Wildlife Photography Presentation - Best Techniques

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This video is a little different. I was invited to be a keynote speaker for the Chicago Area Photography School and this is the presentation I gave. Yes, it’s long - about 2 1/2 hours - but it’s jam-packed with tips, techniques, and advice.
When I put this presentation together, I chose topics and techniques that have had the biggest impact on my own photography - as well as the photography of those that I’ve coached both online and in workshops.
So, if you have the time, I think you’ll find it worthwhile. Enjoy!

[@backcountrygallery]

Have nature and wildlife photography questions? Check out the BCG Forums! Ask and answer gear and technique questions questions, post photos and more. Check it out and sign up today! bcgforums.com/index.php Bonus - I also post exclusive tips, tricks, and techniques to the forum you can't get anywhere else! Check it out!

[@oBradda]

Around 1:35:00 you mention again good reasons for using Manual Mode with auto ISO, I don't understand why you wouldn't use Shutter Priority with auto ISO (on a user profile if possible), they're functionally the same until you bottom out your ISO and then you have the automatic aperture headroom (for when you happen to be running a lower shutter in low light and forgot to change it when the light increases) Nikon defaults to the lowest ISO before it closes the aperture so unless you're regularly wanting less than fully open aperture it's not worth fiddling with? Thanks for the wealth of information on this video and your many others!

[@backcountrygallery]

@@oBradda The problem with shutter priority is that if my shutter speed isn't high enough, I end up with shots at F/8 or F/11 (or worse) if I'm not paying attention - or when tracking an animal and it gets into brighter light. On the other side of it, I don't always want the lens wide open - which is what happens when the camera is dipping into ISO - even if it's only ISO 200. M + Auto ISO allows me 100% control over F/stop and shutter speed at all times. The camera can't touch them and I can set exactly what I want. :)

[@oBradda]

@@backcountrygallery Thanks for the insight. I definitely see the need when you want a select aperture! In the situation where the camera would have over-exposed (slow shutter setting and minimum ISO) would you rely on 'blinkies' to remind you to up your shutter speed as light changes? Or is that just poor planning and you've missed the shot? I think personally I don't run into these problems often as I don't have fast enough glass to be worried about running out of low end ISO! Though if I did it's probably similar to the highest ISO setting decision. I'd rather have an f11 shot of a unicorn than over an over-exposed, washed out one, but that's just my preference.

[@backcountrygallery]

@@oBradda The reality, at least for me, is that I usually don't run into that scenario. Most of the time, I'm using long glass and I'm always trying to bump my shutter speed when possible. The real trick is the other way - running out of ISO. That's where you have to keep an eye on things to make sure you're not hitting whatever you have set as the maximum ISO.

[@oBradda]

@@backcountrygallery Running out of ISO is definitely the more common problem! Thanks again for the replies, every bit of reasoning from people like you who have been doing this for years helps those of us who are beginners!

[@n1k1george]

Only Steve Perry can keep me glued to the screen for 2.5 hours watching a KZbin video!

[@backcountrygallery]

Thanks for the kind words :)

[@kennypringle4580]

I follow quite a few photogs, Steve in amongst the top. I think that myself being brand new to his forum he should fly me out to his place and take me on a 4 day wildlife shoot. After all we’re kinda like friends now, ...... kinda🥴🤷🏻‍♂️

[@krpiotr]

Great and very inspiring presentation. Thank you :)

[@arupdutta7821]

Totally agree

[@hermansurkis9229]

Getting down to eye level is easy. Getting back up is a whole other discussion.

[@backcountrygallery]

LOL, I've heard that a time or two (and experienced once or twice)!

[@uaebifvideo5472]

Just take a nap then try again !!👍

[@TomReichner]

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. Most of the time I see an animal I want to photograph, I find the right position and plop down in a prone position (provided the vegetation is low enough to allow for a clean los-angle image). When it is time to move, getting back up is easy. So easy that I don't even think about it. If you have a difficult time getting up off the ground, then you may have some physical maladies that you should probably get checked out. For a normal, healthy person, getting up from a prone position is not difficult at all.

