Mastering the Art of Wildlife Photography: Tips from a Pro Wildlife Photographer!!

You're a true artist.

I'm 18 and I got my first DSLR camera last year (Canon rebel t7) and although I can't capture as high quality images as I would like, I've been having a lot of fun practing out in nature. Thank you for your videos, they have helped me improve soo much and I really admire your work.

I would love to make it my job someday. Do you have any videos or advice in general on how to make money in this field? Thanks!

hi duade, fantastic tips & thank you. keep up the good work, from Sri Lanka

Some of these pictures are truly great (in my personal view), but others are really not to my liking.
I think my favourite is the rhino image. Of course I can't read the animal's mind (for all I know it could be feeling really sick). But it reminds me of moments I've had in my childhood on hot days in the summer of resting and just enjoying the warmth and everything around me and simply allowing my thoughts to wander in no particular direction. "Rhino Siesta" is my interpretation of the image.
The picture also reminds me of a visit to a zoo when I was 13 where I reached down and touched the head of a rhino. She made a little jump, but I gently caressed her behind the ears where the skin is soft. She seemed to enjoy it, and a little later she came back for more.
The pictures against a black background are not my thing, though. And in a few of the photos the bokeh is too busy for me. In my humble opinion background blur is much over-used in photography.
And "black & white" (=greyscale) images is something I would never want to do. Some greyscale pictures are good, I guess, but I always think, "what happened to the colours? Why are we not allowed to see those? The picture would have been so much better". Of course if your white balance is so far off it can't be saved, greyscale can become a necessary evil.
Some of the images remind us all what a cruel place the world can be. I can't help thinking how the poor skink and frog must be feeling, being caught by a bird that's going to devour it. An even worse fate must be to be caught by a spider who won't even bother killing you before slowly eating you.
Good pictures for sure, but not something I enjoy looking at.

What a beautiful video!! It’s so lovely to see you celebrating the gorgeous photography of your followers alongside your own amazing shots, and in such an encouraging and informative way. I’d love to see more of these videos - maybe discussing the edits that you made to your favourite images to elevate them even more?

You are amazing but I have a t7 try finding a great lens

the fox picture is not relaxed not the fox the picture

what makes you a pro and why 1000s to make you see and only a handful i think you fake mr talk a pick

Just discovered your channel it is amazing thanks for all this amazing content !

The sad fact is we won’t be seeing many more pictures of the White rhino!

What a great presentation! Straightforward, simple, and concise presentation of what makes for incredible wildlife photos :). I had to share this with fellow photographers because it captures everything necessary to compose and shoot a compelling image. And thank you for emphasizing how much time and luck is required. Being in the right place at the right time with all your gear ready to shoot requires commitment and dedication, and lots of time deleting mediocre photos. Brilliant work! Thanks :)

Man that picture of the pelicans gave me goosebumps. That is amazing

Hi Duade,
I've been following your channel for a while and again, this is an excellent video. Very informative, practical, on point, funny - no bla bla!
And besides the perfect technical execution it is so encouraging to see you having fun while you are out in the field and also while presenting.
I can't help myself and have to smile every time when you tell how great it is to be in the nature and experience all the animals and their beauty because I feel the same and do the same.
Lots of great photos, too!
Thanks and Greetings from Germany!
Bertram

Hi mate, Silhouettes can make for some vey interesting photography!

Thanks!

I haven't been around for a while (life was busy) but when I watch your vlogs they are always uplifting and inspiring. Plus, you carry a kindness (reminds me of us Canadians ;) lol ). Thanks for another great video. Hope 2023 is kind to you.

Glad I found your channel. Aussie from Victoria now living in Maine. Always been an avid birder and now getting into bird photography. Really enjoying your videos. Getting some great tips and loving seeing all my bird favorites from home. Australia really has the best wildlife! Cheers

The 3rd picture of the Cockatoo stood out to me, it seemed more interesting as the pose was different than standard pictures.

The spoonbill with his wings up tells a story that the bird is foraging for food and using its wings to remove the glare from the water. Excellent shot.

Thank you Duade. I realise how much effort it takes to prepare each of your videos. I think the message is clear, if you enjoy the process the final result is less important. But we strive to find those unique shots, the ones that bring joy to others as well. I am starting to look more wholistically at the scene and transitioning from just taking shots of every bird that sticks it's face in front of the lens. Then I process selectively those images that make me feel move me in some way.
Thank you for posting one of my shots. It was very, very encouraging. Have a great year.!

It’s encouraging to hear I’m not alone taking hundreds of photos for every special photo. 😅Thanks for putting into words the many facets of a great shot.

Hello! I would like your advice on two zoom lenses! I have the Canon EOS R6. Which one do you think is better in general? Sigma (C) 150-600mm or the Tamron 150-600mm G2? In my country Sigma costs €990 and Tamron €1,200. Thank you in advance

Duade, is that a leveling head/base on your tripod? If so, which type is it?

