The Value Of Patience In Wildlife Photography

Wildlife, and birds in particular, are notoriously uncooperative photographic subjects. They are constantly on the move, and who can blame them? After all, their food doesn't come from a grocery store, so every day is a constant search for something to eat. Besides that, who knows what else is out there on the prowl, so it's no wonder that they are always looking around to keep an eye on what's happening while trying not to stay in the same place too long.

This is all so understandable. But from the perspective of a nature and wildlife photographer, it can also be extremely frustrating. Just when you think you have the shot you are looking for, the animal turns its head, starts cleaning itself, or just walks off altogether.

Interestingly, the difference between a so-so photo and one that engages the viewer can be so small. Just a subtle shift of the head angle, or a closed eye, or a shift of lighting can change the entire look of the shot. So what are we to make of this?

Well, first of all, if wildlife photography was easy, everybody would be taking award-winning shots. So, the difficulty is also part of the charm and challenge and it's good to remind oneself of that fact from time to time, especially when frustration sets in.

That is why a successful wildlife photographer needs to develop extraordinary patience. For instance, birds in particular love to go into preening mode, where they use their beak to clean and adjust their feathers. And they can make a preening session last for what can seem like an eternity to a photographer who has all the pieces in place for a great shot, but needs a decent head angle from the bird to get the right look. It's in these moments that many photographers just give up and walk away. I know, because I have been sorely tempted to do the same thing on many occasions myself.

But that is when you need to just hang in there. Take some deep breaths, relax, and wait for it. Sometimes the shot never comes. But I can't tell you how many times I've had it work out in my favor too.

Just the other day I went to Lake Morton in this area to test out a new Tamron 150-600mm lens and see if it's as sharp as everyone says. The great thing about Lake Morton is that there is never any shortage of water fowl and birds. But on a few occasions that day, I had to go into super patient mode and wait a long time to get the shot I could envision in my mind.

In this first example, a white egret was standing under a tree where the sun happened to be shining on him while the background behind was in dark shadow. I love situations like this where the subject is really highlighted and there is no competing background. The eye of the viewer is drawn exactly where you want it to go. But on this occasion, the egret was obsessive about preening, and it went on for a very long time. Fortunately, I had the lens on a monopod so it allowed me to hang in there without having to support the full weight of that long and heavy lens. In the end, I took several shots, but finally got the one I wanted. Here it is (you can even see a small feather stuck in his beak):

White egret in front lighting

Farther along the lake path, I encountered a Muscovy duck that I thought would make a good subject. But this duck was in constant movement. He didn't seem to be upset by my presence, but he had some kind of agenda in mind that kept him in perpetual motion in and out of good lighting. Just as soon as I had the right shot in focus, off he went on another tangent. I hung in there though and finally I got this shot:

Muscovy duck at Lake Morton

(Some people think these ducks look ugly, but I think their facial wattles are interesting.)

These are just a couple of examples of the need to be patient and wait for the right shot in nature and wildlife photography. The more patience you develop the better photographer you can become!

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