Wildlife Photography Tips for Scaley Species with Jack Perks

Wildlife Photography Tips and Tricks

Wildlife Photography Blog - Tips and Tricks

I’ve always been fascinated by unconventional subjects. Creepy crawlies and critters catch my eye more so than birds and mammals.

Fish, reptiles and insects are a little more challenging, interesting and therefore rewarding as photography subjects. Though not photographed as often as other animals, the colours and shapes make for much more captivating images.

But how do you go about capturing such wildlife?

 

 

Don’t overlook the common species

It is easy to become distracted by rare and exotic creatures but there’s a skill in revealing the hidden lives and details of more mundane species. How many good images do you see of a slug or a fly? And yet we are bombarded with another photo of a diving kingfisher. These more mundane and common species are all around us, generally encountered more often and easier to find. Meaning you can spend more opportunities to shoot them, which is useful if you have limited time to photograph.

 

Work locally

You may be tempted to travel far and wide to find more obscure species. This is necessary for some images, but not all. While you may have to venture out further to capture coastal species, there’s always something to be found on your doorstep. This could be worms or butterflies in the park, or even bugs and spiders in your own back garden. Make the most of your local surroundings and who knows what you might find.

 

Get down low

One of the first rules in wildlife photography is to get down low. This gives you a unique perspective from the animals’ point of view, and can completely change a photo. You’ll also be able to block out certain features and focus on the important ones – the subject in front of you. For this, you can use a tripod, or if your phone has a flip screen, using it on live view. 

Many small species are hidden away. The best way to photograph them is to get as close to them as physically possible and explore their surroundings.

 

Be prepared for action

From jumping to flying, nothing makes for a better wildlife photo than one that’s infused with action. 

For images like these, you need to be ready at any moment, so a fast shutter is a must. You will also need to have the shutter speed above the focal length of the lens; a 300mm lens would want a shutter speed of at least 1/320, for example. To really capture a moment of motion, aim for over 1/1000, though this may be affected by lighting conditions.

Continuous shutter mode will also allow you as many chances as possible at getting the perfect shot. You’ll also want to splurge a little on a memory card cheaper ones can take time to buffer which can cause you to miss a shot entirely.

Know when the time is right

Many of the smaller subjects will have routines that determine the best times to photograph. Some may be seasonal like frogs spawning in the spring or stag beetles out in the late summer. A little bit of research goes a long way in planning the images and how best to execute them. Sunny days will often bring out many cold-blooded species like bees, butterflies, lizards and snakes. The light can really showcase colours, however this also means they warm up quickly making them more skittish and harder to approach. I often prefer an overcast day, even if my subjects are harder to spot, when I find them it is a lot easier to get closer to and photograph them. My advice would be to move slowly and start with a longer lens to get the images.

 

 

The best camera is the one in your hand

 

It may be surprising to hear, but the best camera for wildlife photography is the one you already have in your hand at the time. More expensive cameras don’t necessarily make for amazing photographs (though they can help in certain situations). My best advice would be to get the camera you can afford, and save your money for the lens. The lens will make more of a difference, and has a much longer lifespan than a camera.

 

Look underwater

Beneath ponds, streams and lakes is a hidden world. And the creatures found in these places make for very interesting photography subjects. In order to access the underwater world, you have a few options. First, you can invest in a special housing for your camera in order to make it safe to use. This can yield some amazing results. Or you can experiment with aquarium photography. To do this, get yourself a glass tank that’s set up to resemble the habitat of the species you’re photographing. For instance, a stickleback will need some LED lights, sand, rocks and plants. Don’t forget a filter to keep the fish happy!

 

When you put time and effort into capturing your images, you want to ensure they look their best. And a photograph is never complete until it’s printed. I choose to print my images on Fotospeed’s wonderful selection of papers in order to complete the process. I find that they help any details and creatures come into full focus, allowing you to appreciate the image and the patterns, colours and tones even more

 

Jack Perks is a professional wildlife and underwater photographer based in the midlands. He’s worked for companies like Greenpeace, WWF and RSPB to name a few and in television for Countryfile and Springwatch. Jack is a proud vice president of Salmon & Trout Conservation and is a Fotospeed ambassador.