How to become a wildlife photographer in India 2021(4 Tips)
Just like any other genre of Photography,Wildlife Photography is a highly attracted genre because of one’s love for nature. Wildlife Photography requires serious practises and knowledge and I am going to share some of the tips that might help you become a wildlife photographer.
So here are 8 tips to become a wildlife photographer in 2021
Learn About Wildlife
See In wildlife photography your main subject is wildlife. So before even learning photography you need to learn about the subject you are going to shoot.If you live in India there are variety of species of wild animals you can find from TIgers to himalyan bear and Black Panthers to Elephants.
But first you need to find out where the differe animals live, Of Course in National parks and you can click them by going on safari.
But when you learn more about their natural habitat like what kind of animals are more active in winters and what kind of animals are active at certain times of the, The chances of getting good shots become higher.
You can get all the information from the web or you can also read a book called Wildlife Atlas.On top of it you can watch the channels like Discovery,Natgeo and Animal planet to explore more about the habitat of the animals and how they live,react and behave in certain situations.
Learn Basic Photography
After learning about wildlife the second step you can think of is learning photography basics like
Aperture,Shutter Speed, ISO, White Balance, How to buy a camera? What are different types of lenses and how to shoot manually.
Once you know the basic term you can always start practising at your local Zoo. In the local Zoo you may not see the animals in their natural habitat but you get to know a lot about them by just watching them. You need to connect with them. Take your cameras and click pictures of them, practice every week, watch your images, analyse and learn from it.
Join Workshops of Wildlife Photographers
Search your favourite wildlife photographers online and look for their Workshops. The one that you can afford. Wildlife can only be practised in Wildlife. You get the real experience by going to a workshop. You will get to learn about the different practises the mindset before the shoot and more about the animals.
Also every photographer has a style of shooting.You can learn from all the other participants as well.Some also provide lenses to you even If you don’t have those big expensive lenses.
Get the right camera and lens
See we always have been told that the right camera is the one you have with you right now.
But when we talk about wildlife photography,everything changes. When you know about the gear and type of genre you are going to shoot, You know what you want and there’s nothing known as show off. It only happens when you do not know how to operate a particular gadget but still you are carrying it just because you can afford it.
For wildlife photography according to me the camera with higher fps suits best and also with good dynamic range and If you want to learn about how to buy any camera? You can watch my latest video.
Talking about the lens now you cannot shoot the wildlife with a wide or macro or a prime lens.
You need a telephoto lens because you don’t want to get close to the lion I guess. So telephoto or super telephoto lenses are required when you are out in the field shooting wildlife.
How to earn money from wildlife?
The most common question asked by beginners is How they can earn from their craft ?
Let me tell you straight forward No one’s gonna pay you to click photos of wild animals.But if you can turn it into a business model You can earn through it.
So here are few possible ways to make money from Wildlife Photography
- By selling prints
- By Selling Photo Books
- Selling Photos on Stock Websites
- By Participating in Competitions
- By Direct selling your photos into an art gallery
This can only happen if your photos stand out and for that you need to practise alot and a lot of practise requires a lot of time and a lot of money.
We cannot deny the fact that Wildlife photography is an expensive hobby and you need cash flow to sustain. If you are financially stable go for It. If you are struggling you should get another job say it as a full time commercial photographer and practise your Wildlife photography craft on the side.
This will make you both financially independent and you will be able to do the work you wanted to do.
Conclusion :
To become a successful wildlife photographer It’s all about getting in touch with the right mentor. These were the few tips I would give any beginner and once you are in touch with the right mentor who is already doing it then Go for it and work hard to achieve your goals. You need to be disciplined. You need to show up every day to work to learn something new about the gear, skill or even the animals. Make sure to enjoy the process.
