Wildlife photography is the art of photographing wildlife in its natural surroundings. Taking photographs of wild animals requires much skill and patience. Photographers sometimes endure harsh climates and conditions to capture animals on film. Wildlife photographers photograph all types of animals. They take pictures of insects, reptiles, fish, mammals, and many other forms of life. Photographers capture everything from marsh mosquitoes to blue whales on film. They travel the planet to bring back images of some of the most elusive of animals. People the world over look at these images in amazement and wonder. (www.ngs.com, 1999) .
Wildlife photographers use many different types of equipment to aid them in their quest to photograph their various subjects. The type of equipment needed by the photographer depends on what kind of animal he is shooting, what it will be doing, when it will be out, and the type of environment in which it lives. There are many different cameras, films, and other equipment to be used when photographing various subjects. Photographers sometimes use aerial photography and underwater photography to get pictures of some species. Wildlife photographing can be as easy as a walk in the park or as dangerous as swimming with sharks. (Hedgecoe. 1999.).
The type of camera used to take photographs of wildlife depends on what the photographer is shooting. Most wildlife photographers use a view camera. These cameras produce photographs with greater sharpness and detail than regular cameras. They allow photographers unparalleled control of perspective and focus. Rangefinder cameras are often used also. They allow the photographer to frame their subjects. Most view cameras have rangefinders built into them. .
Different lenses are also used for different subjects. Wide-angle lenses are used to photograph large animals or groups of animals. A wide-angle lens is also used to photograph an animal in its surroundings.