[@alanwood5590]

Herman Surkis it's where a tripod comes in really handy - you can use it to climb back up again!

[@TomReichner]

Real wildlife photographers hike miles each day in steep terrain, wade across fast moving creeks and swamps that want to suck your boots off, push their way through impossibly thick vegetation, and do all of this carrying 20 to 30 pounds of gear. How could someone who does all of that on a daily basis have trouble getting up from a prone position? Seriously?

[@nealeblackburn6019]

Consistently one of the most watchable and relatable and accessible experts in his field. Not only does he know his stuff but he communicates it brilliantly.

[@generaltso9402]

This is the best and most comprehensive bird/wildlife photography video I've found on youtube.

[@Marco_Wildlife]

2.5hours of Steve Perry being Steve Perry, feels like Christmas day. Awsome

[@dr.normanklack9111]

I have watched this video a few times and make a point to come back to it at least twice a year as a reminder of the fundamentals of wildlife photography since I'm only able to get out once or twice a week. Thank you Steve for posting this and all the work you put into your videos and books from your website.

[@doderiolarkisso4038]

This man is an international treasure. I learned so much about my D750 that i never even heard of before, and can now use it to my advantage. Thanks Steve!

[@melbies]

I just started watching..... was there a dress code for your presentation? No hair allowed? :)

[@JDLVHIGHROLLER]

LMAO

[@danielmanning7689]

🤣🤣🤣

[@robwasnj]

HAHA, before even seeing this I took a screen cap and sent it to a friend as a joke saying " I have too much hair to be a professional wildlife photographer".

[@melbies]

@@robwasnj haha nice one!

[@thethreeislands]

Well retired people have the most time, so a lot of people take up wildlife photography around retirement age

[@leroy5007]

Out of all the videos I've watched in 2019 this has by far been the best. Outstanding presentation and information, you're awesome.

[@Chilton3D]

I’m the process of watching this and I think it’s absolutely fantastic that you’ve put all of this video on KZbin! Many youtubers show the first 10mins then lock the rest on there website for a payment. Fantastic! Keep this up!!! 👍🏼

[@joakimolsson1024]

Best, most complete guide i have seen to date. I just hope not too many other folks sees this guide making my shots look more average ;)

[@kacpermichno]

Mr Perry. Your photographs are beautiful and the fact that you shared all this experience and knowledge so selflessly is something truly wonderful. Thank you so much.

[@dychui]

I watch this multiple times a year - thank you so much for sharing these invaluable tips !

[@chrisangel625]

Loved the black and white picture

[@boatman222345]

Excellent video! Having purchased all of Steve's incredibly useful eBooks and having watched all his videos I'd been exposed to all of the material covered already but I found having it all together in one video really helped. Anyone out there who hasn't already tried back button focus should give it a try! It has literally revolutionized my wildlife photography and greatly increased my keep rate.

[@DrSarahS]

Thank you for your generosity in sharing this. Incredibly helpful!

[@intelligentcomputing]

You're the best, Steve! Thank you for sharing this free of charge!

[@merkin22]

Your content, Steve, is so great. I watched this after reading a few of your books, and then hearing what I learned from you (in your engaging and clarity rich style) just cemented so much of what I'd already been taught in your writing and reinforced my in field attempts to put it into practice. And it was free! Thanks. Love your work -- photos AND teaching!

[@robwasnj]

At the time of watching I see there are 49,877 more enlightened photographers. This is a good watch even for those with experience and even though I was aware of 90% of what was covered it doesn't hurt to have it reinforced, sometimes I think we all forget. I will mention for anyone that reads my comment the focus portion of the video was specific to Nikon cameras and while most of it holds true across brand some of the things are definitely different when using Sony mirrorless systems. A big one is how on a DSLR the lens opens up for focus on each exposure whereas depending on your settings and focus mode (AFS vs AFC) it will open to varying degrees on mirrorless. Another biggie is animal eye AF which is way more viable than I would have ever imagined. Anyways, excellent presentation, those that are lucky enough to find it will take the fast lane to learning many things I found out from trial and error in the field. One of the best tips in here is get out to your local park and shoot all the time, practice practice practice! Gulls and common birds can really be your friend when you're learning so when the rare star of the show comes along you don't blow the shot.

