#1: Don't Let Perfectionism Keep you from Shooting Any Photos
Don't let the "rule of thirds" stifle your digital animal photography.

#2: Consider a Compact Camera
A smaller digital camera may make it easier to take photos in the wild.

#3: Snap Quickly and Often
Snap plenty of digital photos to compensate for random animal movements.

#4: Talk to a Park Ranger
Looking to take digital photos of animals in national parks and wildlife reserves? Don't neglect park rangers as valuable source of information on animal behavior.

#5: Don't Just Focus on Animals at a Zoo
Digital photos of peoples' interactions with animals can help tell a story.

#6: Use a Fast Shutter Speed
Compensate for fast animal movements with your digital camera settings.

#7: Don't Be Afraid of Blurring
When up against the right backdrop, a blurred animal might help make an attractive digital photo.

#8: Disable All Camera Sounds
Even the slightest beep produced by your digital camera may scare away wildlife.

#9: Keep the Eyes in Focus
Keep animals' eyes focused and clear in your digital photos.

#10: Avoid Flash
Avoid flash with your digital camera whenever possible to keep animals from getting startled.

#11: Give Your Pet a Toy or Food
Try to keep your pet from noticing your digital camera.

#12: Don't Smell!
Odors can give away your presence to animals, making digital photography more difficult.

#13: Use Your Zoom
Don't scare away animals - use your digital camera's optical zoom to record detail.

#14: Shoot at Different Angles
Varying the angles of your animal and wildlife photos can create interesting effects.

#15: Obey the Don't Feed the Animals Signs
For your personal safety and others', never feed the wildlife!

#16: Use a Polarizing Filter When Near Water
Polarizing filters can reduce reflections that might otherwise overpower images of animals.

#17: Show Some Patience
The best things come to those who wait.

See Also:

@ Digital Photography

General digital photography advice and techniques. What subjects to shoot, how to steady your camera, and getting the most out of your digital camera's features.

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