Becoming A Wide Angle Wildlife Photography Master: Pro Tips

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Have you ever used a wide angle lens for wildlife? Or do you prefer using a telephoto lens?

[@janetkleyn1887]

My 24-120mm is my favourite lens

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

@@janetkleyn1887 Superb lens choice

[@meetree]

Bravo Shem great photography. the best....amazing tips...a ladder ???? Love you mate

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Always innovative 😆 Thanks!

[@GalleryWildUK]

Brilliant! Just cut through the chase on the subject. Some really marvellous photographs I must say. Smashing!

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Many thanks. Shem

[@nickclaytonphotography]

Thank you Shem, a very informative video & food for thought. I’m out in Botswana with Danielle next week, & on one of her recent Q&A sessions this was a question that I asked, about the possibilities of wide angle photography for wildlife. Your suggestions & information have really helped me to think more about this, & my 24-70 F2.8L is definitely in my kit bag. Thanks again, Nick

[@ShemCompion]

Loved sharing these thoughts and tips with you all. Thanks for the lovely comments.

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Thanks Shem!

[@MarisaRautenbach]

Spectacular! Thanks for the share. Will watch this space!

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Thanks Marisa!

[@ronintennessee4013]

Thank you for this wonderful video! It changed the way I think about photography. I'm just a simple backyard photographer who enjoys taking photos of plants and wildlife in my small suburban yard. I always thought that close-up and macro was the way to go. I love how you showed that including the surroundings can add so much to the photos. I never thought about using a fisheye lens until I watched this video. Thanks again!

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Lovely comment thanks Ronin

[@johnclarke1319]

Too short! wonderful.

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Thanks John!

[@lsdustyrhodes]

Beautiful work. And I greatly appreciate your breaking convention to create something special. While I don't do a great deal of wildlife photography, in such cases, I love placing my subjects into a larger environmental context. Wide is the way to go. Greetings from California.

[@ShemCompion]

Subject in the context of the environment is always a good way to get compelling story telling images. Thanks for the compliment. Shem.

[@janetkleyn1887]

Great footage from Mashatu

[@VinaYard]

Very instructive and gives me a lot to think about. Beautiful images; a joy to view.

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Thank you, very happy to get that feedback!

[@baramirm1509]

Thank you for these great tips

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

You are welcome!

[@janetkleyn1887]

Great insight into wide angle photography from Shem!

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Happy to hear that thank you!

[@bijanfotografy]

Priceless tips SHEM ... this will help me immensely ... 💐💐💐

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

That's what we like hearing!

[@janetkleyn1887]

Great footage from Mashatu!

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

It's an amazing place indeed

[@joemisika]

Love it and very straight forward information to help me be a better photographer.

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Thank you Joe!

[@jochenretter]

stunning pictures!

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Many thanks!

[@daniellecarstens8287]

Love this video, techniques learnt from many years in the field.

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Thanks Danielle!

[@itiswhatitis8179]

Very good ideas. I primarily photograph birds of all sizes. This could work well for the large ones and maybe the small ones if I can get really close. Wide angle would set my images apart from my peers. Thank you for the radical idea. I already have a 24 to 105 lens. I just have to try it - nothing else.

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Thank you. Greg du Toit's image of a buff streaked chat in the Drakensberg mountains remains one of the best examples of using a wide angle lens for birds. Because most birds are very small- its tough to make them large in the frame by getting closer - that is the main challenge. digitalphotographycourses.co.za/featuring-award-winning-wildlife-photographer-greg-du-toit/

[@dPico-digitaldurda]

yes agree. so correct. i still working on this myself. am on urban landscape at the moment

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Lovely - an interesting photography genre. Enjoy!

[@kapilbhallafoto]

Interesting perspective

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Tried and tested, for sure.

[@joncothranphotography9375]

Thanks for that perspective! I will try to practice that this week!

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Let us know how it goes 😀

[@TheSafariExpert]

Great tips from a great photographer 🙌🏻

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Thank you Villiers!

[@StevenFinlay]

Great video and gives me some things to think about. Also, what hat are you wearing?

