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This episode is about using light. Using it well can make the difference between a magical shot and one that is flat and uninteresting. Here's what I'll cover in this episode:

• The Role of Light in Wildlife Photography
• Golden Hours & Blue Hours
• Midday Light Challenges
• Backlighting, Side Lighting & Front Lighting
• Weather & Light Conditions
• Camera Settings for Light

Share your experiences and images in the Facebook Group.

Next time, we’ll talk about how to photograph subjects that are moving fast.

Check out my PDF “A Brief Guide to Wildlife Photography” for more ideas.

Please remember to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE.

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In episode two, we look at how you can get close to wildlife ethically.

Last time

We looked at preparation and the important things to consider before you go. In this episode, I share some of the ways that you can get ‘close’ to wildlife ethically.

Ethics

• Respecting wildlife comes first: never disturb, stress, or change their behaviour.
• Disturbing animals ruins both the shot and the experience.
• Be a “silent guest” in nature.

Understand animal behaviour

• Learn as much as you can about the body language of the animals you are interested in
• Most animals give clear signs that they feel stressed or threatened
• Ideally, use a guide who is experienced and understands these behaviours
• Always listen to briefings before venturing out to see animals

Stealth techniques

• Movement: Slow and deliberate, avoid sudden shifts.
• Clothing: Neutral tones or camouflage to blend with the environment.
• Scent: Wind direction matters (animals may smell you before they see you).
• Noise: Silence is key—turn off phone notifications, use soft footsteps.
• Optional tools: blinds, hides, or natural cover.

Using Distance & Lenses

• Use telephoto lenses (e.g., 300mm–600mm) to maintain distance.
• Cropping in post-processing as a safer alternative to physically moving closer.
• Shoot in RAW and at the largest file size your camera will support

Let wildlife come to you

• Instead of pursuing, pick a good spot and wait.
• Animals behave naturally when they don’t feel threatened.

Your checklist

• Respect animal space.
• Move slowly, dress neutrally, minimise noise/scent.
• Use long lenses.
• Study animal behaviour.
• Patience over pursuit—let them come to you.

Next episode:

Next time, we’ll look at how to use natural light effectively.

For more information:

Check out my PDF “A Brief Guide to Wildlife Photography” for more ideas.

It's time for another podcast...

Support the show

Go from "Auto" to Awesome photos in just one week (click here)!

Or, if you've been inspired to improve your photography, download my FREE guide to 10 ways to improve your photography today.
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Support the show
Thank you for listening to my podcast. If you would like to subscribe you can do so here:
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Website
Please check out my website for the latest collections, photography tips and challenges, and more!

Contact Me
You can contact me directly at: graham@ge.photography

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This is episode one of eight, where we will take a deeper dive into how to take great wildlife photographs.

We’re going to start with preparation. Good preparation can make all the difference between a successful shoot and a complete disaster.

Here are the key things you will need to consider:

Research & Planning

• Selecting locations based on season, wildlife activity, and accessibility
• Checking local regulations and protected areas
• Understand animal behaviour for ethical photography
• Passes and documentation

Gear & Equipment

• Camera body, lenses (telephoto for wildlife, wide for landscapes)
• Tripods, monopods, and stabilisers
• Clothing: camo or muted colours, weather-appropriate layers
• Optional: binoculars, field guides, GPS

Health & Safety

• Staying hydrated, packing snacks, and a first-aid kit
• Understanding environmental risks: terrain, weather, wildlife encounters
• Letting someone know your location
• Vaccinations
• Insurance (for medical evacuations, etc.)

Mindset & Patience

• Be ready to shoot and to wait quietly for hours
• Mentally prepare for unpredictable wildlife
• Maintaining ethical distance and practices

Your checklist

• Research the location and species
• Pack camera gear and backup gear where possible
• Check the weather and wear appropriate clothing
• Prepare snacks, water, and first aid
• Mental readiness

Next episode:

Next time, we’ll dive into the secrets of getting close to wildlife without disturbing them. Trust me, you won’t want to miss it.

For more information:

Check out my PDF “A Brief Guide to Wildlife Photography” for more ideas.

Please remember to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE.

It's time for another podcast...

Support the show

Go from "Auto" to Awesome photos in just one week (click here)!

Or, if you've been inspired to improve your photography, download my FREE guide to 10 ways to improve your photography today.
10 Simple Steps to Improve Your Photography

Support the show
Thank you for listening to my podcast. If you would like to subscribe you can do so here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1803730/support

Website
Please check out my website for the latest collections, photography tips and challenges, and more!

Contact Me
You can contact me directly at: graham@ge.photography

Coffee?

