Step 1 – Have the Right Lens

Shooting from your car, in most cases, means that you’ll be pretty far from the wildlife. So if you can’t get close, make sure you have a lens that can bring you closer to the action. I use my trusty Nikkor 80-400mm VR. I would suggest at least a 300mm lens or else you might be disappointed with your range. And now with both full frame and cropped frame bodies, I would strongly recommend using a cropped frame camera to give you that extra reach. My 80-400mm gives me 600mm of reach on my D300s body.

Step 2 – Stabilize Your Lens

Bring a soft surface to put on your rolled down window. I have a small DIY sand bag about the size of my hand that I place door window’s edge” this does 2 things, it prevents the lens from scratches  and also gives you stability. You can simply use a Ziplock bag filled with dirt or even an old shirt or towel. If you want to go all out and can afford it, have a look at the Groofwin Pod.

Step 3 -  Bring Some Human Food

Bring a lunch or some snacks. This may seem basic enough but it has happened to me before being at Omega Park and my stomach just wouldn’t stop growling out of shear hunger frustration. This can get annoying and makes for a less enjoyable photography experience. Not to mention scare the animals away!

Step 4 – Bring some Animal Food

Bring some food for the animals. Verify first with the park to see if you’re allowed to feed the animals. Some smaller private parks or animal watching areas will allow it but most government run parks won’t.

Step 5 – Check the weather

Sounds basic enough but we can’t always wait for that perfect weather day. It might get cold or even worse, start raining so bring some warm and dry clothes. It can get chilly in the Spring or Fall with your window down so check the Park’s weather and dress accordingly. Shooting through your car window is not a pleasant experience but it might be your only option if the weather gets to nasty. If so don’t forget the Windex!

Step 6 – Rent a Hybrid Vehicle

If you’re away from home on vacation and you’re renting a vehicle, try getting your hands on a hybrid like the Toyota Prius. Why, you might ask? Because when you’re driving slowly, the car runs on the battery without any sound or vibrations to scare the animals away.

Step 7 – Find the perfect Spots to Shoot

In most parks, animal activity is generally in specific locations. Check out geo-tagged images on Flickr or other photo sites and note them down on your smart phone or the ancient pen and paper option. You can also ask park staff and they might know where some of the rarer animals have recently been spotted.

Step 8 – The Stakeout

I can guaranty you that your best shots won’t be just by slowly driving by, stopping a few minutes to shoot that dear or heron then moving on. Trust me on that! If you want to capture wildlife behavior like birds fishing, you’ll need to be part of the environment. Be one with nature Grasshopper. The trick is to stop the car, turn off the motor, set up your gear and wait patiently. Try not to move too much inside the car either. Let the car become part of the environment like a rock. This is when the magic will happen. I remember staying over an hour in one spot.

Step 9 – Zoom In

Zoom in as much as you can. Try to fill the frame with your subject to eliminate background distractions. Zooming in and setting your aperture to a low number (f2.8 or f4) will create a nice soft bokeh thus keeping your subject in focus with a blurred background.

Step 10 – Composition

One of the reasons why we go to a park is to capture animals in their natural habitat. In many parks you’ll be faced with the challenge of  dealing with non-natural things like picnic tables, other cars, roads, fences, etc… So once you’ve found your spot, take the time to scout around it and find the perfect angle to get a natural background for your shots. You might not always be able to but it still makes for a good exercise that will because instinct after a while.

So there you have it! How to take wildlife photos from your car in 10 easy steps. I invite you to share your tips and photos links in the comments below.

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Step 1 – Research

Before going to the zoo, do your homework. Go to their Website and look at the photo gallery for inspiration. Also look at a map of the grounds and prioritize which animals you’d like to shoot. Then look on the Web for animal behaviors and sleep patterns as well as scanning through images for more inspiration.

Some zoos might also have no-flash or no-tripod policies in certain areas. Make sure you know where they are prior to your arrival just in case you miss the signs (like so many seem to do).

Step 2 – The Best Time to Go

Remember that the best light is either early in the morning or a few hours before sunset so try to photograph your favorite animals during that time. Keep the indoor shots for mid-day when the sun is high in the sky. If you<re lucky to have an overcast day then enjoy shooting all day without any worries.

