Photographing at Bhindawas Lake

Every now and then as a photographer there is always an urge to back to photographing something that got you into the art. I started out photographing landscapes and wildlife and with time I have managed to add people as well to my arsenal. The funny thing when I started shooting people I photographed them like I photographed wild animals - with a telephoto lens and from a distance. Over time my style has started to change and now I find my self shooting a lot with wide-angle primes (people and landscapes). However, that urge to shoot with an extreme telephoto and the want of shooting wildlife got me off my bed early in the morning on a holiday and made me drive nearly 200 KM in a day. My destination Bhindawas Lake the mission - Re-energize myself.

The lake is home to migratory birds in the winter though it is not yet the season, (The season starts mid November and is till mid February - That's when the migratory birds come to the lake) but still driving down  roads with farms on either side and then spending time in the wilderness was worth the effort. I also got lucky and managed to spot a "Spotted Owl" which was like icing on the cake. Of-course the usual suspect of Egrets and field Egrets were around and clicking them was also fun. We also spotted a tortoise crossing the road. They are lot faster than I imagined them to be!

Though one might consider wildlife photography very different from photographing people which is true to some extent. However, after having studied lighting I think I can clearly say, the two fields interact with each other many times over than one might imagine  Another thing I tried this time was a panorama with a 500 mm Lens. Here is a sample of some of the pictures

The landscape photos have been taken with a kit lens. So all you want to reconsider argument I cant take great photos with kit lens again!!!

Spotted Owl

Spotted Owl

Rice

Green Bee Eater

Egret

Insect

Tortoise

Lanscape

Photographing Wildlife

Photography is an art-form and the more you shoot the better you get. It is essential that you prepare for a shoot with skills, knowledge and paying attention to detail. This applies to all forms of photography not just wildlife. You can take these same principles to street portrait or location photography. (More on this later)

Here are some of the things you need to keep in mind when you shoot wildlife. 

1. Most wildlife activity takes place early in the morning or late in the evening. During the day not so much. Even if you do find something during mid day the light is very hard. Keep that in mind when you photograph.
2. Knowing the gear, the settings and preparing for the shot. Unlike portrait where you hire a model and practice wildlife does not have an agent you can call to set up a shoot. The next best thing is to shoot street dogs, pets or visit you local zoo. Take the gear you are likely to shoot with and practice. Take shots and see what worked what did not. The camera should become an extension of your hand. You should be able to dial the shutter speed, ISO, f-stop, white balance while keeping in mind composition rules. When you are out in the wild you need be mentally prepared for the moment. (A personal anecdote) The fist time I saw a tiger in the wild, I could not photograph it. My hands were shaking, I was in awe of this majestic creature and the shots I took were blurry. The second time I did spot one, the same feeling again caught hold of me but because I had some practice under my belt I could pull this shot off. On this shoot there was a friend of mind who came along and we went blank for a moment on his settings.
3. Choice of clothing. This is as important as the others. Get something comfortable. Don't wear clothes that make a lot of noise. Materials which rustle when it rubs against itself, velcro are good things to avoid. Why you may ask, if you happen to be in the middle of your shot and you move, the rustling of your clothes disturbs the animals, the shot is lost. When it comes to colours there are some which agitate the animals don't wear those. Muted colours and colours which blend into the foliage or background are a good way to go. Definitely avoid striking colours.
4. Know the species you are about to shoot. Study is behaviour, its eating patterns, where its most likely to be there. Scout locations if possible or go with people who have scouted the locations already. 
5. Patience. Last but not least you'll need plenty of this. Avoid going out with people who don't have this. They will not only ruin your shot but also reduce the possibility of you getting the shot.