YOUR HOW TO TAKE BEST WILDLIFE PICTURES

ildlife has to be one of the most challenging yet rewarding genres that photography has to offer. You have to be up at the crack of dawn to get the best light and sit for hours in uncomfortable hides in cold and wet weather, then rely on luck that the animal you’re photographing will move into the perfect position to catch the light just right. That being said, when it all comes together and you’re able to get the shot that you’ve been working on for months to achieve, there’s simply no better feeling.

I’ve learned how to make things a little easier over the years. Here I’m going to share my experience with you to make your wildlife photography more enjoyable, and clue you in on what equipment you should use to get the best results.

A lot of your success lies in having the right attitude and patience: you’ll need a basic understanding of your camera and some technical skills, but it’s more about going back to a location time and time again, hoping to get lucky with the light as a magical moment presents itself. I’ve had great results shooting bird portraits in my back garden and find this really useful to keep my skills razor-sharp.

I’m also going to show you where to go to capture other common animals in the UK, so you can build up and expand your wildlife portfolio.

WPlaces to visit in the UK

Get the correct gear

Take quality bird portraits at home

Visit your local deer park

Capture fast action scenes

Terry Donnelly’s camera settings tips page 58 60 62 64 66 68 f/5.6 1/160 sec

DEER AT DAWN

ISO 400

The easiest way to improve your wildlife photographs is to change the time of day you go out to shoot. By arriving first thing in the morning, you’ll have a beautiful warm golden light bathing your subjects, making them look much more photogenic.