Tips for Taking Better Wildlife Photos

“Photography is my excuse for venturing into the wild,” writes Louisiana photographer C.C. Lockwood. “My eyes, my brain, my soul, seek the scene more than my camera.” 

Which is all very well if you’re one of the country’s most highly acclaimed nature photographers. But if your camera skills aren’t quite keeping pace with your eyes and your soul, Lockwood shared the following tips for taking better nature photographs this spring:

Tip #1

“Use a tripod as much as you can.  It not only makes the image steadier; it also commits you to looking at all four corners of the image. A tripod will improve your composition as well as your image quality.”

Tip #2

“Learn your camera and practice. Then, when you are in front of your favorite subject, you are ready to capture it as a piece of fine art or a journalistic image, rather than missing it while fooling with settings.”

Tip #3

“Delete your bad photos. What I mean by this is, do not show them to anybody. For lagniappe, it leaves less clutter in your computer files.”

Tip #4

“Look for great light. Early morning, late evening, or before and after storms are some of the best times to shoot. Thousands of people have a picture of a white-tail deer; look to capture yours in great light and you’ll have something special.”

Want more? This spring Lockwood will offer hands-on guidance to aspiring nature photographers through several workshops. cclockwood.com or eagleexpo.com for details.