Seasons can also affect animal behavior so you might want to consider when you’ll be taking that long photography weekend. You might find that animals with fur coats are less likely to move around in hot weather. They might also hide in the shade away from your camera.

Take note of  special events, like feedings and shows like flying bird demonstrations. You can catch some great shots if you plan around those events.

Step 3 – What to Bring

Lenses: It goes without saying that you should have a telephoto lens with you like a 70-200mm, 70-300mm or my favorite, the 80-400mm. If you can have one with image stabilization technology, that would be a nice bonus. You need a telephoto lens to get in really close and also to remove unwanted backgrounds. They also create nice, soft bokeh.

Most zoos will also have a creepy crawly enclosure with reptiles, spiders and butterflies. This is when a fast macro lens comes in handy. I say fast because some of those displays are in darker areas so being able to shoot at f2.8 is almost a necessity. An 80mm macro or a 105mm macro would be my lens of choice.

Make sure you keep your lens hood on your camera. Not only will it protect your lens from crowds or fences, it might also prevent sun flares. You don’t always have a choice of where you can shoot and you might have the sun as a backlight.

If you can, bring a tripod. A tripod is essential for those dark, indoor areas where long exposures are a must and/or flash is usually not permitted.

Consider bringing a flash. I personally don’t use a flash on most animals since I know it bothers them and in some cases might even harm them. But I will use it with butterflies or exotic flowers.

Don’t forget extra memory cards and an extra battery.

Step 4 – Think About Composition

It might not always be that easy to think about composition at a zoo but taking a few minutes to survey the animal’s surroundings can make the difference between the “tourist” shot and a great photo. For more detailed tips on composition, check out my complete Introduction to composition tutorial.

Context: observe the animal’s surroundings and see where would be the best spot to add the best “natural” habitat so that the animal looks like its in the wild.

Simplicity: get in as close as you can to eliminate background distractions.  Think in terms of taking a portrait of a human being. Look for their good side, facial expressions, the right light to flatter their features. Make sure you focus on the eyes.

Point of View: if you can, try getting at eye level with your subject. This will bring a sense of presence and intimacy with your subject. Try unusual and strange angles. You just never know what kind of masterpiece will come out of those shots.

Rule of Thirds: Try thinking of the rule of thirds. Now, don’t get obsessed by it. Just play around with it, experiment and have fun keeping your subject off center.

Step 5 – Those Dreaded Fences

Shooting through fences is most likely unavoidable. Here’s my recipe for great “through the fence” shots. The trick here is to get as close to the fence as possible to get the least amount of fence in the shot and to have it as far away from your subject relative to your lens. Use your telephoto lens and zoom all the way in. Set your aperture to its widest setting (smallest number) to get shallow depth of field. Aim and shoot. Repeat at will.

Step 6 – That Dreaded Glass

The great thing about glass is that you don’t have a fence to worry about. The bad thing about glass is that it reflects all light hitting it so you get glare. The trick here it to simply change you angle of view until most or all glare disappears. If you’re using flash, you’ll really have to be at an angle or else you’ll have the infamous white spot in the middle of your photo. If you brought and off camera flash like an SB-800 or a 550-EX, hold it in one hand at an angle.

Step 7 – Respect Zoo Rules

If you’re a law-abiding citizen you might brush this off and skip to the next step…. but don’t! Sometimes the evil beast that is the photographer in us will go to almost any length to get “the shot”.  So read on…

Don’t Distract the Animals: if those kids do it why shouldn’t I? Imagine if you were in a enclosed setting with 1000s of people walking by all day yelling at you to look this way and that way, yelling even louder when you don’t cooperate. Throwing things at you to get your attention. Not pleasant right? Please respect the animals. If you don’t have your shot yet, follow step #9.

Stay in Designated Areas: security is very important. Remember that those are wild animals and they do have unpredictable behaviors. Respect the boundaries set by the zoo. It’s for your safety and the animal’s safety.

Step 8 – Respect Other People

Ask for Permission: don’t take other people’s photos without their permission, even zoo employees (unless they’re doing a demonstration where cameras are permitted). Think like a non-editorial stock photographer.

