Dan’s tips and advice
Never delete images you may not like at first glance. It is easy to be critical of your shots, but I have looked back on images that I took months and even years ago, when they were originally overlooked, and managed to edit them.
I am a perfectionist and, a lot of the time, I would like my subject to be in the frame with an aesthetically pleasing background and barely any other distractions. However, some images that contain people, cars or everyday things, in addition to – or surrounding – your subject can actually increase the power of your photo. In all honesty, wildlife photography is completely luck-based on most occasions and can be about being in the right place at the right time. So be prepared for cold climates and waiting around for your subject because, just like wildlife, the weather can be unpredictable.
If you’re interested in pursuing wildlife photography, then I recommend purchasing a telephoto lens. It is not always possible to get within close proximity of animals, so it is useful to have a mixture of lenses in your kit for situations where you are further away from your subject.