Ready for your close up?
Capturing great shots of insects will
require a macro lens or close up
attachment for best results.
Waterfowl: To shoot captivating waterfowl
photos, timingand technique are crucial.
Autumn and winter are ideal times of year
when wetlands support large populations of
birds and plumage is immaculate. Waterfowl
are most active shortly before sunrise until mid
morning and again from mid afternoon until
just after sunset. Arrive an hour before these
prime times to get in position and allow wildlife
to get accustomed to your presence. Pay
close attention to the birds’ movements
to help you anticipate and capture photogenic
behavior when birds are about to take of, dive
, squabble or flap their wings. When possible,
expose creatively. At sunrise and sunset,
try silhouetting waterfowl against the warm
colors reflected in the water . Try panning
when shooting birds in flight, too. Select a
slow shutter speed of around 1/15sec and
follow the birds’ movement during exposure to
render it sharply against an attractively blurred
background. It takes practice, but the results
can look stunning.
Dragonflies: In spring and summer,wetland
habitats are home to a colorful variety of
photogenic dragonflies. They can prove
challenging subjects, resting infrequently and
being prone to flying away as soon as you get
near them, but you have’ll more succes in the
morning or evening when they’re less active.
Use a micro lens with a focal length of at least
100mm and look for resting insects close to
the water’s edge where you can shoot them
against an uncluttered background: their
wings will get lost against a messy backdrop.
Dragonflies are highly territorial, after patrolling
the same strecth of water and returning again
and again to the same place of rest. So spend
time observing and identify a regular resting
spot where you can await their return. Don’t be
afraid to experiment with viewpoints dragonflies
suit being shot from a number of angles; a side
angle shows off their body shape; while a head
on view emphasizes their large eyes.
Amphibians: When shooting frogs and toads,
the initial challenge is locating them; they’re
often well camouflaged and hide among thick
foliage .They are easiest to find in spring when
they are breeding:pools and ponds will be
a hive of activity. Kneel by the water’s edge
wait for them to poke their heads above the
water to breathe. Including their reflection will
add an extra dimension. Frogs and toads look
equally photogenic out of the water. Having
found one to photograph, ask a friend to
assist you, they can carefully reposition the
frog and toad, placing it just where you want
while you wait, with your lens already focused
on that point. Uncluttered compositions work
best, so remove any distracting grassses and
vegetation. If the light is dim, flash can create
vivid, well lit results or help you generate a larger
depth of field. Flash will also add a catchlight to
the subject’s eye. Heavily diffuse flash bursts,
though, to avoid distracting hotspots forming
on the amphibian’s reflective skin.
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