PAUL’S TOP 10 TIPS

1 Master your camera

The more you get to grips with your Canon camera controls the easier you’ll find it to change settings on the fly.

2 Setup in advance

Dial in your camera settings in advance so that when your subject does appear you can concentrate on taking the shot and not worrying about settings.

3 Respect nature

Try not to make any loud noises or movements that could spook the animals you’re photographing. Don’t disturb the habitat, and leave the site cleaner than when you arrived.

4 Bring plenty of spares

Charge and bring spare camera batteries, and memory cards, to ensure you don’t have to end shoots early.

5 Food and drink

Stock up on snacks and drinks to keep your energy levels up while you’re waiting for subjects to appear.

6 Get low

Bring a bin liner that you can put on the floor so you don’t get dirty when getting low-to-the-ground shots. Getting low and eye-level with subjects will make more engaging photos.

7 Eye contact

Shots look even more engaging if subjects are making eye contact with the camera, so wait for the perfect moment and then shoot.

8 Understand IS modes

Some Canon telephoto lenses have different modes for stabilization; Mode 1 usually corrects stabilization on all axis, while Mode 2 only corrects for vertical shake making it a better choice when panning horizontally.

9 Shoot Raw

Select the Raw image format to capture as much exposure data. This is handy in snowy conditions when bright highlight details can be blown out.

10 Don’t give up

You can’t rely on wild animals to pose for the camera, so you have to keep coming back and trying again until you are able to catch the perfect moment.