Wildlife Photography How To

(Editor’s Note: Exploring Light is a monthly Shutterbug column featuring tips, tricks, and photo advice from professional photographers in the Canon Explorers of Light and Canon Legends education program. This month's column is by Adam Jones with tips on photographing wildlife and landscapes in our National Parks.

There are many forms of wildlife photography, from capturing images of big cats in the Serengeti to shooting colorful birds at a local park or animal sanctuary. While the choice of gear often depends upon the particular assignment, many important techniques are the same.

Are you a novice bird photographer and unhappy with your results? If so, the video below is just what you need to up your game. You’ll see common mistakes made by beginners and intermediate shooters, with the techniques and strategies pros use to avoid them.

If you’re new to bird photography or dissatisfied with the images you’ve made in the past, this quick tutorial is for you. In just about nine minutes you’ll learn how to avoid five common mistakes that most beginners make.

(Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from Andrew Darlow’s new book, Focus and Filter: Professional Techniques for Mastering Digital Photography and Capturing the Perfect Shot , from Ulysses Press. Darlow has been a professional photographer and educator for over 25 years, and this is his fourth book. You can also read his story with tips for taking safari-quality photos at a zoo here.

In truth, we all want to travel to exotic locations, and most of us, myself included, have never taken the time to see what is in our own backyards. And guess what, the more I looked the more I saw…nesting robins, bluebirds feeding young, white squirrels on the feeder, butterflies, and some very cool patterns on plant leaves.

Long telephoto lenses can be exciting to use, offering the unique ability to get in tight on distant subjects. But big glass doesn’t necessarily guarantee great photographs, unless you have the proper skills.