into life in miniature”

discoverwildlife.com BBC WILDLIFE 13

bigger, more famous beasts. There’s a subject or scaring it away. High-range IN THE KITBAG
world of creative opportunities out there, (150-200mm) macro lenses are heavy
and something very appealing about and expensive, but they offer a good TAMRON 90MM
finding different ways to reveal lesser- working distance.” SP 2.8 LENS
known species and the nests, colonies “This mid-range lens
and societies they build for themselves. The great thing about macro is light, small and
Indeed, one of the best things about photography is that you can find a host gives a moderate
macro photography is that it allows you of colourful and interesting subjects on working distance from
to show people something new. your doorstep. Ladybirds, ants, moths, your subject,” says Ripan.
damselflies and dragonflies all translate This is an affordable alternative to the
In terms of equipment, macro brilliantly in close-up, and can easily be bigger brands, and there are versions
photography does require some tracked down in gardens and parks. available that are compatible with
investment in specialist gear. “You Canon, Sony and Nikon cameras.
should always take a mid-range focal- Do remember that smaller £620; tamron.eu
length macro lens (85-105mm) with creatures often serve as prey, and will
you,” says macro specialist Ripan Biswas feel vulnerable when larger animals –
(ripanbiswas.com). “These are light, not including humans – are looming over
too expensive and give a fair working them. Always approach with caution and
distance from your subject. For short- move around these skittish and flighty
range (around 40mm), macro lenses are creatures with care. And, of course,
lighter and cheaper, but their working you’ll need to be able to stay super-still –
distance is very short, meaning you may sometimes, even the pulse of your beating
find yourself casting a shadow over your heart can be enough to jolt your camera
and blur your images.

ANATOMY 1OFF THE SCALE
This image cleverly
OF A distorts your sense of
scale – what is in fact a
SHOT tiny beetle appears
enormous when you spot
Three key points the even tinier ant. The
that make a good interaction also tells a
story, making you question
image great what’s going on.

2FOCAL POINT 3 ANGLE RIPAN BISWAS
Macro shots have a Ripan has chosen a
very narrow depth of field great angle: slightly away
(the ‘zone’ of focus). The from side-on. It means you
beetle’s far legs are can see the beetle’s entire
beyond the focal zone, profile, including both
so Ripan has created a antennae, and there’s still
single line of focus space around the frame.
incorporating the ant and
the beetle’s near legs.

14 BBC WILDLIFE Photography Guide

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HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH

ACTION AND
BEHAVIOUR

Hunting, eeing, feeding, playing and even sleeping… it’s a
great achievement to capture a slice of animal action

WILDEBEESTE & PHOTOGRAPHER: GETTY; GEESE: BENCE MATE/NATUREPL.COM F iguanas being attacked by mobs Disguise yourself as much as possible so that
of Galápagos racer snakes in the animals you’re photographing relax and
Planet Earth II was a brilliantly behave normally. Also, stay downwind.
shot and edited example of the
life-and-death battles that unfold there is far more to animal behaviour and
in the natural kingdom every action shots than chases and kills. There
second of every day. is feeding, resting, playing, grooming and
These life-and-death mating. There are altercations between
encounters, filled with drama and
high stakes, are appealing for many
photographers too. Whether it’s a cheetah
chasing down a gazelle, or crocodiles
picking off wildebeest and zebras as they
cross the Mara River, each clash raises the
same question: will the predator succeed
or will the prey live to see another day?
In Tanzania’s Ruaha National Park a few
years ago, I witnessed a leopard hunting
from the high branches of a sausage tree,
bounding down the trunk and pouncing
onto an unsuspecting impala.

Hunts are admittedly exciting, yet

THREE TOP TIPS

UNDERSTAND HABITS SPEED IT UP BE PREPARED Skill, knowledge and patience
are needed to create images that
Learn as much as you can Animals often move fast. You need to be ready combine movement, drama and
about the animal you want To capture their speed for the action when it peril. This shot beautifully captures
to photograph, such as in sharp detail, use fast happens. That means the ‘plunge’ as a wildebeest takes
when and where it’s likely shutter speeds of 1/2,000, knowing your camera, flight across the hazardous Mara
to be active. When you 1/3,000 or higher. ‘Blurring’, rather than messing River, while dust clouds add to the
find the animal, be patient, with slightly slow shutter around with dials as the sense of commotion and spectacle.
observe and study it. Look for speeds, can also suggest once-in-a-lifetime wildlife
moments that differ from its movement and action. moment passes you by. It Canon EOS-1D X Mark II,
familiar behaviour. The more You’ll need to experiment – helps to test your settings 1/4000 sec at F5.6, ISO 800
you study an animal, the more too slow a speed well in advance, taking a
you can predict what it might can result in
do, and be ready to shoot a blurry few shots to check
standout action shots. mess. they are not too
bright, too dark,
Panning across as an animal runs or flies too slow or
can keep an element of the shot in focus too narrowly
focussed.

