Six Secrets To Successfully Photograph Large Animals

There have been so many trends come and go in Nature Photography, even more when you look at wildlife photography. Ideas about what makes a ’good’ picture, styles that were once considered cutting edge are now mainstream, while others previously considered standard may have all but disappeared. 

Then there are the improvements in equipment. These advancements have reshaped the kind of images that we can now create. We have moved from manual focus to near-perfect autofocus modes, we have moved from film and worrying about ASA to digital cameras with ISO capabilities that are constantly improving. Then there are the sensors. Remember when we all thought 5Mb was mind-blowing? Well, here we are flirting with 50Mb to 100Mb sensors. 

But out of all the advancements, it's the frames per second that have had the largest impact on wildlife photography. Nowhere can that be seen more than with birds in flight and the nuances of movement we can now capture in large animals. Large animals are the rockstars of the wildlife community and the species that get the most attention from professional photographers to casual wildlife tourists on holiday. 

Wildlife photographers will travel thousands of miles to spend weeks capturing dramatic images of polar bears and African lions but wouldn’t walk across the street to photograph squirrels. These creatures have big teeth, big antlers, big horns, and big personalities to fit a big physical presence. 

As a photographer, you really want to show something unique about these animals and how they live their lives. Try to express in an image how they interact with their environment and each other. How they hunt and catch food, maybe you want to photograph their courtship ceremonies and how they play. 

Identifying these characteristic behaviors will start when you are doing your research and pre-visualization before your trip. Once you have created that wish list of photos on your phone, it's always best to talk with people that have been there before you. 

Ask them questions about the behavior. Ask them how to identify each of the behaviors, and learn as much as you can before you are standing in front of them while on your trip. I can't stress enough, and you've heard me say this repeatedly during this video series. Do Your research, ask your questions, and practice the techniques so you are not left fumbling when the big moment to take your photos arrives. 

The following are our six secrets for success when you are attempting to capture large mammal images. 

1 – With large animals, we often try to employ as low a perspective as possible so that I am slightly shooting upward. It's as if I am getting them up on a pedestal and showing respect. That's a subliminal message I'm sending to my viewers. These animals deserve respect and honor, a high perspective shooting down on your subject does the opposite, not the message or feeling I want to convey.

2 – Animals such as bears, lions, and gorillas, just to name a few, are very expressive animals, so you always want to look for opportunities to create compelling wildlife expression if you're fortunate enough to get close in a safe manner. This style doesn't quite work with smaller animals and birds since they don't have the facial gestures and expressions the same way big animals do. Long lenses with lots of reach (400mm 500mm and 600mm) are necessary for these close-ups and for full body images for environmental portraits, a 70-200mm zoom lens is a perfect complementary lens. Many of these large mammals are dangerous to approach too closely; keep your distance, and maintain a healthy respect for all large mammals whenever you encounter one. 

3 – Always leave space around the animal – It’s very easy to fall into the trap of seeing an animal and immediately wanting to take ALL the closeups. But stop and take a look around. What else is in the scene? This approach can really help you if you’re a beginner and you don’t have a very powerful zoom on your camera.

You’ve heard terms like “Tell a Story” and “Create a Sense of Place.” I want you to think of it this way. You are potentially thousands of miles from home, in an environment your friends and family will never see. There are these potentially huge, dramatic landscapes where these large animals live. How will you capture this animal in this environment that will communicate to the people back home what you are seeing? Channel your inner landscape photographer and identify a composition, then wait for the large mammal to enter this scene. 

4– Pay Attention To Your Backgrounds – Often, you’re at the mercy of where the animal is positioned and where it’s safe or permitted to be located. But it’s important not just to look at the animal itself but also at what’s in the background: if there’s something messy or distracting behind your subject, it will draw the eye away and confuse the viewer. So if you can reposition yourself just a little, you’ll often get a much better image by just taking the time to check the backgrounds before clicking the shutter.  

Being able to control your aperture will help in this situation – if you can use a wide aperture to create a shorter depth of field and a nice blurry background, the animal will stand out much better. You can refer back to the camera gear and lens segments to read about the types of lenses we suggest. 

5 – Head Up and Feet on Display – At the beginning of this post, I talked about advancements in camera and lens technology. These advancements make it easier to capture an esthetically appeasing body position. You want the head up vs. drooping down as if it was grazing. You want at least one of the feet raised vs. burying the legs and feet behind grass or a mound. 

6 – Scan the edges of the frame – Large mammals can have longer appendages than you anticipated. Think of a large tail of a cat or the trunk of an elephant. When you are photographing a large animal, it’s always best to scan the four edges of your frame to make sure that you are not cropping out these elements. It sounds easy enough, but think back in your photography – How many times have you done this? A quick moment to just scan the frame and zoom back will eliminate frustration after the encounter is over. 

There are lots to consider when photographing large mammals. It takes time and practice to perfect the art of photographing them. As you can see, you have lots of options. When you get the opportunity, try them all, and choose which ones you like when you are reviewing your images at the end of the day.

Before you close this post, let's recap my six success secrets for photographing large mammals. 

1 – Photograph from a low perspective to enhance the size of the animal

2 – Watch for expressions in the face of the animals to create a more impactful image

3 – A nice animal portrait is nice, but creating room around the mammal can be impactful 

4 – Pay attention to your background. Adjust your position if you can. 

5 – Capture the large animal with its head and feet on display

6 – Scan the edges of your frame to ensure you are not cropping anything off.

Why dont you consider joining us on one of our wildlife workshops? See all our wildlife trips here.