Pro Tips for Capturing Wildlife Portraits on Safari
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Loading... - Richard Wangari
- 07 Jun 2022
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Wildlife portraits are usually the most sought-after form of nature photography, as they feature charismatic wildlife in big, bold glory.
And speaking of big, charismatic wildlife, what’s more extraordinary than the wildlife of Africa and joining a dedicated photo safari to capture their splendor in the best ways possible?
So today, we’re discussing how to combine the brilliance of African safari wildlife with the venerable approach of wildlife portrait photography to create true works of art. The best part is that that are as fun to create as they are to view (and show off) after the trip
Choose the right lens
To get great portraits, you have to have a great quality lens. Because so much of strong portraiture is in the sharpness and inherent contrast in the scene, a good lens will go a long way. However, beyond just a top quality lens, you’ll want to use a lens that is capable of shallow depths of field.
A shallow depth of field is key in portrait photography, as it helps isolate the subject from the background (or foreground) to minimize distractions. The blurred background also makes the subject pop and seem even sharper because of that juxtaposition of blur and sharpness.
There are so, so many lenses to choose out there, but the very best for portraiture will be in the f/4 or f/2.8 range. However, these are often cost prohibitive when you’re looking at focal lengths in the 300, 400, and 500mm range. Thus, most wildlife safari lenses will be closer to f/5.6 at their smallest f/number. While f/4 is better, f/5.6 when used correctly, can be excellent as well.
Dial in the right settings
It may seem obvious based on the previous section, but you’ll want to set your aperture on the smallest f/number (aka, biggest aperture) to maximize that shallow depth of field. Fortunately, this will also give you more light in your camera, so if you’re shooting at low-light times of day like dawn or dusk, you get a boost in shutter speed due to the big aperture. It’s a two-fold benefit!
Your other key settings, like ISO and shutter speed really just “need to work” in order to support the aperture. Thus, you don’t need to over think it. Per the norm, you’ll need to shoot fast enough to freeze motion and keep your ISOs as low as possible.
You’ll also want to have your camera on burst mode so that you take as many photos per second as possible. The slightest change in the animal’s expression can make or break your favorite photo.
Get the right composition
Just because you’re filling the frame with an amazing animal doesn’t mean you can ignore time-tested rules of composition.
Be sure to frame your shot adhering to the rule of thirds (or close to it) for maximum impact. Rules are always meant to be broken, but in the case of wildlife portraiture, there isn’t as much flexibility because you are zeroing in so close to just part of the animal (usually its face). Doing things like exaggerating composition or other rule-breaking techniques doesn’t apply quite as much here.
The key thing here is to try and position the eye (if visible) of the animal somewhere near the intersecting lines of the rule-of-thirds grid. Do this, and you’re golden 99% of the time. Read More…
