Capturing the Wild: A Practical Guide

Image: Jérémy Mathieu
It can be intimidating to break into the world of photography as you set out to capture that perfect wildlife shot on your trip.

Overall, reliable wildlife photography equipment should be able to shoot fast and produce high-quality images in various types of lighting conditions. However, any camera can take a great photo; whether it’s a DSLR, mirrorless, point-and-shoot, or even your smartphone. While basic gear may have some limitations, choosing gear that is too heavy or too complicated for your skill level may just end up being a detriment at a higher cost.

With whatever equipment you have, take some time in advance to familiarize yourself with the controls. “Auto” settings can be a good starting point for beginners who aren’t comfortable switching settings quickly in changing conditions, but being able to customize things like shutter speed can be helpful when photographing wildlife – you'll want a very fast shutter speed to capture crisp action shots like when a humpback breaches! A faster shutter speed will also help minimize shakiness that can come when using a longer lens. Always remember to periodically check your shots to make sure you’re happy with the result of your camera settings.

Image: Christian Heeb

In addition to specific distance regulations, ethical viewing is important to Bluewater Adventures, and therefore, we aim to minimize our impacts during the wildlife we encounter.

The longer the telephoto lens, the better your photos will be at a distance. However, this can backfire if the animal gets closer, so you ideally want a lens with versatile focal lengths to minimize the need to change lenses in the midst of shooting. For photographers investing in equipment, a lens around the 300-400mm range has shown to be a good balance and give good results when photographing whales as it increases the chance of catching the animal in your field of view and composing a beautiful shot. Larger lenses will be quite heavy, so you may want to bring a monopod for added stability. A monopod can be more useful than a tripod onboard the boat, because the latter can be too bulky to use in a confined space and can hinder your ability to easily capture the shot if the vessel is moving.

Zoom options can be more limited with a point-and-shoot camera or your phone’s camera. This is in part because digital zoom can lead to blurry photos, compared to using just optical zoom. However, don’t be discouraged because those wider shots can show the environment surrounding your subject and capture the whole story.

Also consider that you may be viewing and photographing wildlife in the low light of morning or evening. Flash photography should never be used around bears (or other wildlife!) as it can be extremely disruptive.

Image: Rob Lott
Don’t forget additional equipment too! With long days outside in the unpredictable weather of the British Columbia coast, make sure to bring waterproof protection for your camera gear. Always wear your camera strap or hold onto your phone securely – the vessel can move unpredictably and the last thing you want is to watch your camera or phone sink to the bottom of the ocean. Bringing spare camera batteries and memory cards is also important so you aren’t interrupted at an inopportune instant.

Image: Christian Heeb

Remember to be calm and patient. Stay ready to shoot when you are waiting for wildlife to (re)appear. Good timing is another key to a great shot and unless you have a very high-quality camera, you likely will not have a high enough frame rate to shoot continuously, so prioritize the frames you want and focus on image composition. The “rule of thirds” generally leads to compelling and well-composed photos.

Wildlife is unpredictable, but you can take some guesses to help with timing your shots. For instance, humpback whales will usually follow somewhat predictable lines, coming up to breathe a few times before diving deep again – their back arching higher than normal indicates they’ll soon be lifting their tail for a deep dive.

Make sure you enjoy the experience too! Take some time to truly immerse yourself in the moment by putting down your camera and taking some mental snapshots instead. A picture might be worth a thousand words but being able to reflect back on those personal memories is just as valuable in the long run.
Author: Heather Burke