Wildlife and Nature Photography Tips

AUSTRALIA IS HOME to one of the world’s eight jacana species—the Comb-crested Jacana—also known as the Lily-trotter, Lotusbird, Jesusbird or Christbird, the latter typically irreverent Australian names for a bird that appears to ‘walk on water’. The jacana is found...

Text and images by Australian wildlife and nature photographer, Michael Snedic (April 2023) Tasmania is an island state situated 240 km south of the Australian mainland and separated by the Bass Strait. Its landscapes are incredibly photogenic and range across rugged...

Creating A Three-Dimensional Look Over the many years I have been a wildlife and nature photographer, I have enjoyed experimenting with different lenses for capturing wildlife. This has made it possible to capture so many different types of wildlife images and has...

‘WALK TO WORK, walk to work’ – this was the unmistakable call of an adult Noisy Pitta Pitta versicolor as it flew towards its nest at the base of a Black Booyong tree. In response, two small heads appeared from the nest entrance. Shortly afterwards, one of the chicks...

World Heritage Listed Lamington National Park, in Queensland, Australia, is an approximate two-hour drive from Brisbane or a one-hour fifteen-minute drive from the Gold Coast. Habitats within the park vary from subtropical and remnant rainforest, ancient Antarctic...

  Over the last 20 years of presenting photography workshops, I have been asked many, many times to this same question: ‘What is the best lens for wildlife photography?'. This question has come from total beginners to more experienced photographers, looking to...

A two-hour drive from Brisbane or a one-hour fifteen-minute drive from the Gold Coast, Lamington National Park is World Heritage listed for good reason. Habitats vary from subtropical and remnant rainforests, ancient Antarctic Beech forests, sclerophyll and eucalyptus...

Crouching behind the enormous buttress root of a black booyong in World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park. 80 kilometres south of Brisbane, I waited in anticipation. Working as a guide for O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat, in the heart of the national park, I...

A little tip for your wildlife photography composition: This juvenile Australian Sea Lion was photographed on the beach at Seal Bay, Kangaroo Island, in South Australia.  I was thrilled to have been given the opportunity to photograph this amazing species.  I was with...

Observing the individual beforehand is a major part of getting great photos of wildlife behaviour. Animals often behave in similar ways or have a pattern they follow, making it much easier to predict where they might go or what they might do. You can have the settings...

  Perspective can make a huge difference when photographing wildlife. Basically, it can change how an image is perceived. A three-dimensional view can be turned into a two dimensional image, by either changing your lens or using a different angle or viewpoint...

1. Avoid Placing Your Subject in the Centre of the Frame Many wildlife photographers, when beginning their photography, place wildlife directly in the centre of the frame. If at all possible, avoid doing this. Instead, compose your image so that the animal’s face is...

I love seeing images of other bird photographers. There are plenty of shots posted daily on places such as Facebook and Instagram and it's great to se such variety. There are some exceptional photographers out there but one thing I have noticed is the noticeable...

Lord Howe Island is a small island off the east coast of Australia. It is officially a part of New South Wales and can be accessed by flying from either Sydney or Brisbane. It is, without doubt, one of my favourite locations in Australia to visit with my camera. The...

Australia is a true haven for wildlife photography, with so many different types of habitats being home to a plethora of varied wildlife species. There are lots of different habitats for wildlife to thrive in: islands, beaches, rainforests, eucalypt forests, granite...

Every day, millions of images are posted and published. For your images to stand out from the proverbial ‘crowd’, it’s always a good idea to get a bit creative, when taking images. Try taking a photo of a subject from a completely different angle to anything you have...

Photographers regularly ask me what the benefits of entering photography competitions are. In this article I am giving advice which will help you achieve better results, as well as some common errors people make. Set Subjects One of the great benefits of entering...

Photographing wildlife can be loads of fun, but also very challenging. By following the pieces of advice set out in this article, and backing this up with lots of practice out in the field, you can't help but take great images. 01 - Watch and Observe It...

04 - Why Is My Image Too Bright or Dark? If you are photographing a white animal in a bright environment, you need to use positive exposure compensation using aperture priority, as the camera's metering turns the scene to 'grey'. Take a quick shot and then...

07 - Flash Techniques Explained Over the years, many of my photo workshop participants have said that they struggle to get decent shots using flash. The settings I'm about to explain here are tried-and-tested and work well. They are my own, personal...

010 - Recommended Equipment There are a number of different photographic accessories that are invaluable when photographing wildlife. Hand-holding a large lens can be quite difficult and tiring, especially for long periods of time. If your subject is...

Birds are found in every imaginable shape, size and colour, all over the world. Photographing them is a delight but capturing pin-sharp images of moving birds such as flying, diving into water or displaying, can be a challenge. Below are some tips and...

As far as a recommended camera goes for photographing wildlife behaviour, it is preferable to use an SLR (single lens reflex) camera. One of the reasons is that you are able to capture a certain behaviour the instant the shutter button is pressed and you...

