rayazwinski@watmath.UUCP (Rick Yazwinski) (01/24/86)
I have been trying to take some good wildlife pictures for the last few years without too much luck. I own several Canon bodies and lenses ranging from 28mm to 1000mm f16. I was wondering if anybody out there could recommend some good methods of getting satisfactory pictures. Thanks Rick...
afc@pucc-i (Greg Flint) (01/27/86)
Before anyone can make suggestions about wildlife photography, it is essential to know what it is that you want to photograph. For example, fish, frogs, birds in flight and racoons all need different film, flash and equipment. So, in order to give a reasonable answer to your question, I'll make the assumption that you do not intend, at least initially, to do any of the following types of photography: 1) underwater, 2) ultra-high speed, 3) remote control or 4) night-time flash. Rather, for the sake of giving a "useful" answer, I will presume that you want to do something "simple" like take a picture of a bird (e.g., a robin) feeding its young in its nest. If possible, try to use a lens in the 300-600 mm range. This should allow you to get a good shot without getting too close. I prefer a lens opening that gives about f4.0 (or wide-open, if your lens isn't that fast). This allows a little latitude in focusing on the subject and yet keeps the background (and foreground) from intruding. The amount of light dictates what speed of film to use. A reasonably fast shutter speed (1/250th or faster) is best, but I have been successful shooting as slow as 1/15. I prefer to use the brand of film that best shows the color of my subject (e.g., Kodachrome for reds and yellows, Ectachrome for blues and Fuji for greens). I would rather shoot slide film than print film even though my final result is a print. I tend to underexpose by about 1/3 stop to enhance the colors. *** NO FLAMES, PLEASE *** I've no doubt that someone on the net would be willing to tell you to use almost the opposite of what I've mentioned (e.g., very long lens, f22+, ultra-fast or slow shutter speed and a different film). They probably are correct in what they say. The "proper" set up depends a lot on the image that the photographer has in mind. ----------------------------------------------- Greg Flint @ Purdue University Computing Center UUCP: purdue!pucc-i!afc -or- purdue!gdf -or- pur-ee!gdf ARPA: afc@asc.purdue.edu -or- gdf@ee.purdue.edu USMAIL: Math-Science Bldg Purdue University West Lafayette, IN 47907 PHONE: (317) 494-1787
anand@utastro.UUCP (Anand Sivaramakrishnan) (01/29/86)
I have some second-hand advice for you. This comes from pro wildlife photographers in India... two of them, one the recognised 'dean of Indian wildlife photography', the other an occasional consultant for National Geographic. They told me that the longest lenses they use are of the order of 135 mm. They often shoot from hides, trees, bushes and other cover. Their furry and scaly subjects are from mongoose-size (weasel times 2 in linear dimension) to elephant. Birds are almost always shot from hides... even a tent will do, as long as the outline is not human, and internal movement is not visible from the outside. Sometimes it pays to occupy the hide before the subject arrives in the hides' vicinity (eg. stream, pool, meadow, bird-feeder). Their equipment is pretty limited on account of the need to move (and the health and age of one of them). One uses an SLR, the other uses a rangefinder. Tripods are often missing, because they may hinder the photographer in the event that a rapid escape is deemed wise. Also, treks tend to be quite long, and through thick growth at times. As an interesting aside, some animals (eg elephant) stand the slam of an SLR's shutter curtain but not the high-frequency of a leaf shutter. Hides are generally regarded as the best way to shoot, though sometimes one has to shoot under difficult circumstances: boats for waterfowl, elephant-back for tiger, on foot for chance shots. Of course, one cannot be sure of seeing tiger and elephant in the New World. Usually the engine of a vehicle that one is shooting from (if one is driving) must be switched off for a steady camera.