How To Shoot Winter Wildlife

Hints, tips and practical advice on how to capture a wide array of wildlife close to where you live, using everyday camera kit

Few areas of photography are as rewarding as photographing wildlife. It’s a little bit like fishing… You never know what you’re going to get – and sometimes you may not get anything at all – but when all the elements to produce a successful shot come together, the sense of achievement is really quite something.

One of the best things about wildlife, of course, is that it’s all around us. For some species, the wilder the setting, the better; but you don’t have to stray very far to get acquainted with photogenic creatures, whether sporting fur, feather or fin.

And contrary to what you may have been told, you don’t require a car boot full of specialist, high-end camera kit to get good results when you photograph wildlife. What you need most of all isn’t even a camera, lens or tripod, but patience – closely followed by good planning and some working knowledge of your subject.

Over the next 13 pages, we’re going to show you how to shoot wildlife like a pro. Creative photographer Dan Mold lists wildlife photography as one of his main passions, and he’ll be sharing some hints and tips he wishes he’d have known when starting out. Jim Cumming has built up an enviable portfolio of wildlife captured in his native Canada, so who better to reveal how to shoot animals against winter’s snowy backdrops?

5 KIT ESSENTIALS BEFORE YOU START SHOOTING

1 Clothing

For most of us, being outdoors in winter means time spent in the cold, so it pays to wrap up. Choose a jacket that’ll keep you warm and toasty, and don’t forget a hat and fingerless gloves.

2 Camera type

A DSLR or mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses will offer both performance and flexibility. For an explanation of how sensor size affects the final image, see page 52.