Wildlife photography has become popular like never before. But today, our interest in wildlife photography is born out of owning expensive camera equipment, weekend getaways, travelling on endless safaris and clicking pictures of charismatic animals.
Being a wildlife photographer is much more than these. The desire to be one should stem from the pure joy of observing nature and a genuine concern towards the natural world.
Apart from photographic skills, an aspiring wildlife photographer should develop naturalist expertise, respect towards nature, perseverance and knowledge of animal behaviour. Without these, the photographer not only produces mediocre images but also creates havoc in nature.
Buying camera equipment and access to wildlife reserves is easy nowadays. We can even promote our photographs easily through social media. In an open scenario like this, it is crucial to adopt innovative ways of telling a story through compelling photographs.
An aspiring wildlife photographer could practice conservation photography too. As the acclaimed lensman Joel Sartore says, “the typical nature photograph shows a butterfly on a pretty flower. The conservation photograph shows the same thing, but with a bulldozer coming at it in the background. This doesn’t mean there’s no room for beautiful pictures, in fact we need beautiful images just as much as the issues. It does mean that the images exist for a reason; to save the Earth while we still can.”
Here’s a start-up kit for aspiring wildlife photographers:
Get yourself a camera. A medium-budget digital SLR with a standard zoom lens would be ideal to begin with.
Enrol in a credible basic photography and post-processing workshop. This is a must as it helps you to lay a strong foundation.
Background information. Stories on nature by conservationists and natural history documentaries can tell you more about the natural world.
Study the work of various leading wildlife photographers around the world. Best place to begin would be www.ilcp.com - the website of the International League of Conservation Photographers.
Join a nature club in your locality and network with like-minded people. Take up bird watching. Sometimes travelling without a camera would allow you to understand nature better.
Keep your eyes open and be alert. There is a story even in the crows you see daily and in the wetlands near your locality.
Present your portfolio in an innovative way. Instead of stereotypically putting together a set of images, you could write photo stories or make a video presentation.
Read up on conservation photography . The non-profit ‘Conservation India’ portal has an article that will help you know about conservation photography. www.conservationindia.org/resources/beyond-the-pretty-picture
I hope these points would help you to become a responsible wildlife photographer. Wish you a happy New Year filled with many exciting moments of photographing nature!
(The author is an award-winning nature photographer and co-founder of the Youth for Conservation. In this monthly column he talks about his passion for nature, photography and conservation.)
