SPECIAL
INTO
THE
WILD
A masterclass in wildlife photography.
Words and Photography Tiffany Taxis | OM SYSTEM Ambassador
SPECIAL
INTO
THE
WILD
A masterclass in wildlife photography
Words and Photography Tiffany Taxis | OM SYSTEM Ambassador
Whether...
YOU'RE ON SAFARI IN TANZANIA, A ZODIAC IN ANTARCTICA OR HIKING THE PATAGONIAN STEPPE, TRYING TO NAB THAT KILLER SHOT OF THE RHINO/PENGUIN/PUMA CAN BE BOTH EXHILARATING AND FRUSTRATING. DEPENDING ON YOUR CAMERA COMPETENCY.
We’ve struggled with manual controls, cursed the rain and forgotten to bring a back up SD card ourselves. Which is where Tiffany Taxis, OM System Ambassador and professional wildlife photographer, comes in.
Formerly based in Jackson, Wyoming and currently living it up in Alaska (v. close to the biggest population of brown bears), Tiffany took her Fine Art degree and love of nature, and turned it into a career in wildlife guiding and photography. Clever. Amazing. Inspiring.
From seeing a wild bobcat in Yellowstone National Park to witnessing polar bears on the move in Churchill, we sit down with Tiffany to talk landscapes, settings and the wonders of the wild:
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS FOR WORLD-CLASS WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY?
01.
LEARN YOUR LANDSCAPE
“Let’s say I was interested in photographing moose in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, it might be helpful to know that moose love to eat willows and aquatic vegetation. Therefore rivers, ponds, and marshy areas make for great moose habitat… hiking in those areas increases my chances of finding moose. Having a grasp on the behaviour and temperament of the species before entering the field allows you to anticipate their movements and position yourself in the right place at the right time.”
02.
RESPECT THE WILD
“Capturing the beauty and essence of wildlife through photography can be an incredible experience. But with this privilege comes great responsibility. As photographers, it's important to always consider the well-being of the animals. Avoid getting too close, chasing, or disturbing their natural behaviour. Always follow park and wildlife regulations and never use bait or call animals in. This is vital for the safety of the animal, but will also help you get the most authentic images.”
03.
YOU ONLY HAVE A SHORT TIME, MAKE THE MOST OF IT
“Typically, the first images I take are portraits, then I’ll take a moment to assess the landscape before framing the next series of shots. I try to experiment with camera settings and framing to create visually unique images from a single encounter. Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm f/4.5 TC1.25X IS PRO Lens has been my go to lens recently. I’ve enjoyed adjusting the focal length to explore the landscape and depict the narrative through another perspective.”
04.
GET ON ANIMAL EYE LEVEL
“One of the easiest ways to elevate your wildlife photography is simply by getting on eye level with your subject. Shooting at eye level eliminates the sense of looking down on the animal and instead brings the viewer into the scene. When possible, I try to crouch or even lay down in the field and capture some of the foreground which helps frame the subject.”
05.
ALWAYS SHOOT IN RAW
“Unlike compressed formats (like JPEG), RAW files preserve all the original data captured by the camera sensor, providing unparalleled flexibility in post-processing. This means that you have control over elements such as exposure, white balance, and colour grading, allowing you to manipulate the image. RAW files also retain a wider dynamic range, capturing more detail in both highlights and shadows, which can be crucial in challenging lighting conditions.”
06.
GO MANUAL
“The three key components for shooting in manual are aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Manual mode allows me to achieve the desired artistic effect I want in each image. Animals move fast, so therefore a shutter speed of at least 1/1000s is needed to capture the image without motion blur. This means you may need to raise your ISO or lower your aperture to maintain this speed. The easiest way to grasp the concepts of manual mode is to get out into the field and experiment!”
07.
PLAY AROUND IN POST
“Editing after an incredible day in the field is one of my favourite parts. It’s where my photos come to life! Here are some basic editing tips to get any photographer started:
07.
PLAY AROUND IN POST
“Editing after an incredible day in the field is one of my favourite parts. It’s where my photos come to life! Here are some basic editing tips to get any photographer started:
Start with the basics panel and adjust the exposure, contrast, highlights, and shadows.
Use the tone curve to fine-tune your adjustments and add more contrast.
Adjust the colour balance using the white balance and colour sliders.
Play around with the HSL panel to selectively adjust the hue, saturation, and luminance of specific colours.
Finally, don't overdo it! Remember that less is often more. Keep it natural and let the beauty of your photo shine through.”
WHAT GEAR IS 100% ESSENTIAL IN THE FIELD?
Whether you’re an amateur-Attenborough or a photography pro looking to jump over to the wildlife industry, there’s three pieces of gear you can’t shoot without:
TELEPHOTO LENS
When your subject is across an African savannah or sitting on a snowy mountaintop, the more focal length, the better. “I recently added the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm f/4.5 TC1.25X IS PRO Lens to my bag and I adore the ability to create a variety of images simply by adjusting the zoom,” says Tiffany. “This lens also has a built in teleconverter which brings you to 1,000mm equivalent and is by far my favourite feature!”
QUALITY SD CARDS
Pricey, but trust us – they’re worth the investment. According to Tiffany, the SanDisk Extreme PRO sd cards are a winner, “they’re a staple in my bag as they facilitate smooth continuous shooting, allowing me to capture rapid-fire bursts without buffering or delays.”
DECENT WEATHERPROOFING
You’re in the elements, you need to be prepared. “I frequently face unexpected and adverse weather conditions while out in the field,” says Tiffany. “The weatherproofing on the OM SYSTEM OM-1 provides me peace of mind as I trek through rain and snow.”
FAVOURITE ANIMAL ENCOUNTER?
“We only had one day to explore the northern section of Yellowstone National Park, so we understood there was a chance we might not see much wildlife… when all of a sudden a bobcat ran across the road and disappeared into a patch of willows. We figured the chance of the bobcat reappearing was slim but we silently crept into the snow and sat for a few minutes.
The bobcat reappeared from the willows and sat in the snow as flurries danced in the air and dusted its thick winter coat.
Seeing a bobcat in the wild was something I hadn’t considered a possibility that day. An encounter with an elusive species, far out of reach, years away. Crossing paths and catching a glimpse into this beautiful animal’s life serves as a reminder of the privilege we experience as photographers.”
THINK YOU'VE GOT A WINNER?
Send us your best travel photos for a chance to win an OM-5 + 14-150mm Kit, valued at AU$2,399, plus have your image featured in the magazine! This stylish, compact, interchangeable-lens camera is perfect for travel. explore.omsystem.com
TO BE REPLACED ‘RIO DE LAS VUELTAS’
Santiago Gonzalez Redondo's drone shot of the the river 'Rio de las Vueltas' in Patagonia's El Chalten is beautifully surrealist. The striking colours, the interesting textures—the landscape looks, quite literally, otherworldly. If we were told this was Mars, we'd believe it.
Congratulations to Santiago Gonzalez Redondo for winning our Frame Your View competition. Santiago has scored an OM System camera for entering this incredible shot.
THINK YOU'VE GOT A WINNER?
Send us your best travel photos for a chance to win an OM-5 + 14-150mm Kit, valued at AU$2,339, plus have your image featured in the July/August issue of get lost! This stylish, compact, interchangeable lens camera is perfect for travel. explore.omsystem.com
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