If you've had value from this podcast, please help me to continue with them. Most people don't, but if you would like to make a small contribution, how about a coffee? You can buy me a coffee here.

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Thank you for listening.

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Do you ever feel stuck, endlessly tweaking photos, searching for that 'perfect' look that seems just out of reach? You're not alone. We've all been conditioned to believe in a singular ideal of photographic perfection. But what if I told you that once you understand the truth about the 'perfect shot,' you'll not only take better photos but also find more joy in your photography? Let's discover why.

There are two photography quotes that I particularly like:

Ansel Adams: “There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.”

David Alan Harvey: “Don’t shoot what it looks like. Shoot what it feels like.”

In this podcast, I’ll talk through why I like these quotes and why being too focused on achieving the perfect shot can backfire and stop you from producing anything.

I’ll also talk you through a few exercises. The first is from my online course “Discovering DSLR and Mirrorless Photography”, where I ask you to look at an image that you regard as ‘perfect’ (or as near as, as makes no difference). And look at specific elements, such as lighting and composition. How has the photographer approached these elements, and what makes them work so well?

I also suggest that you take the ‘imperfection challenge’ (and let me know in the comments if you would like me to create a formal challenge for you):

1. Shoot out of focus
2. Breach the composition rules
3. Deliberately use the wrong camera settings (i.e. exposure, iso, etc.)
4. Only allow yourself one-take shots (so no ‘chimping’)
5. Use the worst angles you can find.

Ironically, you’re likely to open up a door into a whole new level of creativity… and how you define your perfect shot is likely to change, too.

It's time for another podcast...

Support the show

Go from "Auto" to Awesome photos in just one week (click here)!

Or, if you've been inspired to improve your photography, download my FREE guide to 10 ways to improve your photography today.
10 Simple Steps to Improve Your Photography

Support the show
Thank you for listening to my podcast. If you would like to subscribe you can do so here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1803730/support

Website
Please check out my website for the latest collections, photography tips and challenges, and more!

Contact Me
You can contact me directly at: graham@ge.photography

Coffee?

If you've had value from this podcast, please help me to continue with them. Most people don't, but if you would like to make a small contribution, how about a coffee? You can buy me a coffee here.

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Thank you for listening.

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I used to use Circular Quay in Sydney quite regularly, but never noticed the little dolphins in the railing by the ferry terminal. The first part of photographing the “unseen” is to see it! And we covered that to some extent in the last podcast.

If you’ve tried the exercises from the previous podcast, you may well have found that there are a lot of details in your everyday environment that you’ve previously overlooked. And, no doubt, some of them have a beauty all of their own.

This podcast is about finding the beauty and the story in everyday scenes. Be it on your way to work or school, or anywhere else you might go regularly.

The first thing to do is to see your environment with beginner's eyes. For one thing, it’s a great way to get to know your local environment, and I suggest that you extend that knowledge by thinking about what a tourist to your area might photograph.

Imagine you have to create a tourist brochure of your area. Which 5 photographs would create a compelling story of your area?

Practice looking for the beauty in your area. Here are 5 suggestions, but I’m sure that you can find more:

• While on your morning routine
• Taking a walk around your block
• Visiting a grocery store
• Visiting a waiting room (while being respectful of people’s privacy, of course)
• Shooting your room from different angles (try 5)

One challenge is to find 3 great compositions in your most boring room!

Reflect on how this made you feel.

And you can share your photographs on my Facebook page: Graham Elliott Photography.

It's time for another podcast...

Support the show

Go from "Auto" to Awesome photos in just one week (click here)!

Or, if you've been inspired to improve your photography, download my FREE guide to 10 ways to improve your photography today.
10 Simple Steps to Improve Your Photography

Support the show
Thank you for listening to my podcast. If you would like to subscribe you can do so here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1803730/support

Website
Please check out my website for the latest collections, photography tips and challenges, and more!

Contact Me
You can contact me directly at: graham@ge.photography

Coffee?

If you've had value from this podcast, please help me to continue with them. Most people don't, but if you would like to make a small contribution, how about a coffee? You can buy me a coffee here.

Please don't keep me a secret! Please share my podcast with anyone else who you think might be interested.

Thank you for listening.

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Have you ever walked past something beautiful without even noticing it?

If you have, you’re not alone, and this is a skill that separates great photographers from the people who take snapshots.

Great photographers really look and see what is there. And it goes beyond simply seeing something. They take it further and apply the important elements that make up a great photograph:

They’re looking at the light, perhaps how it changes, where it is coming from, lines, emotions and which compositions would bring out the most impactful image.

