How I'm Improving my Wildlife Photography this Year (2024)

[@pacmans-world]

Great video Paul, it’s nice to now even the pro’s have to work on it. I’m currently trying to work on not getting overwhelmed by the location and looking for a good area to shot from. 🤦‍♂️

[@pdel7007]

I think we visit the same locations . I'm from North Leeds. I walked around the (new?) lake near the motorway about 2 years ago and was underwhelmed. I will go back for another look. A few years ago I was thrilled to see Red kites at any distance. Now I get them filling the viewfinder at certain locations, so getting them perched , taking off or landing is the new challenge. Also getting a bit more environment in the shot and less of the textbook pose/picture is what I'm after with birds and so getting the environment at it's best as well as a bird in the frame is becoming important.

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Yes, it sound like we do. I agree - it can be really rewarding to shoot with more of the environment. Keep working on it

[@laku4412]

Great advice, thanks :) I've been trying to do more scouting and observation lately, just to see what's where and when. During spring migration, this will change again, as random interesting birds can pop up everywhere unexpectedly. But in winter, when the choice of subjects is limited and the birds often do the same thing over and over again, I found this to result in far better pictures. :)

[@PaulGibbings01]

Last year I bought some polartec fingerless gloves from Mountain Warehouse, they have a kind of hood that you can flip over the top of your fingers, so they are more like mittens. I absolutely love them, while I'm walking around I use them like mittens, then when I take photos I just flip the cover back and they are fingerless gloves and I can easily access all the buttons on my camera. I even used them in sub zero conditions the other week and they kept my hands lovely and warm. As I don't feel the need to take them off, I am also far less likely to lose them.

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Thanks for the suggestion Paul. I've spent countless hours looking at gloves!

[@paulbaldwin2290]

Excellent video realy great footage Paul keep up great work 👏👏

[@johnlindseyphotography1704]

Another great video pal.

[@ianpawson1356]

Knee pads, thought kellingley colliery had shut, looks as though you were going down the mines. Great advice and things to try

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Haha! Doesn't sound like my bag that..

[@CamillaI]

Good work Paul you do have to take care of yourself more when you get older. Camping tonight but in my heated van looking forward to waking up in the field with a coffee ready to go at sunrise 🙂

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Heated Van. My kind of camping..

[@PamMcIntyre-b7b]

I’m really appreciating your videos and I find your thoughts and suggestions very helpful. I’ve been focusing on landscape photography recently in order to improve my wildlife and bird compositions - I’ve found it really helpful and including that environmental piece really helps with storytelling too. I also think it’s time I invested in some knee pads!

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

I think the landscape photography can absolutely help. Yes, I am really enjoying looking more at telling a story... it's an ongoing process

[@StephenCadwallader-31]

Hi Paul great video and photos . Please can i ask where you got your base disc ? tripod for when you are lying down . Dont have a clue what you call it . Thanks

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

I think you mean the 'Frypod'. This was made - it's just a frying pan with a screw fit in the middle for a tripod head. But you can buy them - they are call ground pod or 'skimmer'

[@acjones225]

Thanks Paul 👍🏼 for the knees , I wear snickers workwear pants with built in knee protection pouches. ( knee pads sold separately) Always have done. Got all the pockets as well. Flappy flappy ones as well 😃

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Sounds ideal!

[@QVL75]

Great tips. Thanks Paul.

[@doug11127]

Great video Paul 👍🏻 I am starting to think about more wildlife in the environment shots, especially when you don’t have enough reach to get closer to your subject. I always regret selling my canon 500mm f4 mk1 lens when I see yours. Do you know anyone who could repair it if it went wrong, was considering buying one but a bit wary in case it ever needs repairing as Canon don’t touch them anymore. Cheers Doug

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Great stuff. I don't know anyone who repairs them now. Yes, it's a risk.. and I still have mine!

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

If you like this video, here's a few more ways I've Improved my Wildlife Photography: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e3K3hnajds-Lpbs

[@malaustwick5364]

Hiya Paul, Great little video, with lots of tips. Hope you get to capture that Starling Murmuration 😉 pal.

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

cheers buddy. I hope so too!

[@philipwatson2443]

Hi Paul, I have got a bit lazy recently because i have had recent outings where i have been locations that the wildlife did a no show so i have tended to go to " Hotspots" where i am guaranteed shots e.g birds on a stick shots. really need to push myself more and get the motivation back.

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

That's often the problem. The reliable places are great, but I think we have to try new things too. I hope your motivation comes back!

[@dbphotofilm]

Great stuff

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Appreciate that mate, Thank-you.

[@JoeMaranophotography]

A lot of great advice and oddly a hell of a lot of things I've been thinking myself today (psychic?) Personally I'm focusing on appreciating the urban landscape more. Merging animals and the human landscape together if that makes sense?

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

Interesting..! Yeah for sure - I find urban wildlife fascinating and there's often a lot of opportunity to be creative. It can often tell a story.

[@JoeMaranophotography]

@PaulMiguelPhotography I've become a bit of a species snob so I'm working on remedying that. Plus there aren't any big cats or bears in Norfolk so that helps 😜

[@jackstutts6439]

I'm looking for more scenic sights so my environmental shots are prettier.

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

As in the surroundings for wildlife shots?

[@jackstutts6439]

@@PaulMiguelPhotography exactly. Places with good low angle morning or evening light and backgrounds that aren't just bunch of leafless twigs. Finding those places is part of the challenge and harder than one would think.

[@PaulMiguelPhotography]

That's definitely a challenge. But a good way of thinking. Different approach.