6 Wildlife Photography Mistakes EVERYONE Makes! (OK, almost everyone!) 

Which mistake are you the most guilty of committing? Come on, fess up :) (Also, please remember to share this video with your friends)

Good tips Steve, thanks. I will add a caveat when it comes to shooting in National Parks. When the Park (Yellowstone, Glacier, Grand Teton, ...perhaps others) says keep a 100 yard minimum distance from bears and wolves, please do so. Would be great to get closer, but the 100 yard minimum rule was created to not only protect you but to also protect the animals.

Sure I've created more than 6, but those are definitely the top ones.

really good point about the noise and cropping. Haven"t thought of that really, thank you.

Thanks Steve. For many years I say the same thing to myself - "Think background before foreground". Another mistake I make is chimping my shots too much in the field. Particularly a problem at high frame rates or when using pre-burst. Cheers.

I have committed all of these crimes either through inexperience or, at times through necessity. The difference between now and ten years ago is that today when i make one of these 'mistakes' it is almost always out of necessity - ie rare bird in a tangle of branches or not separated from the background or with blinkies in the background. Of course, it is more a 'safety shot' than an award winner but...... However, I find your videos to be of great value because they tend to help reinforce and clarify my thinking when out with my camera.

Another great video. Thank you for taking the time, Steve. You’re the best.

It's always nice to watch your material 👍🏻

This is another excellent video, Steve. Thank you for all of your great work. I have learned a lot from you.

Always great stuff. I’m guilty as charged and still working on upping my photography awareness. I’m also constantly checking my exposure compensation. White birds, dark birds against different backgrounds. Thanks as always for the great tips!

Great video, Steve. Thanks for all the helpful tips.

It is a very informative and great video for every photographer, Thanks Steve for sharing your experience and helping those keen to learn more.

Thanks a lot for the video Steve. Haven't finished watching but couldn't resist writing this. The second mistake correction felt so useful and applicable to many other types of photography as well especially the connection with viewers part. Finished watching and I think this video is a must watch for every photographer. Lots to learn here...

Great video, thank you! It was a strong reminder to pay more attention on these important aspects. I definitely committed all these mistakes last year.

Great session Steve, this Is always inspiring listening to your suggestions 🙏😁

Really enjoyed this. Helpful.

Great video Steve. I learn so much from your wisdom. Thank you.

Yep these are things we should all be conscious about while out shooting or before we even go out shooting! Thanks so much for another great video!!

Thanks Steve. You're right. I've made them all and more than once. Thanks for reminding me. As always great video. Be well.

Outstanding advice as always Steve- thanks

Nice hat! Also, another great video Steve. As always, very informative and on point. Thanks

great photos in this video! i'm sure i committed all of those mistakes today, and will do so again tomorrow. thank you for helping me to be more conscious of them!

Good one Steve, always a pleasure to be reminded of what we should be doing! 👏👍😀

I did all of of them already. Not easy to avoid. But thanks for a remainder.

Really Great stuff! Thank you Steve.

I'll regularly find that i've not specifically checked my settings during the first few frames (doesn't apply if i've deliberately set-up for a shot). I attribute it to excitement - in the moment, i see something, lock on like some sort of sheep-dog, the world ceases to exist beyond the composition, i start to shoot. At some stage my brain comes back and i'll pause and go 'What am i on?' Hopefully, composure regained and some dial twiddling done, i get a second go. All that said, i mainly shoot wildlife opportunistically as i'm trolling around for landscape/environment shots, but it's still a failing that i've yet to fully come to terms with.

Thanks for the great tips again Steve , Awesome. 👍

I am guilty of ALL of the things you mentioned - yet I knew about all of them! I need to really make some changes! This is an excellent video, it's made me stop and think about my photography - and also, I totally love your big cat images - absolutely stunning.

Excellent video. Another setting to watch (if you play around with it) is exposure compensation! I've set my exposure at -0.9 before, changed situations and then taken an underexposed shot

Another great video. Thank you!

All those shots you showed in the video are superb Stevo.

Hello Steve, great tip as always. Thank you.

Great tips Steve, Thanks

Great tips Steve. Thank You

Guilty of all of them! Of the 6 items you mentioned the one I have been focusing on the past year is getting eye level to the subjects and also watching the backgrounds. I know you had a note about getting low to the ground that it may not be possible. In some of the place in South FL I shoot at there are boardwalks so it is a challenge. Thanks again for the very informative video!

Another great video Steve.

Best of the best …. Learned so much from you…. And the results are amazing… when me and friends photograph together we always end up with different looking final results. Thank you!

