Nature Canada

What’s Today’s Challenge with Wildlife Photography?

All photos in this blog are taken by Catherine Aitken.

Ah, the excitement of getting out into ‘nature’ to photograph wildlife and landscapes! You’ve checked your camera gear – battery charged and memory cards up to the wazoo in the pack. You’ve scoped out the area and have a pretty clear idea of where your subjects can be found. So you’re all ready! Right? Not completely. There is one aspect of your photo adventure you may not have covered. It’s not gear, it’s not knowledge of your destination or information about your subjects.But it is equally important.

Have you considered how you will deal with the wildlife that you stop to ‘shoot’? I have been photographing wildlife for over 15 years and here are some thoughts of how to mitigate the dilemma of photographing wildlife.

Treat them with respect. This is their territory. Give them space. Get out that telephoto lens and ‘shoot’ from the distance.

Photo by Catherine Aitken

Be quiet in their presence. These animals aren’t in a zoo and aren’t used to having people milling round. That’s hard to do when you are also supposed to make your presence known.

Know your subject’s natural behaviour. Watch from a safe distance and see how it is moving, how alert it is to other activity.  Understand that while you want that closeup of that grizzly, it doesn’t want you closer.

Be aware of what time of year you are photographing and what that means to the wildlife. Spring means young and protecting them. Some animals respond to trespassing on their turf by leaving their young. To draw you away or out of fear for themselves. You should never cause that kind of reaction. Also watch for the young. As we all know separating a bear from its young can be fatal.

Photo by Catherine Aitken

Fall is a critical time for wildlife as they try to ‘beef’ up for winter. So anything that distracts them from eating or puts pressure on them reduces their intake potentially. So don’t make your presence obvious. Respect their needs. Our photographing isn’t as important as their survival.

And while it’s hard to believe that your being in the presence on an animal for that one time could be that detrimental, remember, you aren’t the only person out photographing that animal. It all adds up. And the more people the merrier doesn’t apply. So stay away from groups of people photographing something. I have seen tour groups or just a group of friends pour out of their cars or vans and gather like a flock of birds and click away all excitedly. Ten shutters going off at once can be quite loud.

Now I haven’t always followed those words of wisdom. And invariably, after the fact I have felt guilty for scaring off an animal, interrupting its normal activities, or just making it uncomfortable. You want to be able to look at your photographs and enjoy them. Relate to the wildlife’s natural behaviour on that occasion and cherish the shot.

Photo by Catherine Aitken

As more and more people partake of photography touring and go out on their own to see a spot of nature and its inhabitants, the ethical aspect of this activity will come up more and more.

This is their turf. This is where they live and hopefully survive and prosper. But the wilds are also under ever increasing pressures and threats. Photographers have a wonderful role to play by capturing images for themselves and others to enjoy and to learn from. We want to be part of the solution not the problem. Respect the wildlife and the landscape.

Leave only footprints and life going on as usual.


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