Chipmunk Photography for Beginners
We have continued to get cold snowy weather well into the spring season. Sitting in my blind in the muddy woodland trying to capture some wildlife photos has been unsuccessful the past week. Yesterday was a fairly warm day and I decided to stay close to home, sit on the patio and photograph wildlife I know will come to me ~ a chipmunk. They are not afraid of humans and eat slow enough that they make a good subject for me to spend a few hours of practicing with my camera.
So a cup or so of mixed nuts were chopped up and set out and within a few minutes this chipmunk had arrived. If you do not live in a wooded area like I do, a quick trip to the park or local university will get you a subject. Squirrels, chipmunks and birds all react quickly if a little food is put out for them.
The focus point needs to be on the subjects eye. Having a light source hitting the subjects eye is ideal. You may have to move and change your angle, but the result is well worth it. Have your aperture wide open to get that nice blur to your background and perhaps the foreground.
Take a few test shots focusing on the platform you are luring your little critter onto. If you notice any debris in the foreground or branches in the background take the time to clean it up and move branches. See what colors you are getting in your blurred background. If it is not what you want, take a moment to look around and see if there is another spot that will work better.
If you are in a park, try to keep man made structures out of the shot. Having a pine tree for your background vs a water fountain gives the natural wildlife feel.
Compose your photograph with the subject off center, using the rule of thirds is helpful. If you want to really zoom in close, be mindful to leave a border all around your subject.
Take lots of photographs. I was shooting in burst mode, which helps to capture a mouth open or the light hitting the eye just right.
I did boost my exposure a bit in post processing and cropped each photo to make the chipmunk fill the frame.
Photographing chipmunks (or squirrels) is a really good way to practice. Try different lenses. Try different focal lengths and different apertures. Try using your tripod vs handheld. The goal is to have the experience with the equipment you have. Know your settings. Know how to change lenses and settings and get right back to shooting. If you are doing this at home, after you have taken several shots, go in and download them and see how you have done. If you haven’t done as well as you want, make some changes and go right back out to try again. You will have a better chance of capturing a winning shot out in the field if you know how to use your equipment.
Remember anything worth having is worth working for. Practice is the key to getting better.
Blessings, V
