Photo Challenge Topic – Photographing Animals in the Winter
The winter months can provide a beautiful backdrop for photographing the animals at the National Zoo. Many of our animals, pandas in particular, are more active in the cold weather and playful on snowy days. However, this white background can pose challenges for a photographer.
Thanks to everyone who posted a question or comment. Read answers provided by Mehgan Murphy, National Zoo photographer.
How do you get good winter photos in places it doesn't snow?
—Sierra
Snow on the ground or falling from the sky definitely makes for a nice winter photo. However, there are ways to make a scene look and feel more like winter. Try looking for floral characteristics that show dormancy. Some species of plants will either lose their foliage during the winter, or they will show winter coloring; for example some evergreens turn red. Also, look for plants that only bloom in the winter: witch hazel, winter berries, or holly.
During the winter months it is cold, so try taking photos of animals as they breathe out. You will have just a few moments to capture that steamy white cloud of breath, adding a nice cold feel to your photo. Try this with the giant pandas, or the lions and tigers. Try to incorporate other tell-tale signs of winter into your images: such as animals huddled together, or animals that are more active in the winter, people bundled up in warm clothes, or the frost that forms on things during cold winter mornings.
How can I keep my camera steady?
—Terri
There are a couple of ways to do this, but the best way is to use a monopod, especially if you are using a heavy camera and/or lens. Most monopods are lightweight and they fold up, which make them easy to carry around.
If you don't have a monopod, try to brace yourself or find something to lean on. To brace yourself pull your arms in, widen your stance so you're nice and stable. Breath in, click the shutter, and breath out. If that doesn't work, find a railing or tree to lean against. You can even use a friend! Try the same technique as above but lean against something for more stability.
Around the Zoo there are a few exhibits where you can rest your camera on a railing: one of the sloth bear yards, for example. Set your camera on the railing and click away. But be sure you hold onto it—you don't want anything falling into an exhibit!
What is the best setting for my digital camera to get a good photo of the giant pandas when they are pacing or walking around their enclosures, without causing a blur in my photo?
—Karen
When you want to stop action you want to consider a few things: shutter speed, ISO, and what type of movement you would like to see in your image.
Most single lens reflex (SLR) cameras have a shutter speed priority setting that may work in some situations, but remember as you select the shutter speed: the camera decides what aperture to use. In certain lighting situations, especially animals with dramatic blacks and whites, your camera may read the scene “wrong” and give you a small aperture, resulting in a very small depth of field. This could mean that much of your photo will not be in focus. However, you should try this setting out, as it may work perfectly for you. Try starting out with a shutter speed of at least 1/250th of a second. If you find that you need a faster shutter speed in order to properly "freeze" the action, increase your shutter speed. In this case it would be better to err in the direction of too much than too little.
If you find that the shutter speed priority is not giving you the results you desire, try using your camera in manual mode. This way you have total control of your camera. First select your ISO—this is how sensitive your camera will be to light. These settings are equivalent to ratings on film. Depending on the quality of light I would suggest using an ISO of 200 or 400. Then select your shutter speed and aperture settings to properly expose your photo.
While you are watching the giant pandas move around their yards, follow them with your camera. This is called panning. First, focus on your subject by pressing halfway down on the shutter. Then, physically move your camera to follow the subject and press the shutter all the way while your subject is still moving. This technique can really add the feeling of movement to your image.
Some of these tips may seem tricky at first, but the best way to get the hang of them is to get out there and practice.
I will be visiting the Zoo in March and am planning on taking many photographs of the pandas. What is the best settings and meter for a digital camera so that I capture as much detail as possible in the black as well as white areas of the fur?
—Floyd
When photographing the giant pandas, you first want to consider what type of light you have. Is it a sunny day or a cloudy day? Since the giant pandas have dramatic blacks and whites, your camera's meter can be "fooled" on a bright, sunny day.
A good way to get an idea of what type of exposure to use would be to switch from using your camera’s matrix meter (where your camera decides on an exposure based on the whole scene) to spot meter (where your camera decides on an exposure based on a specific area). Have a look in your camera's manual to find how to change between types of metering.
Once your camera is set to spot meter, read the black areas of the scene, and read the white or bright areas of the scene. Select an average of the two readings and in manual mode set your camera to that reading. This should allow you to get nice detail in the white and black parts of the giant pandas. Cloudy days are usually a little easier for your camera to meter. On these days you should be okay to use the matrix meeting feature on your camera. Depending on the quality of light, I tend to use my camera in either manual mode, or aperture priority mode.
