Photo Tip: How Low Can You Go?

Wildlife photographers traditionally spend a lot of time rolling in mud. While it’s indisputably weird, there’s a good reason for it – shooting at ground level is one of the best ways to get “wow” shots of interesting animals. 

‘Get low’ is my top tip for aspiring wildlife photographers. Most people naturally shoot from a standing position, which is fine if you’re still looking up at your subject; a bird in a tree for instance. 

For smaller animals though, like the adorable quokka pictured here, it’s much better to get down to their level. For one thing, it means we’re not looming over them, so they’re more relaxed. It’s also a great way to get good eye contact, especially as quokkas like to introduce themselves by giving the camera a boop.

Modern cameras make low-level shots a lot more convenient. Flip-out displays are a killer feature here. On mirrorless cameras, like my Sony A7R III, the autofocus works the same using the LCD as it does through the electronic viewfinder. That means I can just use a wide mode and let the camera do the work. 

I’ve also found it helpful to assign a custom button (C3 on my Sony) to quickly brighten the LCD screen, making it easier to view in sunny weather. I also use some electrical tape to make a ‘pull-tab’ on the bottom of the LCD screen so I can flip it out quickly, even when I’m wearing gloves.

I’d still advise buying hard-wearing clothes though. Nothing wrong with a bit of mud.