Today’s #TipsfortheTrail is a quick one that relates to research.

If you’re looking to photograph any kind of animal it can help to conduct research about it to give you the best chance of capturing the shot.

This can be as simple as using an app or local group to learn details of a recent location of a species or or help you look into the habits of that particular species.

I’ve recently been making use of the British Trust of Ornithology’s BirdTrack app in conjunction with eBird to help increase my chance of spotting specific birds.

Recently such Apps helped me learn the approximate location of these beautiful Tufted Ducks and are tools I recommend all #wildlife photographers make use of!

#duck #ducks #birdsofmastodon #tip #advice #birding #bird #photography #nature

Following on from last week, today’s #TipsfortheTrail is to include #habitat every now and again in your #wildlifephotography.

Often, we are encouraged to get photos of #wildlife relatively close up in front of a nice clear background. Don’t get me wrong - there is nothing wrong with this. It is a great way to #photograph different animals and is something I’m working on improving myself.

However, don’t forget the role that the habitat you are shooting in can play as well. It helps create a story and puts the animal in context. A recent example that I came across was this photo I took of a female mallard #duck.

The duck was wading through long pond grass and was largely hidden while I was there. There was no way I could get a clear shot of it, let alone a smooth background. However, I tried to use the habitat to my advantage and having got my camera eye level with the duck I was able to shoot this image through the grass.

It’s messy and there’s a lot going on but it also conveys a lot. I managed to get eye contact through the grass but it feels secretive. Including the habitat provides this context and helps tell a different story that is not always conveyed in wildlife photography.

It’s different, it’s challenging and it’s really fun. Give it a go every now and again and see what stories you can convey through including just a little bit of habitat!

#naturephotography #animals #birding #photographytips

It’s time for another round of #TipsfortheTrail where I share a #photography tip that can hopefully help you get the most out of your time photographing #wildlife.

Today’s tip is about enjoying the connection we can experience with #nature through photography. We all want to get the best photo we can, however, sometimes it won’t happen.

It happened to me this weekend. I was walking along the River Dee in #Aberdeen and on the opposite bank I saw two otters swimming 🦦

Despite having my camera they were too far away for me to get a good shot. There was a moment of frustration as I tried to get a decent photo but the conditions (overcast) and limitations of my camera meant I was left disappointed.

It was at this moment I realised the great opportunity I had to just sit and watch these incredible animals in the wild.

A peacefulness set in that let me just enjoy the moment. It wasn’t about getting the ‘perfect’ photo but instead, was a chance to document this wonderful experience.

After watching them for a bit, I took a few more photos. Attached is one I really like. The otters are together and while they are small in the frame, and the IQ is not great taking the ‘pressure’ off getting the best shot enabled me to capture something that will always mean a lot to me.

It’s important that we enjoy and are grateful for the wildlife we encounter - it will make you feel better and will likely improve your photography too!!

#wildlifephotography #otters #naturephotography

On Tuesday's I want to share with you photography tips that I’ve picked up and leant in the last year. Some of you will likely already know them but it can be good to be reminded of them every once in a while. I’ll be sharing them to this hashtag: #tipsforthetrail

Today’s tip is to, where possible, get level with the subject of your photo. This is especially beneficial in #wildlifephotography. I remember hearing this tip from Duade Patton on YouTube (definitely worth checking out if you haven’t already) and it immediately transformed my images.

I used this tip to take this image of a pair of mallard ducks in a local stream. Getting the camera to the same level as the ducks helped create this intimate, yet playful image.

Give it a go and let me know how you get on!

#NaturePhotography #Ducks #nature #wildlife #birds #birdsofmastodon