There’s no getting around it: Photographing wild animals is extremely challenging. So many elements are outside our control. Our subjects speak a different language, can be highly mobile and often try to get out of sight as fast as possible—before we even press the shutter.
This genre of photography presents a unique set of demands, including knowledge about the natural behavior of wild animals and their habitat. Flexibility and patience are the names of the game. Nothing is guaranteed.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when faced with these realities. A good place to start is to confront the major challenges about wildlife photography and work backward from there. Here’s how.