Wildlife Photography How To

(Editor’s Note: Exploring Light is a monthly Shutterbug column featuring tips, tricks, and photo advice from professional photographers in the Canon Explorers of Light and Canon Legends education program. This month's column is by Adam Jones with tips on photographing wildlife and landscapes in our National Parks.

Outdoor photography presents a variety of challenges for shooters of all skill levels. Light is ever changing, composition can be difficult with complicated scenes, and arriving at a proper exposure is difficult when there is a wide range of tones in the frame.

Let’s face it: photographing birds can be challenging, especially when your subjects are in flight. But even birds resting on a tree limb are often fidgety, and their erratic movements require special techniques.

One way to make wildlife and other outdoor subjects stand out is to shoot them against a clean background without distractions. While these are difficult to find in nature, there are ways to soften a cluttered background in post-processing. Today, however, you'll learn four simple techniques for getting the job done in the camera.

Are you a novice bird photographer and unhappy with your results? If so, the video below is just what you need to up your game. You’ll see common mistakes made by beginners and intermediate shooters, with the techniques and strategies pros use to avoid them.

You don't have to be serious about wildlife photography to enjoy capturing eye-catching images of our feathered friends. Theae colorful subjecta abound all year long, and are easy to find at a local park, nearby nature center, and even in the comfort of your own backyard.

Are you interested in taking a crack at bird photography but don't know where to start? Or perhaps you've been at this for a while and the images you've made just don't hit the mark. In either case, the basic tutorial below will set you on the path to success.