One of the most spectacular natural destinations in Australia is, without doubt, Cradle Mountain in Tasmania. For people who haven’t been before, it often takes their breath away and as a wildlife and nature photographer, it’s definitely one of my...

When I first started photographing wildlife and other nature, 21 years ago, I clearly remember being a 'sponge' for information. This was in the pre-internet days, so I did my research and learning in other ways. Firstly, I had a mentor, Glen Threlfo, who...

For the past 21 years, I have been photographing sunrises across Australia and the world. Each and every one is different and you never know what type of sunrise will occur on the day. It could be a 'fizzer' or it could be one the most mind-blowing sunrise...

One of the most beneficial filters to use when photographing landscapes is a Circular Polariser and this is one filter I would never be without. Below are some of the benefits of using one. Getting Rid of Glare I predominantly use a Circular Polarising...

Photographing the tiny things in life can be loads of fun and very rewarding. Some photographers find getting decent macro shots quite daunting, so below are 6 tips to help you achieve better images. Macro Lenses Recommended Without doubt, using a...

One of the most important aspects of wildlife photography is getting shots as close to eye level as possible. Unless you are photographing a bird flying in the sky, generally looking up at wildlife or down over the top of them, simply doesn't look right....

Frog are, without doubt, one of the most beautiful groups of wildlife to photograph. There are countless species out there and they are found in a variety of different shapes, sizes and colours. Frogs have always been very popular photographic subjects,...

As a photography competition judge for the last 10+ years, I have seen an incredible number of entries come my way, with many shots potential winners, had it not been for certain aspects that made the entries lose that chance to progress through to the...

One of the most important things I have been teaching photography workshop participants over the last 15 years is to make sure they 'Get It Right In Camera'. Sure, there are lots of great post-processing programs out there that you can use to develop...

One of the most common difficulties encountered with wildlife is photographing them in low light, such as in rainforests or on days with dark clouds overhead, or even at dusk when they might become more active. It can be especially difficult to get decent...

For the last 15 years, I have been presenting nature-based photography workshops and tours across Australia and the world, many of these specialising in wildlife. One of the most common questions I have been asked over the years has been "What...

There are a handful of places on earth that are absolutely spectacular to visit with your camera, for their stunning landscapes and diversity and numbers of wildlife. Many parts of Africa, Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands are all very high...

In order to photograph wildlife, including birds, lenses with long focal lengths are preferred, especially if these subjects are far away. The only problem is that in many cases, longer focal lengths mean heavier lenses. These lenses can be too...

Over many years, I have presented numerous photographic tours and expeditions onboard boats and ships. It can be quite challenging to get great photos due to various factors, so below are some tried-and-tested photographic techniques that will...

Harsh lighting conditions, such as during the middle of a sunny day or when using direct flash, can result in overblown photos without details. Diffused lighting conditions make for much more pleasing images. Sometimes you simply have no choice...

The Galapagos Islands are, without doubt, one of the most incredible locations on earth when it comes to the sheer diversity and number of wildlife. There are few places on the planet where you can get so close to the wildlife, without them...

After 15 years of presenting photography workshops and tours across Australia and the world, I have tutored thousands of keen photographers, all wanting to learn new photography techniques. They also wish to be taken to where the best possible...

  Without question, my favourite macro photographic subjects are fungi. They come in every imaginable shape, size, texture and colour. There are, however, pitfalls to avoid and tips to adhere to, if you want to achieve that 'special' shot....

There are a number of things you can do, in order to achieve a better success rate when photographing wildlife behavior. Below are some tips and techniques I have used over many years, with great results. #1 Observe Your Subject(s) One of the...

When taking images of wildlife or people, there is nothing worse than a distracting background. It basically takes the viewer's eyes away from the subject you are wanting to portray. I've heard some photographers say "I'll fix it in Photoshop",...

Whether you are on a photo tour to Tasmania, or on a photo expedition to locations such as Antarctica or the Arctic, photographing in cold climates can have its challenges. Below are some tried-and-tested tips and suggestions I have used over...

There are many aspects to achieving a stunning image of a landscape. In this article, I am giving you some tips and techniques to help you get better shots. #1 Rule Of Thirds When photographing a seascape, for example, the important...

Standing in a rainforest, camera ready, is a wonderful experience. An image taken in a rainforest, taken under the correct conditions and using good photographic techniques, can look absolutely stunning. Below are some photographic tips to help...

  Below are some photographic tips and techniques, to help you achieve better macro images. #1 Portable Diffuser If you are out photographing fungi, for example, and the sun is shining bright, I strongly recommend using a portable...

  Capturing great shots of birds-in-flight can be quite challenging, but by following a few basic techniques, your chances of getting great shots will improve greatly. #1 Use Continuous Focus By using Continuous Focus (or AI Servo for...

For the last 15 or so years, I have been presenting photography workshops and tours across Australia and overseas. These vary from short beginner courses that are a few hours in duration, right up to two and three week photo expeditions to...