16 BBC WILDLIFE Photography Guide

“These life-and-death encounters, lled
with drama and high stakes, are appealing

for many photographers too”

discoverwildlife.com BBC WILDLIFE 17

siblings and the unfolding of other family It can take luck, time and patience IN THE KITBAG
relationships – a mother cuddled up with (sometimes days or weeks) to capture
her young, or a male bird arriving at a memorable behaviour, whether it’s the BEAN BAG
nest with food for his mate. I enjoy seeing play-fighting of polar bears, the mating
family life in action and am always on rituals of red-crowned cranes or the Holding cameras
the lookout for moments of tenderness squabbling of thrushes on your lawn. But for any length of
that I can capture on camera. One of the rewards are compelling images that time is hard on the
my favourite memories is of Gelada are far more likely to stand out than still, arms, especially if
monkeys on the high plateau of Ethiopia’s square-in-the-frame portraits. you’re using a long,
Simien Mountains National Park – it heavy lens. There are
was wonderful to watch them grazing, It’s also worth looking out for various devices to solve the
grooming and tumbling over one another. interactions between different species, problem, but the simplest is a bean
such as oxpeckers perching on giraffes bag. A small bag under the lens is easy
Watching how animals spend their and buffalos. I once photographed a grey to move if you need to quickly change
time is fascinating, as they test or heron hitching a ride on the back of a position, and there are plenty of shapes
reinforce social hierarchies and learn hippo in Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve, and sizes available, including camo
survival skills. You will discover unique a peculiar moment that made for a designs. An alternative is a cushion
photographic opportunities as well as gain memorable, interesting shot. There’s a lot cover that you can fill with sand or soil
a deeper understanding of wildlife. more to life than death. once you’re at your location.
From £15, camerabeanbags.co.uk

ANATOMY 1POLE POSITION
Photographer Shannon
OF A Wild knew that Verreaux’s
sifakas leap, dance, hop
SHOT and bound across open
spaces, so she positioned
Three key points herself in a prime location
that make a good – a road between two
patches of forest – for an
image great uninterrupted shot.

2 BODY SHAPE
The animal is moving
towards the light (which is
falling on its face), its head
is upright and its eyes are
looking forward. The photo
is taken when its arms are
spread, so the face and
body aren’t obscured.

3TOP TIMING SHANNON WILD
The shutter-release
button was hit at the
exact moment that the
animal’s feet lifted off
the ground, giving a
stronger impression of
the spring in its step.

18 BBC WILDLIFE Photography Guide

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HOW TO Shutter speed is key to creating
this dipper shot: at 1/5 second, it’s
GO BEYOND fast enough to freeze the bird and
AUTO slow enough to capture the swirling
movement of the water. The resulting
image is far more interesting than an
ordinary portrait – and shows how
photography can reveal things
unseen by the naked eye.

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II,
1/5 sec at F16, ISO 200

Master your camera’s manual settings and you’ll bring
a new level of creativity to your photographs

DEER: ANDY ROUSE/NATUREPL.COM CAPTIVE ; CAMERA: GETTY: DIPPER: MARKUS VARESVUO/NATUREPL.COM I’ Camera modes offer different levels of
photos with a camera in ‘auto’ mode, control, from full manual to full automatic
where the camera makes decisions
on settings for you. But to get the
results you want and take your
photography to the next level, you
need to understand your camera’s
manual controls – in particular, the
‘Holy Trinity’ of photography: shutter
speed, aperture and ISO.