[@photoinshot1355]

Wow and thanks, a master class in photography and for free! I used to enjoy getting out and the experience of photography but now with a little practice based on your teaching I might enjoy reviewing the results just as much. Thanks again.

[@TaiwanisMoving]

I think loving your subjects also is the driving force that gets you out of the house and capturing them. It's what gives you the willpower and patience to wait for that perfect shot, by sitting in the dirt or the rain or jumping trekking through the forest or jungle.

[@seemyworld1]

Great job. Loved the split screens to show us a good version of the photos. Thanks for putting this on youtube for free.

[@marcusslade9804]

Thanks for making this available, Steve. Set the laptop up on the kitchen counter, got some Christmas baking done and thoroughly enjoyed this...and my wife says I can’t multi-task 😜

[@devinray]

Excellent work Mr Steve Perry!!!! I learned so much more. A pleasure from start to finish. Keep up the amazing work. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@arnebischoff6732]

Thank you for sharing, Steve! I couldn't agree more with your No. 1.

[@ethanboggio3314]

Im watching this over and over again while I'm in the woodshop. Steve is not one of the best. HE is the best!

[@truckingpix]

thank you, I will definitely be watching this video several times!!!

[@michaelingledew]

I’ve watch loads of videos trying to find the best approach for sharp, quality wildlife shots. This is the best presentation I have seen and backed up by solid examples by someone who knows what he’s talking about. Going to give your suggestions a whirl this weekend!! Thanks for sharing and I’m only a little jealous about some of the amazing images you have captured.

[@antonoat]

I like how you talk to people Steve, your explanations are precise and clear too. Fabulous presentation, I have to admit I knew most of the stuff you covered because I've been following you for some time and I've put your theories into practice and they just plain and simple work!

[@captandy34449]

Great video Steve. I did not think I would watch the whole video in one sitting but once I started I could not put it down. Outstanding as always. Thank you.

[@davewomack2216]

I made myself watch the presentation in one sitting. Yes it's long, but I'm retired and stayed up late to do it so I could try some of his techniques the next day. fun stuff that works.

[@Bringisen]

Thank you. One of the greatest video of wildlife Photography I ever see. So many Great tips.

[@juliawintermoyer8418]

Tons of great information, the longer I watched the better it got. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@ilovephotography1254]

Steve, thanks for the countless hours of knowledge that you have shared. I feel that your photography is an inspiration not only to those who are photographers, but those who appreciate nature and wildlife. One comment I wish to add, you had mentioned early in you presentation that you had received a bit of criticism for you auto mods. You truly are an Artist. Art is a form of expression. An artist should pic the tools that he/she they are comfortable using. I don't care if the choices are to finger paint or fine art brushes. It's the expression that counts. Additionally, those who are critical most likely haven't journeyed to the back country in the pre dawn hours, threw the snow in minus freezing conditions. Best Regards

[@backcountrygallery]

Thanks for the kind words :) And I agree with what you say about using the tools to get the job done. It's important to know how it all works / thinks, but there are times auto gets you there faster :)

[@CultureAgent]

Thanks Steve and all who cleared it for us to see. This is a bit of a festive prezzie.

[@antonoat]

Great video Steve. I've been shooting wildlife with Nikon for 30+years and I absolutely concur with the advice you've given here. A great free gift for those wanting to shoot wildlife!

[@buticks]

Thanks Steve I learnt so much, no doubt I will have to watch it again to let it 'sink in'.

[@nigammachchhar7494]

Thanks Steve, as always good THE GOOD ONE!!!