Great photos Steve and good advice particularly about checking your backgrounds - nice benches behind you though 😂😂.

super tips Steve and thank you

Yep. Done all those, thanks for the video, well done

Great info and tips.

Great tips ! Thanks a lot !

Wonderful tips Steve. I've made all these. Sometimes continue to, lol. Cheers bro.

Excellent !! Thank You :)

Great video Steve and a timely reminder on some key elements of wildlife photography and I have been guilty of falling foul of all of these at times especially the composition , I shoot the 50mp Sony A1 which does have immense cropping power but have become a little lazy as a result .

Being able to shoot at the eye level of subjects or to provide a better background is greatly facilitated by being able to shoot hand held. The very accomplished English wedding photographer, Jeff Ascough, who shoots primarily candids for clients mentioned that he first looks for a background and then for something to happen in the area. Including the selection of the background in the process of choosing where to be to photograph a subject helps a great deal.

Thank you for another great video! We are all aware of these mistakes yet (at least in my case) we continue to make one or more of them because we get distracted with something else. I’m going to put them on a little card and keep it with me every time I go out and shoot!

I should address you, "Professor Perry"…and as much as I have made all these errors and probably still do, perhaps my biggest advance over the years (particularly with respect to my wildlife photography) is that I am increasingly conscious of all of them. A good friend who shares my enthusiasm for your work has a great phrase for those shots that simply aren’t “wall-hangers” or fall short on any of the criteria you describe in the video here: photographic evidence. It has become our go-to description of those non-keepers or problematic shots. Through your work, videos and, especially, books, we continue to learn…and create better photos. Thank you.

I always forget to set up my legs the right way... Yeah, i'm good for 1,2,3,4. Thanks Steve..

Thanks for tips Steve

Photography teaches patience. Great video Steve!

Great suggestions Steve

Steve: Thanks for these tips - I'm guilty as charged on several of these mistakes. Also enjoyed your JoWP webinar yesterday (except for the slow reveal of slide text) - very nice job of compressing the greatest hits from your BIF ebook!

Thanks for sharing another wonderful video like always 👍🤗

Not paying attention to the background used to be my biggest mistake. Now I'm always thinking about it😊

This is so right on.

To be honest, I have a been a bit on the lazy side to calibrate any of my lenses. I only have a day off and just shoot, shoot, shoot. Just ordered the 600mm FL VR and will definitely calibrate it along with the other lenses with my D5 and other 3 camera bodies.

I hear Rose’s voice in my head all the time when I am shooting - Watch Your Background!! - I love it. I wish you guys were doing workshops this year - maybe you could get one together in FL or somewhere in the US this fall?? Just saying……………….

brilliant information really helped me as a novice 😃

Hallo Steve, thank for your great advices ❗ Gratings from Hamburg area, Germany...

I make all of these mistakes, thank you Steve :)

You have pointed out all the mistakes I usually make but in my defence I simply need a longer lens but even used ones need some serious wife pampering to persuade its for the best. 😜 Thank you Steve for another great video.

Great content, as usual. Thanks Steve However decent a photographer I am is, in no small part, due to what I've learned from your videos and books.

So proud to tell you that you already have me from previous videos reliably checking out my bkgd every single time! I may have to live with a less desirable one but, at least, you have me checking it. I'm pretty much perfect there! Now about those other 5... 🤔🤣 Thanks for posting this helpful video!

The being to far away is what I see and read about the most. People will complain about a camera with 20 or 24 megapixels and say it’s not enough for wildlife because they can’t crop, they need 50 or 60 so they can crop down to 20. Their problem is being to far away or not having a big enough lens.

Hundred percent correct especially getting down low, it makes all the difference, the only real problem is getting up again 😂 it’s sometimes a real effort at 70+ yrs 🙄

Guilty m'lud! Mostly I forget to reset EV comp after a series of shots. Then waste time fixing it while that million dollar shot gets away. Thanks for the vid.