Shutter speed refers to how quickly
the camera’s shutter opens and closes.
Open it for, say, 1/2,000 of a second and
you’ll capture a fast-running cheetah or
dive-bombing bird in sharply defined
detail, a tiny fraction of a second frozen
in time. But open the shutter for longer,
such as 1/50 of a second, and the same

THREE TOP TIPS

WARM IT UP GO HIGHER LET THE CAMERA HELP

White Balance adjusts the Photos that ‘pop’ often do Nailing the right shutter
warmth and coolness of an so because a low F-number speed, F-number and ISO
image. The default setting has been used to make the can be tricky, especially in
is Auto White Balance, but subject stand out against fast-moving situations or
experiment with some of the a blurry background. But shifting light conditions.
manual alternatives. ‘Cloudy’, this can sometimes feel But you don’t always have
for instance, warms your overdone. I would suggest to do everything yourself.
subject and thus enriches a balance, where the Many cameras allow you
autumn colours; ‘Tungsten’ subject is the clear focus to decide shutter speed
has a cooling effect. but the background also or F-number (or both),
feeds into the picture. A while deciding the correct
low F-number can also ISO for you, based on the
settings you’ve chosen.
mean losing sharpness Alternatively, you can
further back on an select a shutter speed and
animal’s face. Choose let the camera choose the
what works for you, best F-number. This can
but a low F-number help you find the right
isn’t always the combination more quickly.
best option.

Using Tungsten mode can
create amazing tones of blue

20 BBC WILDLIFE Photography Guide

“You won’t get the best from your camera,
or yourself as a photographer, without
using manual settings”

discoverwildlife.com BBC WILDLIFE 21

subjects might end up as blurs. Carefully ways – a low F-number might mean a IN THE KITBAG
selecting your shutter speed, rather than warthog’s snout is sharp but its eyes, ears
trusting it to your camera, means you’re and body are less well-defined. F-numbers VANGUARD ALTA
likelier to get the intended outcome. offer lots of creative options.
BATTERY CASE
Aperture refers to how much the hole ISO refers to the camera’s sensitivity
in the lens opens to allow light onto the to light. In sunny or brightly lit situations, Experimenting requires
sensor, marked on your camera as F-stops low ISOs, such as 100, work fine. But in lots of battery
or F-numbers. Large apertures, which low light or dusky situations, you’ll want power and
correspond to low F-numbers (such as to ramp the ISO up (to 5,000, 6,000 or memory capacity.
F4), allow in a lot of light, while smaller higher). But beware of pushing too far, as As they’re carrying
apertures, which have high F-numbers higher ISOs are more likely to produce such precious treasure (your
(such as F22), let in less light. photos that are grainy or ‘noisy’. memories and artistic creations),
it’s worth keeping memory cards and
It’s useful to understand F-numbers All three – shutter speed, aperture, replacement batteries somewhere safe
in terms of depth of field. A low F-number ISO – interact with one another, and the and dry. The Alta Battery Case neatly
gives a shallow depth of field, meaning, exact way you use them will determine stores up to four batteries and SD
for example, that if you focus on an how your photos turn out. You won’t get cards, so they’re all in one place if you
orangutan, the orangutan might be the best from your camera, or yourself need to make a quick swap. Keeping
sharp but the forest background would as a photographer, without using these them within easy reach also means
be blurry. With a high F-number on the manual settings. The best way to get you won’t waste time – and miss that
same shot, not only would the ape be in your head around them is to go out and all-important shot.
focus, but the leaves and branches in the experiment and make notes about how £14.99; vanguardworld.co.uk
forest would be too. Where you set your different photos look with, for example,
F-number can affect portraits in different a really high or low F-number.

ANATOMY 1 CLEVER POSITIONING
Photographer Marsel
OF A van Oosten was in just
the right spot to capture
SHOT the colourful faces and
long-haired coats of
Three key points these golden snub-nosed
that make a good monkeys in sharp detail,
with the light coming in
image great from the side. The log also
draws also you in, leading
the eye from one monkey
to the other.

3SENSE OF SETTING 2IN FOCUS MARSEL VAN OOSTEN
A well-balanced If the F-number was
F-number here gives too low, only this monkey
a clear sense of the would be sharp – but here,
forest surroundings. The they both are. Often, with
background trees are less pairs or groups of animals,
sharp, so the monkeys only one individual will be
are still the clear focus, in focus.
but have not become a
nondescript blur.

