Exotic Expeditions: Stepping Up Your Wildlife Photography Game

In essence, photography is very straightforward. You can take part in exotic expeditions, position your camera, and start shooting. But when you’re capturing a pack of lions or a herd of elephants on the African safari, that simple premise becomes a whole different ballgame.

Exotic expeditions are a dream for most photographers. So, if you’re one of the lucky few who get to go on one of these expeditions, you should be ready to step up your wildlife photography game starting with these tips:

Get to know your Gear

Even if you’ve had your camera for years now, there may still be functions that you’re not very familiar with but are very useful once you’re out in the wild. So, before you leave for your exotic expeditions, it would help to really get to know your gear better.

Learn about things like landscape functions, motion, and anti-motion buttons, adjusting shutter speeds and aperture, and all other essential features that you can use for taking photographs of moving subjects. You can also experiment at home by taking photos of your dog or cat in your backyard or go to the zoo to learn about how animals move.

Pack only the Essentials

While it’s natural to want to pack all of your best gear on your trip, it’s best to stick with a few essentials and maximize their capabilities. Telephoto lenses are highly recommended for wildlife photography, but you can also make use of a longer lens for smaller or more mobile subjects. Of course, you can’t forget about your trusty tripod since you’ll need them for support, especially when using long lenses.

Capture the Entire Scenery

A lot of photographers use long lenses for capturing animals up close, which is usually considered the money shot. But photographers from the National Geographic Channel recommend that you capture not just the animal but also its habitat. By experimenting with a wide-angle lens, you get to capture the environment in which animals are moving that add a lot of character to your photos.

Use Natural Light to your Advantage

When you’re out in the wild on exotic expeditions, you will only rely on natural light for your photos. It pays to be up early to take photos while the light of the sun is just right and the animals are most active. You can also go out during late afternoons when most game drives happen.

Play with your Shots

While portrait shots are usually the best for wildlife subjects, you can always play with the range of photos for your subject. If you’re taking photographs of a lion, for instance, take a portrait shot, do a wide-angle shot that captures the background and takes it closer by focusing on a specific detail like the face or body.

Exotic expeditions are always unforgettable, no matter how they go. As long as you travel with an open mind and a good sense for adventure, you’ll surely enjoy seeing wildlife in their natural habitat and capturing their beauty through your lens.

Wild Focus Expeditions is based out of Santa Fe, New Mexico but we’re happy to go on expeditions with those of you all over the world. Here are some of our more famous expedition destinations: Greenland, Indonesia, Japan, Svalbard, Namibia, Botswana and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, Pantanal, India, Kenya, Uganda, and the Galapagos