Ten wildlife photography tips for beginners

What shutter speed is best for wildlife photography?

The best shutter speed for wildlife photography depends on what you are photographing, the light available, and the weather conditions.

As a general rule, when taking photos handheld, you should set your shutter speed to double your focal length to avoid camera shake and achieve a sharp photo.

Fast shutter speeds, such as 1/200 or faster, are best for:

• Photographing fast-paced actions or animals that are moving quickly.
• Photographing plants that are blowing in the wind.
• Bright sunny conditions where there is a lot of light available.

Slow shutter speeds, such as 1-30+ seconds, are best for: 

• Showing the passage of time where water is moving through a landscape, for example a waterfall or ocean waves washing between rocks on a beach.
• Dark conditions where you don’t have a lot of light available.
• Photographing the stars in the night sky.

These rules are subjective, and you can flex them for creative purposes. For example, by combining a slower shutter speed with a camera movement you can create an unusual panning shot where the animal remains sharp, and the background becomes blurred from the motion.

What aperture is best for wildlife photography?

• A narrow aperture (for example f/16) is best for landscapes or any image where you want everything in the frame to be crisp sharp
• A wide aperture (such as f/2.8) is best for wildlife portraits or any image where you want the background to be soft

The aperture you use will also depend on how much light you have available. In low light, for example on an overcast evening, you will need a wider aperture. But if you are shooting on a cloudless day in bright sunshine, you will need a narrow aperture.

How does wildlife photography help nature conservation?

Wildlife photography is a fantastic tool for nature conservation. It bridges the gap between science and art and helps to overcome language barriers caused by technical terms or scientific jargon. Wildlife photography shows our impact in a compelling and emotive way and can generate change in the following ways:

• Encourage people to take an interest in nature and create ambassadors for our environment.
• Draw attention to important issues that are out of the public eye or happening in remote locations.
• Confront negative animal stereotypes. For example, there can be human-wildlife conflict with sharks, but photos giving an insight into their lives can help promote coexistence.
• Draw attention to environmental crises. For example, images of animals or habitats suffering because of pollution, biodiversity destruction or the climate crisis can cause an emotional response that makes people act.

What angles are best for wildlife photography?

Eye level or lower is the best angle when photographing animals. Eye contact can help viewers form a connection with the animals you photograph and increases emotional impact. This angle also helps avoid a messy or busy background. You can also achieve some amazing shots from other angles, for example by photographing an animal from above.

When photographing plants, don’t be afraid to get creative. You can achieve some really interesting shots from a worm-eye view, looking up at the plants from below. Photographing plants from their level almost always creates shots that are more interesting and intimate than those captured looking down from above.