One of the thrills of being an aspiring photographer is the opportunity to take photos of wildlife. And being that I live in Colorado, the opportunity comes up quite a bit, especially when I have the time to be patient.  And it helps to be in the right place at the right time as well or at least prepared in case you are presented with an opportunity that you just can’t pass up.

Tips to perfect your wildlife photography skills:

• Practice Makes Perfect – Practice your skills in places such as wildlife parks, the zoo, or animal welfare centers. This essentially allows you to expand your comfort level and get a feel for adapting your camera techniques to different animals and their behaviors.

• Be prepared and Be Ready – If out in nature, always have your camera handy and ready to go. You never know when an animal is going to present itself.

• Pay Attention to Detail – make sure the background before which you are shooting your subject is suitable. If the animal is in the wild, is it camouflaged, or does it stand out? If the animal is in an enclosure, try and shoot the subject at a preferred angle so that the environment is not visible.

• Carry the Ideal Equipment - to catch wildlife in its natural habitat it is good to have a variety of lenses for any circumstance. A long telephoto zoom is good for general animal photography. A macro lens with 1:1 magnification for close ups comes in handy for small creatures and bugs. And don’t forget to throw a long telephoto prime lens in your bag for taking photos of birds.

• Know your subjects – Know where the animals are most likely going to be, know when they are most active and most importantly – know and understand the animals’ comfort zone with people. Remember, closer is always better – from a photographic perspective.

So the next time you venture out, and think that there may be a possibility of catching wildlife in its habitat, make sure you are prepared.

I’m SJ, otherwise known as the Colorado livin’, free spirited, music lovin’, compassionate, tatoo’ed, wild mannered, outdoorsy, sharp and entertaining gal who has a photographic eye to boot. I can be found at And All the Jones Men on most days where I can be myself and let it all hang out. In a nutshell, it’s my personal story of my life living with three boys.