Wait Your Turn: zoos can get crowded, especially on weekends. Don’t think that because you have a big camera with a big lens you have the right of way. Everyone paid the same price to get in and deserve your respect just like you deserve their respect. If you plan on following step#9 and be there a while, give your spot up for a few minutes.

Step 9 – Patience is a Virtue

Last but not least, patience. Most of the time you’ll have to practice patience to get the best shots. These aren’t models in your studio that you can just direct… “move a little more to the left”, “tilt your head to the right”, “give me sad puppy eyes”…. you have to wait for them. It’s a waiting game and if you’re patient you’ll get your photograph.

There you have it. I can guaranty you that if you follow these 9 steps, your zoo photography will become a wonderful experience. I’d love to see some of your best zoo photos! Post the links in the comments!

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Step 1 – Keep Yourself Dry

This one’s a no brainer right? You would think… but I saw photographers out in the pouring rain holding an umbrella in one hand and a DSRL camera in the other. It didn’t take long for the camera and lens to get wet. Not to mention shooting one-handed with a 70-200mm lens! A disaster just waiting to happen. Forget the umbrella unless your standing still and you clamp it somewhere to act as a shelter. You need both hands to shoot. Wear a raincoat and maybe even some rain boots if it’s pouring. Cold and wet feet don’t make for a happy photographer.

Step 2 – Get an All Weather Camera Bag

Before we look at what to do to keep your camera and lens dry while shooting, it’s important to keep it dry from point A to point B. My suggestion is to get a waterproof or “all weather” type camera bag like the Lowepro DryZone 200 or the bag I currently use, the Computrekker AW which has a protective outer shell that can easily be tucked away. The AW bag saved my gear when I got caught in a flash storm a few years back while in a canoe 1 hour away from camp. Never underestimate Mother Nature. What’s $200 to protect thousands of dollars worth of gear?

Step 3 – Keep Your Camera and Lens Dry

Off course we’re dealing with electronic equipment and it doesn’t mix well with water last I checked. There are many solutions that I’ll suggest so just use your best judgment depending on your personal situation.

1- Don’t go in the rain. What I mean by this is to stay under cover under a shelter. If it’s just drizzling, a tree can do the trick. I’ve seen people shooting from their car or even out their window.
2- Purchase a pro rain cover. B&H has a great variety ranging from $39.95 to $219.95 like the Tenba or the Aquatech.
3- Make your own DIY camera rain cover by using a ziplock or garbage bag and elastic bands for just a few pennies. Try making 2 holes on either side of the ziplock bag and pass the camera strap through it and reattach it to the camera.
4- Buy cheap rain pants and use one leg and elastic bands.
5- Attach an umbrella to your monopod using a superclamp so that where ever your camera goes, the umbrella follows.

Step 4 – Changing Lenses

If you need to change your lenses out in the rain, you absolutely need to keep the inside of your camera, and the lens element attaching to the camera, dry. My first suggestion would be to get out of the rain completely. If you can’t, cover your camera and lens as best you can and point the camera towards the ground while switching lenses.

Step 5 – Use Your Lens Hood

The lens hood has many uses. It not only used for lens flair. I have it on primarily to protect it from bumps and nicks. But it’s also good for keeping rain drop away from your lens. I my opinion, your should have your len hood on all the time, but if you don’t this is a great time to put it on.

Step 6 – Something to Dry Your Equipment

Even if you used the 5 previous steps mentioned above, you might still end up getting some water on your gear so it’s very important to have an absorbent cloth in your bag. I actually have a small piece of ShamWow with my all the time but you could bring a few folded up paper towels or a dish cloth.

Step 7 – Bring a Monopod or Tripod

Rainy days means clouds which means no sun, which means less light. Less light means you’ll probably have to shoot at slower shutter speeds.  A tripod or monopod will prevent you from taking blury images due to camera shake.

Do you have any other suggestions?

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Here are some of the questions that I asked (and keep asking) myself before purchasing a new lens. These are very important steps so that you don’t go and impulse buy or just buy the wrong lens for your needs.

Step 1 – What do you like to shoot?

To me this is the most important question. Now, if you answered “everything”, try narrowing it down just a bit. In my case, when I started out, I loved shooting bugs and flowers. I was often at the cottage and always had my D70 with me. But my Nikkor 18-70mm just wasn’t doing it for me. So I asked myself, “what kind of lens do I need to get great bug shots?” And after a bit of research I found out that macro lenses were perfect for my need. So I went out and purchased my second lens ever, the Sigma 105mm macro.

