Let’s discuss crucial errors even experienced photographers make, covering the importance of shooting in bad weather, properly setting shutter speed to optimize ISO, ensuring pin-sharp focus and depth of field, using negative exposure compensation to prevent blown highlights in backlit scenes, and much more.
Mark Dumbleton, a leading wildlife photographer from South Africa, uses practical examples to highlight common mistakes and their solutions in wildlife photography.
As a landscape photographer myself, I believe in the mantra that “pain is temporary, but memories are forever.” Unless a situation is life-threatening, nothing should deter you from getting the shot and stepping out of your comfort zone. Mark precisely emphasizes that there’s no such thing as bad weather for a wildlife photographer. One must be prepared to take photographs in various conditions. He demonstrates this through stunning images captured during rainy weather, while many of his fellow photographers chose to stay behind.
One important insight I gained from Mark’s video is the tendency for beginners to rely too much on fast shutter speeds. While it’s common to instinctively increase ISO and use a wide-open aperture to achieve the fastest shutter speed possible, this approach isn’t always the best, as it comes at the cost of lower image quality due to high ISO. Experience shows that there are lower limits to the shutter speed you can use while still capturing a perfectly sharp and focused shot of an animal, especially when animals are still, and you can still get better results in camera.
Additionally, the video addresses an important aspect of photography that applies not just to wildlife photography but to all forms: reading your histogram properly. Beginners often feel overwhelmed when they see a histogram on the back of their cameras, but it’s crucial to understand it while shooting. This ensures you avoid overexposed images, particularly in backlit conditions where an animal’s fur or body outline catches rim light.
Wildlife photography requires patience and an understanding of animal behavior, along with technical skills that are essential for creating inspiring and unique images. Avoiding common mistakes increases your chances of success.