[@thomastuorto9929]

Excellent, excellent, video!! Thank you for putting this up.

[@wildlifesnapper1]

Comprehensive and produced by someone who knows his wildlife and how to capture it :-)

[@uaebifvideo5472]

You've put a lot of work in this lecture, one of the best ,if not the best ever seen !!thank you,Steve !!👍👍👍🌷🌷🌷

[@bio7021]

Oh my gosh ! I loved this ... so,so helpful. I can always count on you for great information... thanks so much👍

[@odarrien]

Excellent presentation. Will be coming back to this a few times.

[@tammyfoular3073]

After watching this video I tried a lot of your tips. It has helped me so much. It completely changed my whole approach. Thank you. I will not only be following you from now on but I will also recommend you to my brother who is also a photographer and anyone else who will listen. Thanks again.

[@chrisroot7182]

Wow! Great presentation, learned something even though I have already watched your tutorials and read your e-books.! That 2.5 hours zipped by! Thanks Steve!

[@longrider9551]

V releases like this are all proof of life at Nikon, it shows they aren't sitting back and relying on one big splash like the Z9.

[@randyyaple7534]

Thanks for such a great Presentation Enjoyed it very much Happy shooting

[@Wklambert]

Oh man.... A fair amount of these photos were taken, within an hour of where I live. Some are literally in my back yard! I shoot at these exact same locations, over and over again. Talk about inspiration... Thank you for this material!!!

[@grlemond]

Brilliant presentation - thanks!

[@mickmckean7378]

Awesome presentation Steve, great tips and I really like how well you get your message across.

[@MikeJamesMedia]

Excellent, Steve! (I've been following you for about 4 years now, and always enjoy the way you do things.) Beautiful shots in your presentation, proving what you've said!

[@SenJacob]

Thanks for sharing the best comprehensive tips presentation!

[@EdwardKilner]

Well worth the time to watch this video. Excellent tips with very enjoyable example images.

[@drewherbi]

easily the best wildlife shooting tip video i have ever seen

[@MrShiffard]

Tons of really clear and concise information Steve. Thank you.

[@johnfuqua1143]

Thank you Mr. Perry enjoyed the presentation very much , needed every minute of it. John

[@abinregy229]

This taught me whole new thing ❤❤.. Thanku so much

[@eesuuorundide]

great comparison! thank you for sharing this information with us.

[@carleckhardt4701]

Very informative and helpful, thank you much.

[@osvaldocristo]

Thank you to offer that lecture. It is appreciated.

[@PedroPerez80927]

A Masterpiece!!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@danieldesilva8454]

Thank you, this is amazing.

[@fjzingo]

Great lecture with tips and tricks.

[@davecasey6213]

Thanks for posting Steve. I have ordered/read all of your ebooks. Great presentation and summary of what I learned there. Keep educating 👍

[@CrazyBlueMood]

Steve thanks for sharing this with wide web, this is a very amazing presentation. Yes, agreed we all need to practice it and improve, but the guidelines and hints you shared are a game changer.

[@nethbt]

His principles apply to all genre of photography as well! Especially in sports and candid/ photojournalistic style. But I guess with these newer mirrorless bodies, you could discard some of his lessons lol...Very good video

[@teresahandley6632]

Thank you....great presentation

[@v2gbob]

Very good talk. I learned a lot of great tips. Beautiful photography, Steve. Thanks for posting this.

[@aussie8114]

Thanks for sharing this Steve.

[@ridealongwithrandy]

I know this is an old vid, and I'm making a comment ... I let this run while charging batteries for many cams and prepping other stuff, and I listened to sort of get my head in the game for tomorrow's shoot in the mountains. Cheers!

[@bill1i2am]

loved it, helped me so much

[@davewomack2216]

Great presentation Steve. Learned a lot from it.

[@gourabguha3167]

One of the best i have seen...learnt a lot. thanks Steve!!

[@benomatography]

This is pure gold! Very nice presentation and great addition to your Ebook!