So? I’ll ask again. What do you like to shoot most? Is it birds? Then maybe a Canon 100-400mm IS would be best. Concerts? You’ll need a fast lens for low light situations so a 50mm f1.4 might suit your needs.

remember to ask yourself this question before every lens purchase or you might end up with glass accumulating dust at the bottom of a bag. I know, I have a few.

Step 2 – Do your research

Ok, so you figured out what type of lens is best for what you want to shoot. Great! But there are many to choose from. Which one, which one? Well, you’re probably wondering why I chose the Sigma 105mm over the Nikkor 105mm. The answer is simple. I did my research. I just typed “sigma 105mm review” in Google and then the same for the Nikkor 105mm. In a nutshell, I found out that both lenses had about the same image quality but the Sigma was $300 cheaper. And since I knew this lens wasn’t going to be used to generate income (even if I get their good side, bugs don’t sell well on stock sites ), I went with the less expensive one.

You can find some great  lens reviews online. You can also check out DPReview and Lens-Reviews for user feedback.

Step 3 – How picky are you on image quality?

Don’t get too freaked out when you read some of the reviews out there. They tend to be very technical and sometimes, and I do stress sometimes, nitpick on the most minor details. That said, some lenses are just plain horrible. Luckily, in the lens world, most of the time you get what you pay for. Also, you have to ask yourself if this is a hobby or are you planning on making money with your photography? I know people that have bottom off the line lenses and are very happy. So go into the store and check them out. Better yet, do step 4!

Step 4 – Give it a test drive

So you’ve read the reviews and you found the one you want. Super! Before forking over the cash, why not play with it for the weekend? Most cities will have camera stores that will rent out lenses. It’s usually pretty cheap to rent a lens and I personally think it’s a great investment.  You can see the results on your computer and test it out in various situations. Something you can’t do in the store when you only have 2 minutes to play with it. Test it for what you’re actually going to use it for mostly remember step 1?). If you love shooting sports, I wouldn’t recommend shooting flowers in a vase.

Step 5 – What’s your budget?

A very important question indeed. If you’re a pro and you know that your new lens will pay itself off with your next 2 contracts, it’s a no-brainer. But if you’re an amateur, this becomes important. You need to ask yourself how much are you willing to spend for your hobby? Make yourself a yearly photo budget that is within your means. I strongly recommend not getting into debt for a hobby.

But if you really, really, really want that 70-200mm VR and you can’t afford it full price, try getting it used on Ebay. Sometimes, even your local photography store will sell used equipment. You won’t get super deals if the lenses are in good condition because lenses have a high resale value but you can save around 10-20%.

Step 6 – 3rd party lenses

Ok, some of you are purists out there and I respect that. But there are other alternatives from companies like Sigma, Tamron and Tokina. They also make lenses with either a Canon or Nikon mount. We call them 3rd party lenses. They used to be of lower quality but have improved dramatically over the last 5 years. They actually give the big boys a run for their money. I actually own 2 Sigma lenses.  If you’re on a tight hobby budget, 3rd party lenses can be great since they’re usually cheaper (sometimes more than 50%!).

Step 7 – Image Stabilization

Should you get image stabilization in your lenses? Before asking that question, what does it do? Basically, it lets you shoot at a slower speed hand-held without blur. Usually, the average photographer can shoot hand-held as slow as 1/60 sec. without blur. With image stabilization, you could, on average,  shoot as slow as 1/15 sec. without blur due to camera shake. Image stabilization is for camera shake only. It’s there to stabilize your camera not your subjects. It’s great for low light situations.

Step 8 – How important is aperture?

I’m finishing off with this step because this might play a major role in your lens selection. As you might already know, the smaller the f-stop number, the wider the opening and the more light comes in which means you can shoot at faster speeds. Sometimes you’ll find lenses that seem the same at first glance but one is cheaper than the other and you wonder why. Check the maximum aperture. For example, you can get a 50mm f1.8 and a 50mm f1.4. The first one is $135.00 and the second is $500.00. Big price difference but if you’re shooting in low light all the time and you’re making money with your images than it might be worth it.