22 BBC WILDLIFE Photography Guide

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HOW TO Eye contact is vital for creating an
image with impact, but don’t forget
TAKE STRIKING the focus – you want to show all of
PORTRAITS your subject’s features in exquisite
detail. In this eye-catching portrait
of a gelada monkey, we can admire
the texture of its magnificent mane,
the sinews under its skin and a row
of slightly-bared teeth.

Canon EOS-5D Mark III,
1/400 sec at F6.3, ISO 400

Nothing creates the same connection with an animal
as a beautifully shot portrait

A’ Get on the same level as your subject – the
known for their willingness view from inside a vehicle is often too high
to take direction. This is a
big part of the excitement of head position, body language, lighting
wildlife photography: animals and background all make the difference
are unpredictable and can between an unexciting image and an
move at any time, depending outstanding portrait that captures the
on their whim – whether that’s
feeding, finding a mate, seeking
shelter or caring for their young. As
models, a lion, frog or gorilla is unlikely
to strike or hold a particular pose while
you take their picture. They don’t care
at all whether you get your shot. While
the elements in a human portrait, such
as physical positioning and setting, are
usually a collaboration, with wildlife
photography, the animal is in charge
and it’s up to you to adapt and respond,
and to do so quickly.

But in other respects, taking portraits
of wildlife is similar to taking portraits
of people. Eye contact, facial expression,

THREE TOP TIPS

FROG & GELADA: GRAEME GREEN; GRAEME: ANDREA MORENO GET DOWN LOW LOOK FOR LIGHT BACKGROUND CHECK

The top of an animal’s head, Even a little light can make If the animal’s face doesn’t
as seen from the top of a the difference between a fill the frame, think about
safari vehicle, is rarely its best vibrant photo and one that what’s beside or behind it.
angle. Getting eye-to-eye looks drab and flat. Think Does the background add
makes for more engaging about which direction the to the photo or distract
pictures. If it’s safe, get your light is coming from and from your subject? Having
feet or chest on the ground. where it’s falling. If the another safari vehicle in
Avoid standing, even if light isn’t working for the your shot, for example,
you need to stay in a safari photo you want to take, destroys the feel of a
vehicle. Crouch down, lay flat move position or ‘wild’ portrait. Create
or take the front passenger wait for the
seat, which is usually lower conditions separation from other
than the raised back. to change. animals or objects.
If the angle or
Strong natural light catching the top of the background
this frog’s head accentuates its angles doesn’t work,
and allows its skin to almost glow change position.

24 BBC WILDLIFE Photography Guide

“With wildlife photography,
the animal is in charge and

it’s up to you to adapt”

discoverwildlife.com BBC WILDLIFE 25

spirit and character of your subject. kinds of shots can look very proud and IN THE KITBAG
Thinking about these kinds of details noble, especially with charismatic subjects
will enable you to take photos that are such as big cats, elephants and gorillas. CANON EF 100
far more satisfying. Then, it’s just a case 400MM F/4.5 5.6L
of grabbing the opportunity when it’s When they start, many photographers IS II USM LENS
presented to you. are often content to just see an animal When taking
and get a picture of it, without giving animal portraits,
As with so much wildlife photography, much thought to how it really looks or it’s useful to have the
there is rarely a set way of doing things. how the shot might be improved. Yet flexibility to zoom in or out
It’s all about making individual creative there are endless creative options, from as the animal moves closer or further
choices. Some of my favourite animal setting the animals in other spaces in the away. This lens is powerful enough
portraits, both my own and those of frame to taking the photo from a slight to capture skittish animals that won’t
other photographers, have a symmetry to angle or from the side. Putting the extra come near, but can also pull back if
them, with the animal’s face straight-on thought into portraits means your results they do decide to approach.
and dominating the frame, and its eyes will be far more likely to do the animal, £2,590; canon.co.uk
looking directly at the camera. These and you, proud.

ANATOMY

OF A

SHOT

Three key points
that make a good

image great

1 GREAT EYE CONTACT 2SHARP DETAILS
The eyes make this A lack of sharpness
picture. Eye contact with can ruin a photo. As this
your subject makes for is a close-up portrait, I
more expressive, even wanted to see the fine
soulful, photos. Cameras details. That meant picking
allow you to choose your my F-number carefully –
precise point of focus too high and I might have
– when taking animal got sharp definition on the
portraits, it’s always the eyes or snout, but blurring
eyes I focus on. in other areas of the face.