[@jacobjurg3746]

Great presentation, thank you for uploading!

[@amicx1001]

Wow! Thank you very very much for this!! Awesome

[@ajh5124]

Brilliantly done! Thank you

[@thomas_tam_photography]

Great great video for wildlife photography lesson. Many thanks!

[@glennmiller2103]

So glad I watched that! I now have no excuse for not getting at least 1 good keeper but probably more on a more regular basis.

[@maestroecarlate1888]

This completely changed my understanding of how camera settings work. In college, while I had a photography class during my 3D animation and image synthesis program, we were told strict rules about camera settings like the one to never use the AF mode. My 3 year-confusion is clearer now thanks to your teaching ! The knowledge you have on this subject is unbelievably easy to understand, concise and fun to watch 😁 The idea of having a higher shutter speed really surprised me, I can’t wait to try it next time I go out ! 😉

[@andrespuiggros]

Great! I saw it completly and it was really helpfull! Cheers from Chile!

[@randybocksnick3750]

STEVE- I've heard a lot of this before- But I stuck it out for 2:27 mins! Your the Best STEVE. Randy B.

[@tonyhidalgo3939]

Love your presentation, I'm from 🇨🇷, living in 🇧🇷. Congratulations 👏.

[@nopnop5920]

Wow. This video was EPIC. Thank you! I’m a non-photographer who is going on a safari in South Africa. So I purchased a DSLR and started learning how to make the most of the trip photo-wise. This was by far the best video. Before watching this, I went out for a walk with my cat and practiced taking pictures of him. Most were blurry. Now that I watched the video, I understand why and how to fix. I’ll go out now and see if I can do better with all this knowledge. Thank you! I’ll definitely buy one of your books.

[@skiwealdo1973]

Completely awesome video thank you Steve!!!!

[@photografiaaustralis2131]

Thanks for sharing Steve. Great presentation.

[@slowfinger2]

This is gold. Thanks Steve. Like you I had a Pentax ME Super and a Pentax MX. Great compact cameras. I had a Vivitar 200mm lens. Used that from 1979 to 2001, at which time I got divorced. Never took another picture until 2007 when a friend asked if I wanted his Nikon D50, so he could get the D3. That was my foray into digital. Now shooting with D500.

[@austinhopson9098]

Fabulous info and well explained as to why you make the choices, i love watching your videos and find there is always something there that helps me improve my wildlife photography ... Thanks again and keep them coming Steve kind regards Austin... United Kingdom

[@Fishcamp]

Great video and watched every minute of it. Very informative and breaks down real world scenarios. Keep them coming!

[@leniehulse1621]

Great, great video!!

[@heguiluz]

Thanks for sharing this. It was a great intro to your books and also reinforces them.

[@VioAdri83]

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful seminar. A ton of useful info, very enjoyable to listen to. Very well done and thanks for sharing! Greetings from Hamburg.

[@ericstogner7430]

Steve, Thank you again for your sharing, you have helped me improve my photographic abilities over the last two plus years. Eric Stogner.

[@RussellMcCollom]

That was awesome. Enjoyed it very much. Learned a lot.

[@bryanlong4920]

Nigel, I have absolutely loved this series. It's been amazing watching uou go through so many different stages of emotions and relating them to my own photography. I'm now trying to work out a place in New Zealand to do a much shorter concept! I am guilty of rushing through locations. Thanks for the effort you put in!

[@frankstark3036]

The second half is awesome chock full of actual useful info

[@karunverma1]

Awesome tutorial. Thanks Steve

[@chriscorbin9565]

Totally agree with manual +auto iso. Just about the only way i shoot. Glad you told people it's not a 'set & forget' mode 👍

[@rodschweiger4195]

Wow, I learned so much. Thank you.

[@gregorypeebles6527]

Excellent video! Thanks again for all that you do!

[@johnhouse787]

I love watching this guy out of a lot of the others that are also good. I'm into the Wildlife part of photography and love it, mostly birds of prey.