Wildlife Photography: How To Get Close
What you'll learn
- Photographer understands basic and necessary photo gear
- Photographer gains understanding of wildlife sign, sense, habitats, and behaviors
- Photographer learns how to set up for best photos (blinds, hides etc)
- photographer learns techniques for getting close (game calling, food and water, trail cameras etc)
- Photographer learns resources to aid knowledge of wildlife
- Objective: photographer takes great wildlife photos!
Requirements
- Basic camera and photo knowledge is assumed
- SLR, DSLR, or video camera recommended; 200mm telephoto or longer preferred
Description
Wildlife photography is among filming's greatest challenges. At its best, it occurs in wild places and conditions, deals with shy subjects, offers no possibility for shooter-subject communication or direction, and seldom allows "scheduling" for best conditions. Even so, it's not simply random; proper knowledge helps you achieve consistent success in this highly-rewarding pursuit.
This course shows both still photographers and videographers how to get close to living, wild subjects in their natural habitats. The author's 35 years of professional wildlife photography experience are broken into simple and inexpensive ways to help you jump-start your own exciting portfolio. You'll learn to find wildlife "hotspots"; how to build and use natural or portable blinds; how to use animals' senses and behaviors to photographic advantage; game calling techniques; and how to use animal migrations and life cycles for better pictures. You'll learn tricks that produce immediate and stunning results.
This is not a camera class, though equipment considerations are discussed as needed. This class is unique in providing real tips for engaging the natural world on its own terms. You'll quickly discover that such knowledge is far more valuable than owning expensive gear. In fact, using this information may allow surprisingly good imagery with even point-and-shoot cameras.
Whether your interest is making money through publication, sharing through programs, or simply to satisfy your favorite hobby, this wildlife course pays for itself many times over. Take it and make your own great wildlife pictures!
Who this course is for:
- Wildlife and nature photographers, videographers, bird watchers, wildlife enthusiasts
Instructor
![Mike Blair](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 64 64"%3E%3C/svg%3E){kind=avatar}
- 4.4 Instructor Rating
- 61 Reviews
- 214 Students
- 1 Course
Mike Blair has spent a lifetime studying and filming wildlife. With degrees from University of Missouri-Columbia and years of field experience in forest management and entomology, his freelance wildlife writing and photography eventually led to a full-time photography masthead position with Kansas Wildlife Magazine. Twenty years later, Blair switched to video, where he developed, shot, and produced a daily web program called Kansas Outdoors Today. His career freelance wildlife photo credits approach about 100 American magazine titles, along with numerous books, calendars, and cards. Blair has won numerous national photo and writing awards among his professional peers through Outdoor Writers of America (OWAA) and other competitions. He is currently involved with content production for Kansas Public Television.
He is a book author, past syndicated newspaper outdoor writer, past associate magazine editor, and current wannabe country music writer. He's conducted many public photo seminars and programs highlighting his work. Recently retired, Blair continues to film wildlife from his home in Pratt, KS. He is married with two grown children.