Don from WDO Photography shares tips for wildlife and nature photography: research locations and seasonal patterns through Audubon Society and Reddit communities, use all your senses to detect movement and color, study your target species' habits and preferred habitats so you can position yourself where they'll appear, and treat bad weather and gear limits as creative opportunities.
Hey there, it's Don with WDO Photography, and I've got a video today for you with 3 tips on how to improve your take-home, your wins, your successes when out doing wildlife, nature, street photography, that sort of thing. These apply pretty much to pretty much anything other than planned shoots that you've, you know, constructed exactly what you're going to do and you know who your subject is and where they are and so on and so forth. So again, more so for nature, wildlife, and street photography. So let's go. My first tip is to know where you're going and what you can expect to find there. A lot of times we find ourselves going out to areas that we're familiar with, so that one's pretty easy, right? But if you're somewhere unfamiliar, you're going on a trip, so on and so forth, then it makes sense to just have an idea of what you might find there. You can find that information online through different groups, usually, so something like the Audubon Society or local Reddit groups, things of that nature. You can also check for Facebook groups, and those are really helpful. Not only is it important to know where you're going and what you can expect to find there, but also when you can expect to find it there. For example, if you're in the north, it doesn't make sense to look for birds that are only here seasonally. So, the second tip that I'm going to give you is to be mindful. Now, that might seem hokey or, you know, whatever, but all it really means is that you're paying attention and using all the senses you have available to You're looking around, you're listening, assuming you have those senses to use, maybe even smell, right? All of these things can help us find what we're after, or at the very least, something worth taking a picture of. But really, to be mindful and to be using all those senses, what it really What it really means is that we're not thinking about anything else. We're not distracted. We're not thinking about taxes or that awkward thing we said at a party 2 weeks ago. None of that. We are fully committed to and concentrated on what is happening immediately around us. Hearing the birds. Looking for movement, color, so on and so forth. And like I said, even smell. If you're photographing larger animals, you might find them by smell, right? If there's something that is a predatory animal that leaves behind things that you can find, then smell is a powerful tool. Sometimes we don't want it to be as powerful as it is, but, you know, mindfulness. The 3rd tip I want to offer is the next level to the first tip, which was, of course, to know where you're going and know what you expect to find there. Not only should you know what to expect to find, but you also should know a lot about what you're expecting to find. The more you know, the more likely you are to have success. If you know what type of tree this particular bird likes, if you know when they're likely to get a drink or take a bath, then you can hang out near where those things happen. If you know what type of berries or nuts or seeds they prefer, then you can be prepared for that. If you know where they like to nest, you know, all of those things are super helpful. They do require a bit of work. You need to know, again, about them. You need to know about trees. You need to know about other plants. And that can be a lot, but if you're committed to doing this and you want to have success, then it's super helpful. Now obviously I said that this also applies to street photography, and the animals are different, but the concept is the same. So, so know when people go to lunch, know where people gather. Knowing all of those things is going to help you succeed. And it's not just about knowing the animal, but also about the environment, right? So knowing where the light is coming from, when that light is going to be at its best. If you know of a nesting site or wherever that whatever you're after is going to potentially come into, then being there and being prepared will lead to success, or at least a higher chance of success. The bonus tip, or the 4th tip here, is to make photos rather than take photos. It's very easy to show up somewhere and have an abundance of opportunities to take photos. It's something entirely different if your conditions are less than perfect, which let's be honest, most of the time they are, and you end up having to work within those confines. Now if you say, oh, I can't get a good picture in this situation, maybe it's overcast, maybe it's raining, maybe it's foggy, whatever, maybe you don't have the, the right lens, if you see those things as limitations then sure, you're not going to come away with great photos. If instead you see those things as opportunities, chances to flex and learn to expand your skills and, and know-how, you're going to come away with great photos. Well, there it is, 3 tips plus that bonus tip to help you improve your photography every time that you go out into the woods. Or onto the street, or wherever it is that you like to take photos. I hope you enjoyed this video. If you did, please like and subscribe. I really appreciate it. It's super helpful for me, and it helps you to see when I've got new content out. I want to thank you so much for watching, and I'll see you next time. Bye-bye. Bye.