Final thoughts

One thing that I keep suggesting to fellow photographers looking to buy a new lens is to look at lenses like an investment. Camera technology advances at a neck breaking speed so camera bodies change fast and loose value. Lenses, on the other hand, don’t. That’s why lenses retain their resell value. You camera bodies will change over the years but your lenses won’t so get good glass right away. Even if you need to wait an extra few months to save up, you won’t regret it. Working with good equipment makes for a pleasurable experience and therefore better photos!

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Here are some great books from the YPS bookshelf.

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Step 2 – Clothing. When you first talk to your clients, it will be your responsibility to guide them with what they’ll be wearing. Suggest similar textures, styles and colors so that you won’t have some of them stick out like sore thumbs. Uniformity is pleasing to the eye. Also suggest 2 different sets of clothes. That could get their imagination going and they could come up with an interesting concept. Suggestion by Debbi.

Step 3 – Location, location, location. It’s important that the family members feel comfortable shooting in the chosen location. Ask them to think about it. It could be as close as their backyard, a park, or jumping out of a plane… or not. But your get the idea.  If you’re familiar with the area, you could also suggest a few spots that they could scout out beforehand.

Step 4 – Get rid of the junk. So you have your location. Now it’s time to clean it up! If your outside, it could be as simple as keeping things out of the frame like lamp posts, garbage cans and trees sticking out of someone’s head (seen that one many times!). If you’re inside, look for any distracting objects like toys, cushions or dishes. You might also want to remove frames off walls. Look through the eyes of a Zen Master!

Step 5 – Set up and test your lighting before the official shoot. There’s nothing more frustrating for people to have to stand there for 5-10 minutes while you fine tune your lights. If you don’t have an assistant, have the children be your assistants. Tell them how important assistants are and what they do. Most children love to help out so take advantage of that. You still might have to tweak things up a bit with everyone in the frame but it’ll be minor and quick. Suggestion by Udi Tirosh.

Step 6 – Use soft light. In almost all situations, you’ll want soft, diffused light on your subjects. This with reduce or eliminate harsh, unflattering shadows and well as get rid of baggy eyes and wrinkles. You can diffuse your light with umbrellas or softboxes.

Step 7 – Is everyone in focus? If your family members are on more than 1 row, you’ll want a higher f-stop (more depth of field) so that everyone in the photo seems in focus. Start off at f5.6 and work your way up. Suggestion by Tim.

Step 8 – Go for a soft bokeh. To go on the complete opposite thinking from Step 7, try to use the smallest f-stop possible to get a blurred background. Blurred backgrounds are great for portraits since the focus of the image is on the people and not the distracting background. Tip: use a longer lens like a 200mm, to get a softer bokeh, not to mention a tighter frame.

Step 9 – Camera angle. When you’re shooting, try to shoot at or above eye level. When shooting at eye level (or slightly higher) it creates intimacy and a stronger connection. Shooting above eye level forces your subjects to look up which makes their eyes look wider and gets rid of double chins.

Step 10 – Composition. This is a tough one to talk about since scenarios can be so different. You can start by looking at my introduction to composition tutorial and go from there. A few basic pointers though would be:
- trying unusual angles (from above or below)
- filling the frame (getting rid of the background as much as possible)

Step 11 – Avoid blinking eyes. You can do this easily by asking everybody to close their eyes and open them on the count of 3. Works almost every time!

Step 12 – Get them to squeeze in. Funny enough, to show love and friendship, body closeness is important to the eye. So get them to get closer to each other. You can even put them on an angle slightly behind each other.

Step 13- Candids. Ok, so you got the “Sears” family shots in (what I call the safe shots), now it’s time to release the hounds! Have then tell jokes or tickle each other. Also keep you camera on the ready in between setups. You can get some great candids. Suggestion by Pestbarn.

Step 14 – Take lots of photos! Don’t be afraid to shoot a ton of shots. The more you take, the more good ones you’ll have. It’s the law of probability.  Fill that memory card up.You won’t won’t regret it.

Step 15 – Don’t be afraid to direct. Communication is key. Make sure they know what to do when certain words are spoken. Give them a quick briefing beforehand. I personally like the word “freeze”. It works great with children if it’s introduced like a game. You can even practice it with them.

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