advice for first wildlife photos?

[wrogers]

what advice can you give somebody taking photos of birds and deer etc.??

oh and I have a canon eos 400D with a sigma 100-300 F/4 so i still need to get close.

basically how do you get close to animals and where would you "set up" and lie in wait???

also do you use a hide or do you just chuck a camo net over yourself??

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by wrogers

what advice can you give somebody taking photos of birds and deer etc.??

oh and I have a canon eos 400D with a sigma 100-300 F/4 so i still need to get close.

basically how do you get close to animals and where would you "set up" and lie in wait???

also do you use a hide or do you just chuck a camo net over yourself??

Hi wrogers and a warm welcome to WAB.

The best advice I can offer for bird photography with your camera and lens which is by the way a pretty decent set up is to go to places where the birds are used to seeing lots of people. Public parks are often good as people tend to feed the birds and they will allow you to get pretty close.

Another method I use is to find an area that seems suitable for different birds to visit then just stand still and wait. It's surprising how close they will come if you are quiet. I don't use camo netting just any available cover that is handy such as behind a hedge or long grass etc.

Local nature reserves that have purpose built hides can be ok as long as the birds are within range of your lens

You can also set up a feeding station in your garden if you have one and put up branches in the vicinity of the feeders for more natural looking shots, this is probably more productive in winter and early spring when it's colder and there is not so much natural food available.

As for deer I can't comment as they are not an animal I have tried to photograph. I would think you need good fieldcraft skills to photograph wild deer but again some public parks do have deer that will most likely be more approachable.

I'm sure other people use different methods and they will respond, but these work for me.

Practice and time will bring results as you gain the skills needed.

Good luck and post any photographs you get on here
Roger

[wrogers]

thanks ollie

yeh the camera/lens combo is lovely and it gives great contrast and allows reasonably fast shutter speeds even on cloudy days!!

I will try my nearest RSPB reserve, Minsmere
they get loads of visitors and there are some nice hides and some woodland.
I will also try my nearest park and also set up a feeding station.

as for deer, my friend from school occasionally goes shooting and knows deer stalkers (who are photographers not hunters) who video, but might give some tips to pass on....

but as with most things, perseverance and a thermos flask will keep me out there for a few hours!!!

[zan]

deer stalkers are definately the guys to talk to! But if you don't want to use a hide (I think you'd have to get pretty lucky with wild deer coming close enough), at least wear neutral \ camo colours and stay downwind of the animals. Don't make eye contact either as that is a predatory behaviour and will scare a lot of 'prey' animals (and remember that your lens looks like a big eye!). Move slowly, and if they stop and stare at you, stop moving and look away. Once you think you're as close as you can get, I'd settle in and wait for them to come to you.

I haven't done a lot of stalking myself, but this is how I behave if I'm trying to get close to animals \ birds without a hide and it works ok. You just need a LOT of patience

Zan

PS Watch out for ticks if you're stalking deer! there's another thread in here about Lyme's disease you might want to check out.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by wrogers

thanks ollie

yeh the camera/lens combo is lovely and it gives great contrast and allows reasonably fast shutter speeds even on cloudy days!!

I will try my nearest RSPB reserve, Minsmere
they get loads of visitors and there are some nice hides and some woodland.
I will also try my nearest park and also set up a feeding station.

as for deer, my friend from school occasionally goes shooting and knows deer stalkers (who are photographers not hunters) who video, but might give some tips to pass on....

but as with most things, perseverance and a thermos flask will keep me out there for a few hours!!!

Minsmere is a good start - I got some quite nice avocet photos there with just a Fz7, a bird that previously had only been a white splodge to me!

[deer boy]

Hi wrogers & welcome to WAB.
I'm always out on exmoor filming deer & it's so exciting, the adrenalin really kicks in when you get really close.
I wear camo clothing when stalking & i've got within meters of them so it works also remember to stalk down wind from the deer.
Let us know how you get on

[John D]

Originally Posted by wrogers

what advice can you give somebody taking photos of birds and deer etc.??

oh and I have a canon eos 400D with a sigma 100-300 F/4 so i still need to get close.

basically how do you get close to animals and where would you "set up" and lie in wait???

also do you use a hide or do you just chuck a camo net over yourself??

Hi wrogers, Welcome to WAB.
You have the Camera and lens I have used for around two years.
The Sigma 100-300mm f4 lens is excellent and compares very favourably with other zooms in the same price range and above, if not better.
I use mine along with the Sigma EX 1.4 tc and get very good results. The 1.4tc obviously results in the 300mm f4 becoming 420mm f5.6. Certainly worth considering.
No matter what lens you may have it will never be long enough however with patience and practise I find the 100-300mm f4 and 1.4tc very accceptable.
All of my recent photos in the Gallery were taken with this set-up.
(Note - I have in the last two months added the Canon 40D to my armoury)
John D

[wrogers]

Thanks for the replies so far...

At the moment it is a bit grey outside and wet so i will probably wait until the rain goes (probably Sunday) before i try going out.

I will pack my British army style camouflage jacket and trousers, some sturdy boots and a thermos flask!!!

I am loving my lens/camera combo and it works well in most light conditions, but I will have to find a decent White Balance setting to get decent results of a brown deer on a brown forest floor.

I will remember not to use my Lynx spray on (until later) so as not to give my scent away. I am also going to bring a carrier bag to protect my gear from the rain until a gt a waterproof backpack for my kit.

hopefully i will get some pictures soon.

I am currently converting some Raw files of some birds from the garden so if any are usable then expect a link soon!!!

I have also looked at prices of secondhand 400D's and then compared that to the cost of a 40D... looks like the piggy bank is going to need some fattening up!!!
oh well, maybe i can sell a few things (looks at naughty puppy chewing dad's slipper)

oh one quick question... apparently Practical Photography magazine had an article on garden birds the other month... what issue was it???

[ron1863]

Hi Wrogers, Deer Boy's advice is excellent for photographing deer, you have got to stay down wind of deer or you have no chance. I live near a large forest that is home to Roe Deer and they tend to graze very early in the morning and at dusk, usually in familiar places, during the day they tend to lie in long grass resting and are difficult to spot. Winter and spring are really good times to photograph them as they move down to meadows and farmers fields to feed.

Good Luck
Ron

[deer boy]

Originally Posted by wrogers

I am also going to bring a carrier bag to protect my gear from the rain until a gt a waterproof backpack for my kit.

i have camo waterproof covers for my XL2 & 400d & they work really well both as camo & waterproofing