[@ShemCompion]

Thanks Steven. Tilley hats are perfect for protecting me from the African sun.

[@flemmingmorgan1929]

Hi Shem, Flemming here! This is a great video. Really incredible insights and your photos are wonderful! I also enjoyed Danielle’s video and have subscribed! Hope we can do a safari together at Mashatu!

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Hi Flemming, Thank you we are planning a lot more videos for you. Would love to have you at Mashatu - its a wildlife photographers ideal location. Plus we have some exciting news coming up very soon - will share with you when it is 'live'. Shem

[@earleholmes5456]

Very insightful

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Glad it was helpful!

[@GerhardBothaWFF]

Very good points- thank you. Just as I finally bought my new old 500mm f4! I find even taking landscapes with wide angle requires a mind shift. Doing wildlife will be even more fun with wide angle. … thinking….

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Don't sell it! Great lens 😀. But sure, wide angle makes you think out the box. Enjoy!

[@iShootWild]

All pro wildlife photographers always say, get lower and here you say get higher. Very radical idea, but the photos speak for themselves (meaning amazing shots). The wide angle lens would not work for my type of wildlife photography (the real wild wild animals and small birds) since either I will get killed or the birds will fly away trying to get closer to them but I can see this working for insects. Or need a remote control camera/lens, which I think you touched on. Great content!

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Thank you - Its in those very special moments, when you can say- aha, let me get a bit higher in order to get some depth in the image whilst still being safe. In Africa we mostly use safari vehicles and so we can position these on top of a rise to get some height. The main thing is to keep the though possibility in the back of your mind and tae action when that possibility presents itself. My best, Shem

[@capturingnaturewithsandip]

Amazing video with lovely tips

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

This is lovely to hear, thank you!

[@markwalker8374]

I accidentally discovered using wider lens photography with my mobile phone when I went to Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire to photograph gannets and other seabirds. I didn't have a car so walked the 8km from the nearest station lugging my 100-400, camera and other kit only to discover I had left the memory card in the hotel. Photographing nesting seabirds with a phone is quite a challenge not to mention the 2 sec lag between pressing the shutter and the whenever the phone decided to take the shot. After persisting for a couple of hours I came away 5 ok shots when birds drifted close to my cliff line vantage.

[@markwalker8374]

...and two nights ago used the wide angle and turned the phone upside down and rested it on the tiles to get a close up of a Painted Bullfrog hopping around my feet in a cafe in Thailand.

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Now that's dedication!

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Accidents are important when photographing - if you can get safely close to birds (both for you and them), them the possibilities are immense - as often sea birds live in dramatic landscapes and if you can show that landscape, you can create incredibly dramatic images. My best, Shem.

[@Bagorra]

My wide angle lens is a 10-20mm in a DX Nikon camera. For middle distance I use a 18-140mm

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Sounds like you also enjoy wide-angle photography! Happy to hear that.

[@ShemCompion]

Thanks fine if it’s a dx lens. The important thing is to get in close and go wide.

[@ramondelgado05]

Thanks for the great advice

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

You're welcome! Stay tuned for more 🙂

[@GalleryWildUK]

35mm prime or 24mm prime?

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

For wildlife, I seldom go wider than 24 mm - as that causes distortion. Then between 35 and 24mm, that all depends on the scene and the size of the animal in front of you. For Elephants you can get away with 24mm as they are really large. 35mm for lions smaller animals to make them larger in the frame. Shem

[@GalleryWildUK]

@@C4PhotoSafaris many thanks Shem. Really appreciated your reply. I have been torn between the 35 vs 24mm prime dilemma & I think you’ve answered it for me. Many thanks 🫡❤️

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

@GalleryWildUK A pleasure!

[@puffingtonsmythe8690]

What makes it so difficult is that you have to get really close

[@ShemCompion]

In the private reserves of Africa- like in Mashatu, the animals are relaxed enough to get close without any danger to either of you. Of course a photo hide also makes it easier too. Thanks you. Shem.

[@C4PhotoSafaris]

Hope you get to experience it in Africa!