Moose Peterson's Guide to Wildlife Photography Conventional and Digital Techniques

by Peterson, B. Moose

• ISBN13: 9781579904821
• ISBN10: 1579904823
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-11-01
• Publisher: Lark Books

Summary

With more than 20 years' experience in wildlife photography, Moose Peterson is America's most accomplished documenter of endangered species. He reveals his professional secrets and techniques in his most comprehensive and spectacularly photographed guide to date. Peterson explains exactly how to make the most of your equipment and how to use animals' habits to optimize your results. Find the right tools for the job, including every type of lens; learn techniques such as panning, shooting from blinds, and remote triggering of the flash; and take expert advice on how to make the subject really come to life in your images. Understand how to use animals' habits to optimize your results, see how to frame the animal within a background for that perfect shot, and explore techniques for modifying the natural light to really highlight your subject. Of course, Peterson has fascinating stories to tell about his own experiences, and his fabulous photos provide real enjoyment even as they teach valuable lessons.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 7
Selecting and Using the Right Tool	p. 10
The Lens	p. 12
Vision and Money	p. 12
Brands/Manufacturers	p. 13
It Determines Your Style	p. 15
Rent First!	p. 16
Which Lens Is Really the Right One?	p. 18
Moose's Camera Bag	p. 21
Ultra-Wides: Fixed and Zooms	p. 22
Mid-Range Lenses	p. 25
Telephotos	p. 30
Super Telephotos	p. 33
Teleconverters	p. 35
Why Own Both the 400mm f/2.8 and 600mm f/4?	p. 37
Moose's "Specialty" Lenses	p. 39
Minimum Focusing Distance and Extension Tubes	p. 42
The Body	p. 43
The Digital Wildlife Photographer	p. 44
Five Benefits of Digital	p. 44
Five-Stop Range	p. 45
Virtually Unlimited Frames and Film	p. 45
Longer Lenses	p. 48
Faster Flash Sync Speed and Learning Curve	p. 49
The Megapixel Question	p. 51
The "Digital Factor"	p. 52
What's Up with Conventional Film?	p. 52
Four Advantages of Conventional over Digital	p. 53
Film Advance Speed	p. 54
Fast Film Rewind	p. 54
Viewfinder	p. 54
TTL Flash Plus Two More Advantages of Conventional	p. 55
Three Camera Body Features You Want in Digital or Conventional	p. 55
Autofocus	p. 55
Matrix or Evaluative Metering	p. 60
Flash	p. 61
More about TTL Flash	p. 62
Teddy Bear Exercise for Flash	p. 63
Using Flash for Color	p. 64
Flash Attachments and Accessories	p. 66
Supporting All of this Gear	p. 67
Proper Handholding	p. 67
Proper Long Lens Technique	p. 67
Tripods and Heads	p. 69
Panning Technique	p. 69
Filters for Thought	p. 71
The 81a	p. 71
The Technical Side	p. 72
The Psychological Side	p. 73
The Moose Filter (Warm Polarizer)	p. 75
The Split-graduated Neutral Density Filter	p. 76
Care for your Gear	p. 76
Making the Subject Pop	p. 80
Creating "Pop"	p. 80
Four Keys to Isolating the Subject	p. 82
Light	p. 82
Light and Exposure	p. 83
Light and Communication	p. 86
Light and Drama	p. 87
The Direction of Light	p. 90
Light Quality	p. 92
Frontlight	p. 94
Sidelight	p. 96
Backlight	p. 97
Overcast	p. 99
Psychology of Color	p. 101
Tools for Color Psychology	p. 104
Exposure is Not a Four-Letter Word	p. 105
Moose's Meter	p. 106
Moose's Metering Method	p. 107
18% Gray Conclusion	p. 108
Teddy Bear Exercise	p. 109
Backgrounds and More	p. 111
Depth of Field	p. 113
Testing for Depth of Field	p. 114
Six-Pack Test	p. 114
Depth of Field and Teleconverters	p. 117
Getting Close Physically	p. 118
Knowing Basic Biology	p. 120
Reading Sign	p. 123
No Photograph is Worth Risking the Welfare of any Subject!	p. 125
More Techniques	p. 129
Moving Closer by Stalking	p. 131
Having the Wildlife Come to You: Luring	p. 134
Natural Luring	p. 135
Ethics of Artificial Luring	p. 138
Artificial Luring Techniques	p. 140
Blinds	p. 144
Tent Blinds	p. 145
Portable Blinds	p. 146
Working Inside A Car	p. 147
Bird Tales: Combining it all in the Field	p. 150
Red-Faced Cormorant	p. 152
Northern Hawk Owl	p. 154
Greater Sandhill Crane	p. 156
Snowy Egret	p. 157
Red-Shouldered Hawk	p. 159
Great Blue Heron	p. 161
Horned Puffin	p. 162
Bald Eagle	p. 164
Short-Billed Dowitcher	p. 165
California Gnatcatcher	p. 167
Mammal Tales: Combining it all in the Field	p. 170
Grizzly Bear	p. 172
Moose Calf	p. 173
Santa Cruz Kangaroo Rat	p. 174
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep	p. 177
Dall Sheep	p. 177
Bull Moose	p. 179
Musk Ox	p. 181
Arctic Ground Squirrel	p. 182
Northern Fur Seal	p. 184
San Joaquin Kit Fox	p. 186
A Last Word from the Moose	p. 188
Resources and Equipment	p. 190
Index	p. 192
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