Local Wildlife Photo Skills

Award-winning Canon pro wildlife photographer Ben Hall proves you can capture amazing photos of birds and animals on your doorstep

- Ben Hall

Professional Canon wildlife photographer Ben Hall began his journey into photography when he was just a 14-year-old boy. He’s now been a professional photographer for over 18 years, and has won countless international wildlife photography awards. When not in lockdown, he runs photography workshops throughout the UK, centring on British wildlife such as mountain hares, red deer, birds and more. Ben’s also a regular contributor to PhotoPlus, and wanted to show you how it’s possible to take amazing photos of the local wildlife you have in your area. From small squirrels to huge deer, and blue tits to herons, Ben explains the crucial Canon gear he uses, and how to use it properly!

He explains all you need to know for great wildlife photos, including how to use wide apertures and long lenses effectively, controlling your shutter speeds for more creative motion shots, plus the importance of shooting in the best light, and how to improve your compositions for better results.

Shutter speeds and subject movement

Controlling your shutter speed to capture a moving wildlife subject is a great way of implying energy and motion. Experiment with shutter speeds to find the right combination for your intended subject. A bird hovering, or flapping its wings will often allow a slightly slower shutter speed to be used, and can render motion in the wings while the head remains sharp. I shot this fast kingfisher at 1/4000 sec, while the blue tit (below) taking off was shot at 1/640 sec, but you could go slower with shutter speeds for other birds.

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