Ashok Mahindra's techniques for wildlife photography

Story required, not a field guide

• Use Exposure Mode - Manual with Auto ISO

• Use Back Button Focus

• Use AF-C only

• Use Single point Auto-focus

• For flying targets move to Group-Area AF or Dynamic -Area AF(25 or 72 points)

• Aim for the eyes

• Get down for eye level shots

• Decide on the composition first and then move the AF point as close to the eye as possible

• Centre is boring!

• Use adequate shutter speed for sharp photos

• Shoot in "Burst Mode",at the fastest frame rate for your camera when action starts and continue until the action stops

• Move closer to the subject, if possible to avoid heat refraction(waves)

• Think Quality over Quantity and become more selective. Naturally, as the portfolio grows fewer shots of similar subjects will be taken

• If you have a good subject where there is potential - stick with it

• Sometimes a partial animal works well, like head shots of portraits

• Favour great light conditions, like early morning and late evening

• Shoot in RAW

• Keep the histogram more towards the left axis without touching it.Histogram touching the right axis is bad news

• Toggle between "Blinkies" & "Histograms",to get the right exposure

• Keep cropping down to less than 25% of the overall image.Certainly try and keep 50% of the image.

ashok mahindra's planing for wildlife photography for each safari trip

• Make a list of target species

• Make a list of target techniques that need improvement

• Practise before the safari, particularly any new equipment