Another great video, good reminder of easy mistakes to make. As far as missing a shot because you don't have your eye to the viewfinder, I find that there are tines when I don't mind missing a photographic opportunity because I just want to enjoy watching the animal, behavior etc. We recently watched a lioness hunt and both my husband and I got a series of pretty cool photos but watching the action through the camera, which was amazing, is not the same as if I had just watched it. Don't get me wrong, glad I got the pics as it was a rare sightseeing. But I would rather sit and watch a lion and perhaps miss a photo of a yawn than keep my eye glued to the camera the whole time. Of course, if you know lion behavior, you can see a yawn coming and still get the camera up for the mouth open wide shot. But you do have to be paying attention and be prepared. It's a balance but I wouldn't always call it a mistake to miss a shot if you'rejust enjoying the moment, though I agree that not paying attention can be a mistake that can be the cause of missing a great shot. You have commented that you gotta love your subject, for you and for me that's wildlife. I also love photography and it's very satisfying to capture an amazing shot. But if I missed the shot but enjoyed the moment in the field, I want to be satisfied with that too. Angle and background are two mistakes that used to make all the time although as I birder, I wasn't thinking as a photographer but more in terms of just getting a decent capture of the subject. I am shifting more into photographer mode these days and always try to get the right angle and background. Of course shooting in game parks means you can't always get as low as one would like (I live in Tanzania) but we do our best.

Boy, guilty as charged! 😞 Every photographer should see this video. Really sums it up!

Really amazing video! I make many of these mistakes! I will try not to make those mistakes,।

I have never committed any of those at a time! usually it's all of them at the same time. BUT...the one I commit least often is the "standard tripod height" shooting.

Thanks!

all of them! But #5 is especially tough! Local Wetland here the "Birds" are always 50+ yards away. I will continue to get the best pics I can I just need to avoid wasting time trying to turn them into something not possible! ;)

Another top video Steve .I’d probably say the setting that catches me out most often is exposure compensation. I was recently shooting a Shrike which was sitting on exposed perches against the sky. To bring out the detail I had to up the exposure comp by +1. After about 30 minutes the bird flew downward and towards me landing in a close bush. I froze and thought. this is it the killer shots. Of course, when I reviewed the images, they were all blown out :-(.

#5 and not checking exposure comp - would love for the latter to be there in the EVF all the time like SS/ISO etc. Please Nikon, as well as a flashing histogram when I've blown the highlights, my other main stuff up!

Oh number one to six is my nemesis…. Thanks saved this one to watch over and over until it sinks in

Hi Steve, again wonderful advice that helps creating wonderful images. Mistake number 4 talks about quality of light, and there is also another great reason to hit the time periods you indicate, wildlife is more active at these time ! The more action, the more chances of keepers if one comitts to your recommendations ;-)

I guess I have made all of them! It is a good recap. Here is my summary of these mistakes and what happens to me... Mistake #1: Not distracted by others but definitely forgot to change the drive mode from 2 sec delay to normal shooting... Mistake #2: When I am in a hurry or plain lazy! Mistake #3: Got much better at it now... Mistake #4: Got much better at it too... Mistake #5: That used to happen when I was focal length limited and frustrated that I did not have a longer lens. Now I just don't shoot and expect to crop. I let it go... Mistake #6: Got much better at this one too... One thing I'd like to point out is you probably need to look at the text of mistake #4. It reads "Note Getting Out During The Best Light". You probably wanted it to read "Not Getting Out..."

Another great video Steve. The only thing I’d add is when you talked about shooting in Florida. If you want to shoot in mid day sun… go to the beach. You’ll get some great shore bird shots due to the reflective nature of the sand.

Clear, concise, and accurate. Always great stuff, Steve. I've made all these mistakes, but have to say, in the last year, not nearly as many times. I follow all of these tips/tricks "almost" all the time. One addition to "best time to shoot". This might have been labelled best conditions to shoot: which included sunny cloud cover. Three quick points here (and I know you know this). 1. A shaded area during even peak hours provides a nice daytime option if you miss sunrise/sunset (i.e. look for shaded areas with activity). 2. Shoot in conditions that convey the mood you want to use to tell the story (i.e. a rain storm, etc). 3. "Without a doubt, wait it out": I was recently shooting the spring migrants on the Texas Coast. I saw 15 photographers gathered around the base of a tree with ample food source for the migrant birds all running around, shooting up, from the base of the tree. I waited till all of them left "No light left" and set up my camera/tripod. Every single species they were hunting came down to eye level right in front of me, and munched on sweet berries. Orchard Orioles, Baltimore Orioles, Summer tanagers, Scarlet tanagers, Tennessee warblers, and Rose-chested Grosbeaks - and more. What the group didn't realize, was that their presence kept the birds away from eye level. Persistence and patience pays. ( you covered the shade part after I wrote this comment).

My biggest mistake at the moment, especially with birds, is to zoom in too tight so that I fill then frame, then have some action happen, and end up with half the bird out of the frame.

Great video Steve, i like the “out in the field” style video. Is that the A7R 5 I’m seeing on the 200-600? How do you like it?

