Wildlife photography guide: How to get the perfect shot

Gentoo Penguins in Antarctica by Vikram PotdarWhats the story Anticipation of the movement of animalbird is very important in wildlife photography I was observing the movement of the Gentoo penguins in a penguin colony in Antarctica when I saw them walking on a track in line I had this image in my head and it became a reality in few minutes midday photographer Pradeep Dhivar spotted this tiger drinking water late in the evening two hours after scouring Tadoba National Park The frame he says was possible thanks to the guide who knew of the spot where they waited patiently for half an hour parked around the water sourcePic CourtesyVikram Potdar VikrampotdarcomHis gear Nikon D4 and D 800E camera bodies Nikon lenses 600 mm f4 200400 mm f4 70200 mm f28 2470 mm f28 14 mm f28 Micro 105 mm f28 and GoPro As I shoot birds and mammals I need super telephoto as well as smaller focal length lenses I like to make habitat images with birdsmammals in the frame For that I use wide angle lenses says PotdarDos and Dontsgtgt Only a diehard nature and animal lover and a passionate human being can be a good wildlife photographer gtgtKnowledge of species and their behaviour is a must in making a good photographgtgtAspiring for an awardwinning image should not be the sole purpose of wildlife photography Your images should create awareness and help conserve ecology and wildlifegtgtFor beginners start with a entrylevel DSLR If your interest develops further buy advanced gear as long as you are sure you will devote time for this longterm passiongtgtDo not indulge in disturbing birdsanimals for making an image It is prohibited under the Wildlife Protection ActgtgtWildlife photography is a notsoeasy passionhobby It needs time money passion perseverance skill and endurance gtgtBe ready to travel across different diverse locations and prepare for long waits for a great photograph this could include extreme physical exertion tooTest the above tips on these upcoming tripsFlamingo photo tourSign up for this weekend trip to catch flamingoes in their natural habitat at Sewri Jetty Organised by Wildnest the trip is specially designed to help photographers capture flamingoes and learn about their habits and habitat while spotting other migratory birdsOn February 21 7 am to 9 amAt Sewri Jetty Call 9967056674Bird watching at SGNPJoin Dr Parvish Pandya an associate professor in Zoology and a consultant with Sanctuary magazine for a special workshop which will combine practical birdwatching with a special lecture on identifying speciesOn February 28 6 am At Sanjay Gandhi National Park Borivli Entry Rs 650 Age 10 years onwards Log on to SgnpmaharashtragovinDancing Frog micrixalus uttaraghati by Saurabh SawantPic CourtesySaurabh Sawant SaurabhsawantinWhats the story A dancing frog which is only found in fast flowing streams in the Western Ghats of Amboli and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra isnt an easy find It is as tiny as your thumbnail and kicks its male competitors in the mating season to assert its dominance mdash part of territorial display I had to lie down in one such stream filled with leeches in the monsoon after combing for this tiny beauty and then wait for an hour to get the shot But it was worth the effort because it speaks of a unique behaviour of the family this species belongs toHis gear Canon 700D APSC sensor and Canon 6D full sensor camera bodies Canon 100 mm f28 macro lens and three other lenses between super wide Sigma and Tokina 10 mm to Tamron tele 600 mm filters for landscapes diffused canon LED external lights Benro tripod and Manfrotto heads and 32 GB Extreme Sandisk memory cardsA diffuser provides better control over exposure and lighting than a direct popup flash Benro tripod and Manfrotto heads provide my equipment the stability it needs The tripod goes completely flat on the ground with a removable central column and can capture really low angles he saysWildlife photography essentials for beginnersLens Focal length A wide angle lens 1855 mm or 24105 mm and zoom lens 250300 mm Combo kits of 1855 mm and 55250300 mm are good for beginners Aperture range Opening aperture of f4 telephoto and f35 wide angle for those on low budget else f28 are the bestMust have Image stabilisation or vibration reduction and fast focussing motors Buy the latest upgraded versions and check for weight and minimum focussing distance less the betterMust avoid Inexpensive third party lenses adapters extension tubes or filters If buying cheap lenses with long focal lengths but higher aperture openings like f8 always get those under warrantyTripodMusthaves Tripod that can carry and be stable with your longest lens mounted on it The tripod head should be compatible with your lensesSpecial Removable column tripods can go flat on ground monopod with leg supportMust avoid Cheap too light aluminum tripods from lesser known brands with plastic makeExtrasMusthaves Camouflaging clothes cap and trekking shoes mosquito repellents rain protection gear and binoculars 7X or 8X magnification is recommended for birding binoculars with larger objective lens weigh more but gather more lightMustavoid Brightcoloured clothes deodorant etcCameraMust have Wellbuilt environmentally sealed body dust protection and water resistant bodies have longer life external auto focus button instead of halfshutter release at least 56 frames per second higher the better quick controls on one side of the body two different dials for aperture and shutter speed higher shutter speed more lens compatibility full HD recording RAW image format and 11 AF points or moreMust avoid Megapixel myths unless you want to create very large prints Pay attention to sensor size higher FPS and ISO rangeSpecial features GPS WiFi two card slots touchscreen liveview shooting tiltable displayAccessoriesMusthaves Extra batteries or battery grip lens caps UV or clear filters external flash cleaning kit padded camera bag long cloth to cover during safaris or on the field a carry bag that can fit two camera bodies at least threefour lenses and comes with rain coverSpecial GND Graduated Neutral Density filters ND polariser filter triggers diffusers remote cable shutter release intervalometers and eyecupMust avoid Third party cheap batteries in your camera or flashes extension tubes or adapters without review cleaning kit liquids on your equipment use cloth or brush onlyApps for wildlifeeBird by Cornell LabRecord all your bird sightings with photographs as well as details like GPS locations and share them with thousands of birders and researchers around the world Though it doesnt have many takers in India if you wish to play a larger role in bird conservation you can start uploading your sightings and help create a database that can be used for understanding the distribution richness and uniqueness of the biodiversity of our planet All records uploaded on eBird app are also updated on the eBird directory managed by Cornel Lab New York USAvailable for Android OSLog on to EbirdorgIndian BirdsCreated by Thenaturewebnet Indian Birds serves as a pocket encyclopedia of nearly 350 birds spotted in India You can browse birds based on state search using their local names as well as save your favourite locations The only downside is that the app shows too many ads But if you manage to restrict the data usage for the app it works fineAvailable for Android OSLog on to ThenaturewebnetWildlife Sanctuaries of IndiaAnother app by The Naturewebnet it offers basic details about sanctuaries of India Though the information could have been provided in a better way its still worth download to get a basic idea of any Indian sanctuary However if you are visiting either Tamil Nadu Kerala or Karnataka try WildTrails appAvailable for Android OS