The Best Place To Shoot Wildlife Is Not Always In The Wild

Wildlife photography can be tough. Animals and birds can be seen in the distance, and when you get to the area they suddenly seem to disappear. However, there is more to wildlife than just the countryside (or national parks etc as we call them here). Today we will look at ideas for capturing wildlife, other than out in the actual wild.

“A Change Is As Good…”

I’ve been taking wildlife photos for decades, most of the time out in the countryside, where deer roam, birds of prey fly high and there is not a human around for miles. We are lucky here in Wales though as we have some high park areas such as Brecon National Park, and huge woodlands and nature preserves where we can spend hours walking and taking in the natural beauty of the area, while also keeping an eye out for the wonderful wildlife.

I’ve shared hundreds of photos on this website and previous websites of birds and animals taken out in the wild, but also shared a few taken in more curated areas. It doesn’t matter where you take these photos, the challenge is often the same as even in curated areas, there is still a lot of land, and animals rarely come out to play just for you.

“The Best Place To Shoot Wildlife Is Not Always The Countryside…”

Here are five examples of areas where you can photograph wildlife, without having to do what I do in the winter months (trudging through woodlands and the like).

• Your garden – Don’t dismiss the power of your garden (or your neighbours garden), as this can be a prime place for wildlife of all types. Depending on the time of year you may be lucky to see everything from foxes and hedgehogs, through to Sparrow Hawks and a whole host of birds, many of them quite rare. For me, these are the things I can see regularly in the garden, and it gives you great practise in photographing different animals. 

• A local canal or river bank – You’ll be surprised at the wildlife you can find walking alongside once used canals (now just countryside walks) and riverbanks. Only last year I photographed Kingfishers alongside a canal, and seen porpoise’s swimming up the estuary. Of course you’ll also see a lot of birds and other wildlife, and get plenty of opportunities to capture wildlife.

• An organised birding event – Although you may think it is cruel, or cheating to photograph at an organised birding event, most bird sanctuaries are there to rehabilitate birds and animals injured in the wild or in need of protection. I have seen many photographers try and fail to capture a great image at one of these shows, as these birds can fly really fast! However, because you are given a window of time, you get some amazing practise at photographing birds in flight.

• A zoo or farm – While a zoo offers more exotic animals, it is farm’s where you can really benefit from visiting and capturing beautiful birds. Of course, capturing monkeys and giraffe’s in a zoo is also a lot of fun. And at the end of the day, photography is meant to be fun.

• Demolished groundworks – Believe it or not, if you live near areas where there has been demolition of old factories and other works, you have a good chance of spotting birds of prey, rabbits, foxes and other animals. Where there are nooks and cranny’s, you’ll find plenty of rats and rodents, and of course you’ll find plenty of other animals hunting for them. It also gives you a great backdrop to photograph around, a bit different to normal wildlife photography.

“Equipment Needed”

I’ve written plenty about what gear to use for birds and wildlife. If you want inspiration download the free “Adventures In Photography” magazines on this site. There are many avid wildlife photographers in that magazine, using all sorts of cameras (their camera is listed next to their photos). As you can see, there is no single camera type, and everything from Nikon P950 cameras through to Canon 5D cameras and more are used. And remember to take a pair of binoculars with you, and just spend time admiring the beauty of the animals.

“Conclusion”

The idea of this article is to get you out and photographing wildlife. You do not have to think that you need to go to a huge nature reserve, or the nearest woodland (I’m surrounded by it, so lucky!), there are other options. Capturing birds and wildlife is a joyful experience, and no matter what you capture with your camera, you can be proud of your images.

Just get your camera out and shoot, even if it is through your kitchen window. Wildlife photography is for everyone to enjoy.

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My name is Mark G Adams and I run Photography By Mark G Adams. I am a professional photographer from South Wales, shooting weddings, events and portraits as well as running meets and workshops. For fun I like to shoot landscapes, wildlife and occasionally do street photography. Enjoy my website as I share my knowledge learned over decades of working and having fun in photography. Feel free to like, comment and subscribe!
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