14 http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
KITLIST
Technique
BenHall
Ben Hall is one of the UK’s leading
wildlife photographers, with many
international awards to his name.
His images are widely published
throughout the world, he has
co-authored two books and runs
photography workshops in the
UK and overseas. Visit
http://www.benhallphotography.com.T
here is something magical about
winter wildlife photography. It is
the perfect season for exploring
the beauty of natural light. As
the days shorten, the low winter sun
illuminates intricate frost patterns, and
highlights the shape and form of a fresh
blanket of snow.
Although by now our summer migrants
are far from our shores, the UnitedTelephoto or
tele-zoom
lens
To tackle subjects such as
garden birds and other
winter wildlife, a long focal
length is a must. At least
400mm will be required
for most subjects in the
UK. If you have a shorter
lens, a teleconverter can
be used to increase focal
length, but you will lose at
least one stop of light.
Wideangle
lens
This might seem a strange
choice for wildlife
photography, but provided
that you have close access
to your subject, a
wideangle can be used to
show the animal in context
and will offer a fresh and
interesting perspective.
Beanbag
As an alternative to
a tripod, a beanbag is
perfect for those ground-
level images. It will not
only give you a rock-solid
support for even the
longest lenses, but also
allow a very low shooting
angle which will help to
diffuse backgrounds
and foregrounds.
Winter gloves
When shooting in cold,
winter conditions, your
hands will soon succumb
to the cold. Investing in
some warm gloves that
are designed specifically
for photography is
important. The warmer
and more comfortable
you are, the longer you
are likely to persevere!
The mist has reduced
contrast, helping to
eliminate distractions
Canon EOS-1D X, 500mm, 1/250sec
at f/7.1, ISO 1000