My friends Amanda and Junaid spent a whole year as LNT trainers on the road.
They saw many interesting places, met a lot of outdoor enthusiasts, and helped people minimize their impact on the outdoor environment. And that included taking photos of wildlife.
Hooooray for a good zoom lens!
One handy tip they shared is one I never heard before:
When taking photos of wildlife, you know you are at the right distance when your thumb covers up the animal.
If the animal is larger than your thumb, you are too close. Back off…or don’t go too far initially!
As a bit of a photographer, I found this tip to be brilliant.
Simple, practical, and easy to remember.
A literal rule of thumb and one that scales up and down rather nicely.
So take those photos. Just make sure you aren’t any closer than this rule of thumb dictates!