Nice vid Steve - Not finding your subject when the light is at its best - well I spent 21 days in the Mara and we found 7 leopards, 2 black rhinos and and and …. Most of these were not in the best light. We get up at 4am and leave camp at least 1 hour before sun rise but the Mara is large and one simply cannot find certain subjects. When you do find them you take the shot, but on a hot day almost every shot taken between 09:30 and 17:00 is ruined by heat haze and overly harsh light.

I forget to check my settings all the time! I wish Sony had that LCD display on the top like Fuji does for a quick glance.

I've done all of these! I've taught myself not to do most of them anymore though. Still a sinner for some of them sometimes...

Excellent vid Steve I have 3 problems actually, #1 Need longer Glass, #2 a medical condition that I have trouble getting down low now days, am thinking monitor extension with remote ? and #3 Need more cash flow for the longer glass:) wife nearly had a heart attack when I told her I'm ordering a Nikon Nikon 600 f4s :) ........... Gary ..............AU

Guilty, still to this day. But, if I could choose my preferred position ( had the option) most of the time, half the problems you mention would be gone. Great vid.

Another mistake I see is not getting to know your gear. For example, I see people spend $1000s on their setup and have been shooting for years who know nothing about exposure compensation. Or this other shooter I know, again, with years of experience, who couldn't tell you the difference between focus and exposure.

Not constantly observing my settings. I find I lean to much on the histogram without double checking settings. For composition, I have a 5 1/2" monitor mounted on top of a mamba cage plus the left side rosewood pistol grip supplied by SmallHD. Try it. You don't need the $2000 Atamos monitor that video makers use for what we do. I have the SmallHD one that sells for $329. It needs to be very bright for outdoor use, 2000 (something), nits maybe. I wouldn't be without it. Whatever your shooting that moves fast or for when maxing still composition in camera. I used it once on motocross motorcycle riders flying off jumps and and showing off "shapes" where they twist their handlebars to impress the judges. I was hard pressed to get anywhere close through the viewfinder, too fast. Piece of cake with a 70-200 lens and the monitor.

Guilty as charged on all counts. Thanks for another informative video.

Thanks, Steve. Which of your books discuss how to get close to the birds? Is there a video that addresses that?

#2…i only check my settings after the thing that I’ve been waiting for happens and I’m hoping that my shutter speed was fast enough! Ok…maybe I’m guilty of a few more

The mistake of shooting too far away I have made only this last week. I am away with family and have nothing longer than 70-200 to use, but am seeing some exotic birds never seen before, but am mostly not getting close. I am therefore having to make the best and use Topaz photo AI to reduce noice and increase definition later. Will have to bring 200-600 or 100-400 with teleconverter on future family holidays. The difference getting low is huge. On safari earlier this year I shot low as much as I could and the quality improvement over previous safaris was huge. Funny I had everyone in group shooting low by end of trip once they saw what I was getting!

#1 is definitely me, mainly because my kids are usually with me. Every time they call me for something, I lose focus for half a second and that’s where the magic always happens. #2&3 I’ve gotten better at this, which has upped my photos since I started and I really notice the difference. #4 sucks when you shoot mid day in the middle of summer when photographing a snowy egret. Guilty of that last year, which was corrected this year. #5&6 guilty, but started thinking about this much more recently. In conclusion, yeah I’ve made these mistakes.

Yep I've done all of those more than once

I felt good that I consider most of those automatically after 25 years, though I will always feel bad when the hawk flies out of a nearby tree because I didn't notice it in time. You might add check VR settings. I still have some F mount lenses that cannot be used on a tripod with the VR on (70-200mm f/2.8 and 500mm PF) so I am constantly ruining landscapes from forgetting to turn the VR off and ruining wildlife shots from forgetting to turn it back on. I am told most of the Z mount lenses allow you to just keep the VR on all of the time?

oh yeah #5..

I know I try to get BIF shots when the light is too low and I set my shutter speed low so my ISO isn't too high, now I know my odds are not good no matter how good I can pan the subject but I knowingly do this hoping to get a few interesting shots when I have no business getting any at all and I like the occasional blurry flock of bird(s) shot. I figure I'm not shooting film it doesn't cost me anything to try and I sometimes pull one out of the hat per se. 30 minutes later I have enough light not to worry about this but I would rather try and experiment vs just standing around.

Hey Steve, I am a young wildlife photographer and I was wondering if you could give me any tips about selling me work and editing it. Thank you

"Getting to eye level" was my major issue, which I solved with... a beach towel! I didn't want to lay down on the ground next to the local duck pond because it was coated with goose sh*t, but flopping down a towel first, it no longer bothers me.