So does it really matter? In my opinion, it does. Because the more we can get into the habit of really seeing what is there, the more we will see when it matters, those once-in-a-lifetime experiences where the photographs are the only lasting record.

So, to build your observation muscles, I suggest you try the following exercise:

• Firstly, slow down.
• Look for the light; notice where it falls and how it changes.
• Take a deep breath and let go of distractions. Allow yourself to be fully in the environment and then look around.

One exercise you can do right now is to simply take a look around. Notice:

• One source of light
• One colour contrast
• One emotion on a person’s face.

Another exercise is to challenge yourself to notice “5 things today” and keep working those muscles!

And you can share your photographs on my Facebook page: Graham Elliott Photography.

It's time for another podcast...

Support the show

Go from "Auto" to Awesome photos in just one week (click here)!

Or, if you've been inspired to improve your photography, download my FREE guide to 10 ways to improve your photography today.
10 Simple Steps to Improve Your Photography

Support the show
Thank you for listening to my podcast. If you would like to subscribe you can do so here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1803730/support

Website
Please check out my website for the latest collections, photography tips and challenges, and more!

Contact Me
You can contact me directly at: graham@ge.photography

Coffee?

If you've had value from this podcast, please help me to continue with them. Most people don't, but if you would like to make a small contribution, how about a coffee? You can buy me a coffee here.

Please don't keep me a secret! Please share my podcast with anyone else who you think might be interested.

Thank you for listening.

Send us a text

I often recommend that you practice as often as possible to improve your photography. But what do you do when you hit a mental blank?

One idea I suggest in this podcast is to shoot a series of photos, or a collection. And, to make them more coherent, and to challenge yourself, I suggest you use a Creative Constraint.

So what is a Creative Constraint? Here are some examples:

Technical:

• Shoot only in black and white
• Use only one lens
• Limit yourself to manual focus (or full manual operation)
• Limit yourself to 36 exposures

Time-based:

• Shoot the same scene at the same time each day
• Only shoot for 15 minutes in one location.

Subject or theme:

• Only photograph shadows
• Only photograph one colour
• Only hands or feet

Locations:

• Inside your home
• Within 1km of your home
• Only through windows

If you would like to challenge yourself further, take the 14-day challenge.

It's time for another podcast...

Support the show

Go from "Auto" to Awesome photos in just one week (click here)!

Or, if you've been inspired to improve your photography, download my FREE guide to 10 ways to improve your photography today.
10 Simple Steps to Improve Your Photography

Support the show
Thank you for listening to my podcast. If you would like to subscribe you can do so here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1803730/support

Website
Please check out my website for the latest collections, photography tips and challenges, and more!

Contact Me
You can contact me directly at: graham@ge.photography

Coffee?

If you've had value from this podcast, please help me to continue with them. Most people don't, but if you would like to make a small contribution, how about a coffee? You can buy me a coffee here.

Please don't keep me a secret! Please share my podcast with anyone else who you think might be interested.

Thank you for listening.

Send us a text

If you’re listening to this podcast, it’s probably safe for me to assume that you want to take great wildlife photographs. So what are the things you need to think about?

I’ve tried to run through an almost step-by-step guide based on my own recent experience of photographing wildlife in Zimbabwe, Australia and Finland.

Camera: Take the body and lens (possibly plural) that most suits your needs. And think about ancillary items; storage, battery charger, mains adaptors, USB chargers, cleaning kit, tripod and tripod head. A spray cover, if you have one, can be useful where there is a lot of fine dust and in wet environments.

Clothing: Where layers where appropriate, and think about other items such as sleeping bags if you’ll be spending time outside at night.

And finally… Inspiration!

Look at other photographers' work to get new ideas, and remember to look at what’s around you while you’re there. Is there anything you can use to make the background more interesting, or can you use the light to enhance your subject in some way?

For a more detailed guide, check out my book “A Brief Guide to Wildlife Photography” for more ideas.

It's time for another podcast...

Support the show

Go from "Auto" to Awesome photos in just one week (click here)!

Or, if you've been inspired to improve your photography, download my FREE guide to 10 ways to improve your photography today.
10 Simple Steps to Improve Your Photography

Support the show
Thank you for listening to my podcast. If you would like to subscribe you can do so here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1803730/support

Website
Please check out my website for the latest collections, photography tips and challenges, and more!

Contact Me
You can contact me directly at: graham@ge.photography

Coffee?

If you've had value from this podcast, please help me to continue with them. Most people don't, but if you would like to make a small contribution, how about a coffee? You can buy me a coffee here.

Please don't keep me a secret! Please share my podcast with anyone else who you think might be interested.

Thank you for listening.