those special Wildlife Photographs we all see on social media aren't taken during the middle of the day - let's explore the different kinds of light to help your Wildlife Photographs.
You are absolutely correct that the best light brings out the best images. That's why I had a light kit before I retired from my video and photography business. That was for filming people indoors, clients or for clients, my source of income. After retiring, video and photography became a hobby again. I enjoy wildlife much more, but you can't script or direct what wild animals do. Neither can you exert control over the light. What you CAN DO is plan ahead to take advantage of the light. Be there during the golden hour. There are online tools that show the position of the sun for time of day based on latitude and longitude. Use them if you don't already know the spot. Also, learn to position yourself and the camera properly. For instance, ideally, your shadow should be pointing at the subject. But don't let your shadow fall across your subjects and spook them. Finally, technique carries you farther than technology. I'm not using the latest and greatest, but still my old gear left over gear from my business that I didn't sell or donate. At least the low end pro camcorder I kept shoots 4K. But my stills camera is the same d5100 that came out back in 2011. Works fine in the right light, if used the right way. God can gift a person with musical talent, but they won't be a very good musician without a lot of practice. People need to really learn the craft of photography, both still and motion. That includes really learning to use what they already have before spending so much money they make an enjoyable hobby stressful.
