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How Do I Choose the Best Wildlife Photography Courses?

Misty Amber Brighton
Misty Amber Brighton

Photographing wildlife poses special challenges, and wildlife photography courses can help with many of these. Some of the photography techniques you might want to learn include how to capture animals in motion by using the right equipment. You might also want to learn the proper way to dress when doing this so you will not scare your subjects away. If you are in an urban environment, you may want to know how to locate and photograph wildlife in your backyard. Learning wildlife photography is best if done in an outdoor setting with only one or two students per instructor.

Before you can learn wildlife photography techniques, you may need to know what type of equipment to use. If you are a beginner, this means you may want to learn about different cameras before learning how to take pictures. This may not be true if you are a seasoned photographer because you may already be familiar with various models of shutters, cameras, and tripods.

If a photographer does not have access to an exotic animal that they would like to photograph, such as a zebra, they can practice on similar domestic animals, such as horses or donkeys.
If a photographer does not have access to an exotic animal that they would like to photograph, such as a zebra, they can practice on similar domestic animals, such as horses or donkeys.

Many wildlife photography courses will teach you things that are not photography-related, but are nonetheless helpful. These things could include how to dress while you are searching for wildlife to photograph. Your wildlife photography skills should also include how to approach subjects, the best way to capture shots, and precautions to take while doing so.

Wildlife photography courses help students learn how to spot animals in the wild.
Wildlife photography courses help students learn how to spot animals in the wild.

You may have a hard time taking pictures of some animals if you are a city dweller, so many wildlife photography courses show people how to spot wildlife in urban environments. This may be birds in flight or small animals such as rabbits or squirrels. An instructor can give you pointers for observing your surroundings in order to seek out subjects for you to photograph.

It can be helpful to know where certain wildlife photography courses will be held. Some instruction, such as the use of equipment, could be held in a classroom setting prior to going outside. If possible, you should make sure the majority of the class time is spent outdoors so you can put the knowledge you are getting into practice. You may find it awkward to do this at first, so a photography class with only one or two students per instructor will allow you to receive more personalized attention.

Some shots may need to be edited, even when you practice all the best wildlife photography techniques. As a result, some courses provide training in using computer software to perfect these images. Learning this could help you develop your pictures for resale, which can be important if you are interested in a photography career.

Discussion Comments

Spotiche5

I think that when it comes to taking outdoor photographs, it is also a good idea to take a course that experiments with different types of cameras.

Though most people use digital cameras today, it is very interesting and challenging to use cameras of the past to take wildlife photos. Black and white photography and 35 millimeter film cameras are two types of traditional photography that allows the photographer to use a combination of skills and equipment to develop beautiful, artistic pictures.

Ocelot60

When looking for a photography course that instructs students on taking pictures of wildlife, it is also important to make sure that you enroll in one that gives information about the type of flash you should use. This aspect of photography is very important to getting your photos right, especially when it comes to outdoor photography of subjects that are usually moving.

Though some wildlife pictures will be taken in daylight and bright sunshine, other subjects will have more challenging settings when it comes to lighting. Cloudy or rainy weather, dark environments, and night time photography of nocturnal animals will all take special consideration when it comes to using the best camera settings, light filters, and flashes. Getting all of these elements of photography just right will lead to fantastic wildlife photos.

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    • If a photographer does not have access to an exotic animal that they would like to photograph, such as a zebra, they can practice on similar domestic animals, such as horses or donkeys.
      By: Palenque
      If a photographer does not have access to an exotic animal that they would like to photograph, such as a zebra, they can practice on similar domestic animals, such as horses or donkeys.
    • Wildlife photography courses help students learn how to spot animals in the wild.
      By: lassedesignen
      Wildlife photography courses help students learn how to spot animals in the wild.