"Safari Sunset"    - Africa - 2017


​Wildlife Photography requires one key element......a love for animals and nature. If you start with that, you will have the motivation to get up with the sunrise and the patience to sit quietly, awaiting the shot.

​A few quick pointers that I have learned over the years include...
  • Shoot at eye level, when possible. It can make a huge difference in connecting with your subject.
  • Use the magic hour light, around sunrise or sunset to "capture the light". Most animals are active at that time of day, so it works out well.
  • Do your research! Understand the animals behavior so you can prepare and position for the shot that you want, before it happens.
  • DO NOT BE AFRAID to take a shot that differs from the "standard portrait". Include the surroundings and help tell the story.
  • Use a fast shutter speed, when possible, to stop action.
  • Since animals are active at dusk and dawn, be prepared with a larger aperture lens. And a low noise/high ISO camera setting, when available.
  • Use a burst setting to capture multiple frames per second.
  • Have a good autofocus tracking system and focus on the eyes!
Picture
Wild Red Fox - Scavenging in Colorado 2012
Picture
Wild Baboon- Cape Point Africa

"Adopt the pace of nature, her secret is patience."  -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Picture
Wild Cape Buffalo - South Africa
​
Many of these images were taken with an early mirrorless camera(NX300) developed by Samsung which used a Carl Zeiss lens system. Samsung is no longer in that market. I learned the hard way how early adoption of a new system can lead to early extinction.

Today, Canon is my system of choice. The lens glass is top shelf with sharpness and color characteristics few can rival. And the corporate staying power is evident by the powerful systems they are devoting their resources towards. Enter RF Glass and the EOS-R line up.

That said, having imaged wildlife with my 7D Mark II and an EOS R mirrorless, I find that my personal preference is clearly aligned with a DSLR and optical viewfinder. The EOS 1D Mark III, the flagship of this line up, was recently released and acquired. A review will be posted in the coming months.

To obtain equipment reviews and tutorials on my wildlife photography gear, simply refer to my Instagram feed, by clicking on the icon below @wildlife_michaeljames

Picture
Wild Puffin at Machias Seal Island
Picture
Bald Eagle - Canon 1DX III with 300mm F2.8. Hand held shot while boating on the Bay of Fundy.
"Try to tell the story of the wildlife by including their environment in the photo.  Not every shot needs to be the classic portrait print." 
Picture
Puffins on Machias Seal Island off the coast of Lubec Maine - 2021