Tips on getting closer

[tombartlett]

<p>My longest setup is a 300/2.8 and 1.4 TC. I'm not interested/can't afford more equipment so I'd like some advice on basic stalking. What do I need to take into consideration when creeping up on critters? What should I wear? How should I approach? Should I consider a hide, or is creeping around a good option? I'm young, fairly fit and have a washing machine so I don't mind getting down and dirty.</p>

[Hector Javkin]

<p>I know only one thing -- that you've got to know about what you want to photograph. Quail or antelope or a grizzly mother with cubs? Each of those will react in a different way to being stalked. Please tell us what species, as much as you can about what season, conditions, etc., and someone should be able to help you.</p>

[tombartlett]

<p>Thanks Hector, at the moment, mainly herons and egrets. I'm in South Korea at the moment and they seem to frequent the opposite side of rice fields, lakes and rivers. I know where to find them, just not too sure on how to get closer.</p>

[stemked]

<p>Herons can be tough unless they are habituated to human activity. I would suggest the best way would be to get in pre-dawn under a blind or other cover and wait for them. Other animals, notably mammals from down-wind so they don't smell you first. Camaflague works too for most animals and not moving around too much. I have seen a pocketable blind that seems interesting, it covers you and your tripod, sorry I don't know the manufacturer, but I'm sure a search will help.</p>

<p>If you are serious about wildlife at somepoint you will probably need to think about longer focal length lenses.</p>

[tonybynum]

Time is another factor. Most, almost all, mammals follow some kind of pattern, or at least they are predictable. For your example, if you have time, you need to watch for a couple days the patterns of the birds. You should pay particular attention to their flight patterns coming and going. When they are in the water they are feeding, when they leave they are headed for the nest. Most often they start their feeding cycle at about the same time every day so you can anticipate that time and be set up waiting for them to arrive.

 

I had my own pond for several years and the herons in the spring were like clockwork for a couple weeks. Also, with all birds, they land and take off into the wind, so you should consider that when setting up. Check the sun rise, and the wind and find a place you can set up. The combination of sun angle, wind, location and subject cooperation can sometimes be impossible so you must change locations.

 

You should shoot those birds all day long from your car window or better from foot on the east coast of the united states, from FL up though MD and VA there are lots of parks where you can almost grab herons by the neck if you wanted too. . .

 

The portable, and or good camo with a good set of rubber boots would be helpful, herons are about as smart a water bird as there is and one of the most difficult to trick of fool in the "wild."

 

When they are habituated, they have no fear. . .

 

Tony

[don_cooper]

<p>Good advice above, but a little change in how you think about getting close might help. Don't think about how you can 'stalk' closer, but how you set up so the birds/wildlife come closer to you. Watch, learn their habits, conceal yourself, and wait for them to come to you. Birds have incredible eyesight and can see things in a manner uncomprehensible to us.</p>

[steve_wagner1]

<p>Having photographed egrets and herons in the wild at considerable length, I can tell you that (1) they don't like people (2) they are less likely to scatter if you're in a car than on foot (3) a blind will get you closer (4) they are among the easiest of all birds to get in flight (5) they are excellent fodder when taking off and landing (6) You are going to have some trouble with only a 300 sans tele unless as the other posters said you're in a blind or the herons are habituated<br /> <br /> In general for wildlife creeping<br /> <br /> 1. Wear nuetral clothes on the darkish side (baboons for example have full color vision)<br /> 2. A hide will get you closer than creeping around<br /> 3. Move slow, don't make a lot of noise, and don't make eye contact<br /> 4. Often sitting and very slowly scooting on your butt helps - with seals and sea lions for example, which are very skittish, the low profile helps.<br /> 5. Don't stink<br /> 6. Go to places with a lot of wildlife. Your chances of success will go way up.<br /> 7. Know your animals and how they behave and how skittish they are. Ducks are 100x times more skittish than owls, rabbits far more skittish than mongoose, etc.<br /> <br /> If you've already got a 300 2.8 and want to get closer to wildlife, you should get a 2x tele.<br /> <br /> These herons and egrets were all with a 400 5.6 and no tele. Poor frog...</p><div></div>

[doug herr]

<p>Although there are time for other techniques, what has worked best for me is to act like a prey species, not like a predator.</p>

<p>In other words (the longer answer): keep a low profile (kneeling is often better than standing), don't try to conceal yourself, don't stare, don't let your camera stare, be aware of other sounds and activities (as though you're watching for predators), move slowly and quietly (but not silently, that's a predatory approach), talk quietly to yourself and to the other animals nearby, be aware of the animal's flight distance, and above all else be patient. Usually after a couple of hours of prey-species behavior getting close is not a problem.<br>

<img src="http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/ardeidae/greg02.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="480" /><br>

400mm lens with 1.37x crop-factor camera</p>

[craig_meddaugh]

<p>If they're on the opposite side of a lake or river... about all you can do is grab a kayak or canoe (or some other small boat). This is actually a great way to photograph water birds as they are quite accepting of small boats in their midst. Unfortunately, photographing out of a small boat can be a logistical challenge.<br>

As for land based stalking... everyone's advice is very good. Keep in mind that birds are creatures of habit and will typically return to the same place at the same time for days or weeks on end. Wear neutral colors, stay low, avoid eye contact, and move very slowly. Also, know their behavior (alarm calls and such) so you know when you are pushing your luck. Good luck. </p>

[bkpix]

<p>Herons and egrets can be very skittish. A better use of your time than endlessly stalking nervous birds might be to ask around and find a habituated population, perhaps in a park, that will allow close approach.</p>

[steve_thompson]

<p>If you try stalking avoid the direct path. Move slightly to the side vs. directly at your subject. Then change direction again but avoid moving directly at the bird/ mammal. In time you should be able to get closer than you started. Move in a zig zag type pattern and give it plenty of time.</p>

[bill_atwood]

<p>Move to Florida.</p>

[Stock-Photos]

<p>I agree with Bills remark. In populated parts of Florida, the birds are not afraid of photographers.</p>

<p><a href="../photo/7421896&size=lg">Great Blue Heron</a></p>