3A STATE OF CALM GRAEME GREEN
You never want to
make an animal feel
threatened or stressed
when you’re taking its
picture. Getting this image
meant keeping calm and
quiet, maintaining a safe
distance and taking my
time, so that the lion was
relaxed in my presence.

26 BBC WILDLIFE Photography Guide

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A QUICK GUIDE TO ETHICS

THE DOS AND Minimising
DON’TS OF WILDLIFE disturbance
PHOTOGRAPHY is the central
tenet of wildlife
‘Ethical photography’ refers to photography
guidelines that help you avoid
causing any harm to wildlife. USE YOUR PHOTOS
Here are a few simple things to FOR GOOD
keep in mind when you’re out
and about with your camera. Taking great photos is the rst step. Next
comes using them to make a di erence…
DO
The world is facing a biodiversity crisis, with many species, from
O Use common sense lions and rhinos to vultures and frogs, facing a struggle for survival.
O Observe, don’t disturb There are plenty of ways your wildlife photos can make a difference.
O Stick to rules, such as keeping a safe When sharing images on social media, for instance, include details
in your posts about what you’ve learned about a particular species,
distance from animals the threats it is facing and which charities are working to protect it.
O Keep quiet and calm
O Move away if your presence is making an Eye-catching photos can encourage people to get involved and
support a cause, and might introduce someone to an animal they’ve
animal anxious never heard of, such as the pangolin. Wildlife charities are often
O Research animal behaviour and follow looking for images that can further their cause – get in touch to
see if your pictures might be of use. You could also produce a
advice from guides and scientists book, calendar or Christmas cards, with a portion of the proceeds
O Caption photos honestly, including donated to a wildlife organisation.

information on baiting, animals in captivity
and any added effects in post-production
O Make sure metadata is stripped from images
to protect an animal’s location

DON’T

O Feed animals food that could harm them
O Feed animals if it risks changing their

behaviour or bringing them into closer
contact with humans
O Use live bait
O Cause stress or harm to animals
O Get too close or surround animals
with vehicles
O Try to force movement, such as throwing
a stick to make a bird fly
O Shine lights directly on animals
O Visit zoos or sanctuaries where animals
aren’t properly cared for
O Photograph animals that ‘perform’ or
pose for pictures, or take part in any
cruel practices
O Cause disturbances at sensitive nest
or den sites

28 BBC WILDLIFE Photography Guide

BOOKS AND COMPETITIONS

BOOKS ROUND UP

HIDE: STAFFAN WIDSTRAND/NATUREPL.COM; LAVA: LUCIANO GAUDENZIO/WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR BOOKS TO Wildlife Photography Etna’s River Of Fire: a winner of the
TAKE YOUR at Home 2020 Wildlife Photographer of the Year
PHOTOGRAPHY
FURTHER… By Richard Peters TAKE THE
Ilex Press, £16.99 PLUNGE!
There are plenty of
great photography Discover the techniques Competitions are a great
books to help you and technology Richard way to raise your pro le
improve your skills. Peters used to win the and a win can kick-start a
Here are ve to get prestigious European career. Here’ s a selection
you started… Wildlife Photographer of of the biggest contests…
the Year award in 2017
The New Art of – with a photograph he Wildlife Photographer
Photographing Nature took in his back garden. of the Year
Aimed at beginners
By Art Wolfe, Martha Hill, Tim Grey nhm.ac.uk/wpy
Amphoto, £22 taking their first steps Probably the world’s most prestigious
into the world of nature photography, photography competition. It’s open to
Originally published this book covers all the essential basics – anyone over the age of 17 and the £35
in 2013, this updated from setting up your shot to overcoming entry fee is waived for residents of
edition is packed the weather. some countries to encourage diversity.
with 250 stunning
photographs and Digital Macro and European Wildlife
valuable insights on how Close-Up Photography Photographer of the Year
to compose breathtaking
images from master By Ross Hoddinott gdtfoto.de
Ammonite Press, £16.99 Organised by the German Society
photographer for Nature Photography, it’s open to
Art Wolfe. A different Get a new perspective on photographers from Europe and offers a
perspective on how to take ordinary the insects and flowers
compositions and make them that fill the world around 3,000 prize for the winning image.
extraordinary is provided by Audubon us with award-winning
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