Hardly few years back, with manual cameras and film rolls, not everyone was interested getting into Wildlife photography. Only few people were haunted by this rare passion. Though it was glamorous but not affordable to everyone. But with the arrival of digital cameras and memory cards, wildlife photography has become a passion and a fashion as well. Tourists carrying huge lenses and camera bodies in National park is normal scenario now a days. Social media has played a big role for making wildlife photography a tempting passion. Posting a picture gets one instant gratification. Also, Google & YouTube are good source of information, and one needs no photography workshop or classes to learn basic wildlife photography. But there are some essential things for wildlife photography that one needs to learn & understand.
1. Knowledge of National Park: It is very important for you to gather some information about the national park you would be visiting. The terrain, the tracks, the tree cover, forest density, the kind of wildlife in the national park, the month you would be visiting, the light to expect, the weather to expect etc.
2. Wildlife Knowledge: Create the checklist of animals you may encounter in the National park. If you are planning to take Tiger images, then you will be better equipped if you know the behavior of the Tiger.
3. Safety: Always remember that you are in a national park and surrounded by wild animals. Your safety and the safety of wild animals you are shooting is of paramount importance. Do not underestimate the speed and power of wild animals at any point, irrespective of the size. Hence it is important to keep safe distance from wild animals. Follow all instructions of the guide & the driver in the Jeep, do not force them to get very close to the animal. Besides you will be able to capture good images only if you are at a safe distance wherein the animals are not disturbed by your presence & behavior. Avoid making unnecessary sounds, or talk loudly, no sudden or jerky movements while you are in the vehicle. As all this can easily scare the animal and send it in cover, thus depriving you of a good wildlife snap.
Once you cover the above basic things for wildlife photography, then what?
Then should gain the technical knowledge of taking photographs. Expert advise here is do not be over dependent on your photography equipment or post processing of the pictures, rather get them right while clicking them. Always remember, it is the eye behind the camera which is more important than the camera itself. Latest technology can’t replace the art of photography.