Another great video Duade. Thanks for all your effort in 2022. Looking forward to much more learning and inspiration in 2023. All the best for the New Year!!!

Marvelous Duane, incredibly thoughtful and uplifting

Excellent presentation Duade. It's good from time to time to go through the elements that make a great photograph and you just did that very well. It helps us slow down a little bit and think it through...are we doing it the way we want and like it and what can we change in order to improve. I really enjoyed this episode and I thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge with us. PS. I also like reading the comments...lots to learn from there as well and that's what I like about photography...it's all about learning and continuously improving. Cheers from Canada.

As one who often takes “field guide” type photos, I was grateful for your reminder that more special shots are rare and require persistence. And I really resonated with your description of feeling in-the-zone while photographing birds! Thanks so much for keeping me inspired!

Another great video Duade. Thank you so much for these tips. All are great, but I believe that #11 is my favorite, the Joy - that for me is the key to the reason I get out and take pictures. It started as almost like an act of healing, but it really has become so important to me to walk in nature and then just be in the moment to capture birds and wildlife. I look forward to going out in 2023 with my newer kit and using these tips. Again thanks.

Certainly one of the most usefull of your videos.

A great wrap up for 2022, Duade. Thanks for the video! I think your cormorant shot that you favored was impactful because of the color, negative space & artistic use of the silhouette, for me. I appreciated the points you made about the process, art & value of chasing those wildlife shots. I agree with many of your ideas. The one thing I believe that is overarching is the fact that this genre, like most others, should not be defined through a more institutional filter.... Art for arts sake, I say. I don't believe in rules of what is right & wrong when it comes to artistic endeavors. What the photographer thinks & feels for their craft is paramount.

Great job putting together an impressive collection of your own shots & those of your subscribers. Truly inspiring captures across the board & good on those giving it a go, each day they head out. Well done, all!

Thank you for the video & story behind so many images. May the start of '23 treat you well. Looking forward to your next effort. Best regards & may the summer be good shooting ~ Chris

Simply fun and engaging video Duade. I learn something thru this video, that you just need to go out and take photos. I don't own a long telephoto lens, but I say an image of the Osprey taken with the Nikon Z50 and 50-250 mm lens (which I own) and it was fantastic. I need to go out with my camera and start shooting....

Amazing video,mister as usual...but how Can WE send a photo ??? Raw or JPEG ?
Thanks

Looking for the “Join” button you mentioned. Not appearing on my iPad.

Díky!

Duane, another great video. I totally agree with connection. I try to get my wildlife subjects to look at me (even if they’re not aware I’m there) because I feel that just protrudes great emotion.

A really good video Duade, as a professional I think you put the facts across very well. A good image will jump out at you. I enter club competitions, and looking at good images on the web helps you improve. Sometimes watching TV you can say 'that is a 20'. Mind you replicating something with your kit may prove tricky.

Happy New Year Duade! Brilliant video. I love habitat shots better these days than catalogue shots. We're all different of course but they speak to me ❤️

Your videos show the joy you get out of some of your captures - that’s one of the reasons I find your videos so engaging. I’m so glad you highlighted this aspect. Hardly any other “tip” videos mention it. Well done, as usual!!

Thanks Duade. First time I’ve come across this channel. Brilliant content. Had to subscribe.

Great video Duade! All of the images are amazing, but your summary at the end is the best! It is the joy of the image created that makes this all so special. Happy New Year and looking forward to 2023.

You should do a video on "get good at deleting" mirrorless makes this a real challenge and as you said you still can't avoid comparing 20 shots for eye sharpness with burst mode and lightroom has no "sharpness compare" algorithm ( I asked them for an enhancement in CC Cloud ).

Great video Duade and gotta say i really empathise with your approach to photography and life journey with photography & health challenges. Also t your mindset to aking pics, take advantages of the big opportunities that come along. I had to laugh because in one of your videos you basically said image quality is totally proportional to "light"., but I see you moderate that here. I am also reading David Yarrow's book "How I Make Photographs" , although he always shoots in B&W he does recommend stormy days for great skies and atmospheric skies. Perhaps its cos you live in Oz and in UK we get a lot of shite days to live with :-) :-) I agree with you BUT sometimes you just have to work hard in Lightroom/Topaz and build a mood shot with crummy light.
Signed up - you do a great job - keep going. Regards Simon

Hi Duade. Another great video to start 2023. Some brilliant images from you and other members around the world, just great to see them all. Your words certainly giving me some things to think about and aspire to. As you say the most important thing of all is the pleasure/joy we get ourselves from our own and other photographers images. Thanks again. John

Dear Duade your improvement is 200 percentage 👍👍👍🪔🪔🪔

Hey Duade, great video as always. I am planning to visit Australia sometime in October this year and I was wondering if it's a good time weather wise and also wanted to know a few places that I definitely need to visit for some bird photography.

Hi, where did you buy the lens cover for 100-500mm? thank you in advance