Take it yourself

There’s more to nailing images of animals in urban spaces than just finding a flock of pigeons. Use these tips to set up a scene, tell a story and capture how some nature thrives in built-up areas.

LOCATION

Scout your neighbourhood or city for places where green spaces prevail. Parks, tree-lined streets and public spaces with gardens are a good start. You’ll soon notice there’s more life around than you first thought.

EQUIPMENT

DSLR A wide-angle lens (16–35mm) is great for showing animals in their surroundings. Cell phone A wide-angle lens adapter will do the same for your phone. Invest in good kit that renders quality images and clips on properly. I use the Limelens macro and wide-angle lens set. R649, limelens.co.za

SETTINGS

Shoot in Manual or Aperture Priority mode, using an aperture of between f/8 and f/11 to get enough detail in the subject and environment. Freeze fastmoving animals with a shutter speed of 1/500 sec or more. PRACTICAL Find out when subjects are most active. Check in with animal-welfare organisations for tips and recent sightings. For diurnal creatures, shoot early for better light and fewer humans. Nocturnal: befriend security guards to stay safe. Know your surroundings. Pick a regular route or spot and note where (and when) you see activity. Familiarise yourself with a subject’s routine to best position yourself for the shot. Respect space and be stealthy. Approach downwind and wear neutral colours (and no strong fragrances). Gain trust slowly. Include urban elements to show how the animal interacts with its environment. Shoot as wide and as close as you can without disturbing your subject. Look for scenes with negative space (see next page) that contrasts your subject, or fill that space with civic elements to set a scene or tell a story.