Photo Masterclass part 18: Mammal behaviour

Though there are plenty of subjects to choose from, actually photographing mammals in action is a very exacting skill. Planning and patience are important, as is knowledge of your subject’s behaviour – sometimes you have to predict what it’s going to do next to capture the moment.

A charging elephant, fighting bears or a leaping squirrel – there are so many possible subjects this month. 

What’s more, each one can be photographed umpteen times. A good mammal photographer can shoot the same species time and again, yet still return home with something new.

Autofocus lenses and motordrives have helped to push the boundaries in recent years, but they’re only part of the equation. Too many mammal photographers, armed with the best equipment, shoot with no more than a wing and a prayer.

They panic and use the ‘scattergun approach’, aiming in roughly the right direction and firing away as if they were in the Wild West. They take the odd great picture, more by luck than judgement, but few get consistently good results.

Preparation, preparation, preparation

A considered approach, requiring intense preparation, patience and concentration (as well as quicker reactions than Wild Bill Hickok) is much more satisfying and productive. You take great shots by working hard. And to be honest, they’ll be even better if you work alone or with a fellow photographer.

Capturing mammal behaviour is so time-consuming that non-photographers tend to get bored quicker than in almost any other field of photography. It’s hard to be creative when you’re feeling guilty for taking so long, and your companions are fidgeting and whispering.

But what makes it all such good fun is the element of surprise. No matter how much you practise or prepare, many of your best mammal behaviour shots will be of moments you hardly remember – because they happened so fast. These are the ones that make all that effort worthwhile.

Meet the photography experts: Jonathan and Angie Scott, Kenya 

Jonathan and Angie Scott have formed a prolific partnership for nearly two decades, working together in tv, art, wildlife photography, books and much more.

Jonathan and Angie Scott are passionate about wildlife photography. “We are both visual people,” says Angie, “and thoroughly enjoy looking at art of any kind.” “But it’s not just enjoyable,” says Jonathan. “It’s essential. We make the time to look at everything from fashion to architectural photography, because it helps to keep our work fresh.”

They don’t like to criticise the work of other photographers. “We all have different styles,” enthuses Angie, “and whether a particular style appeals or not, it is always enlightening.”

“In fact, the two of us are very different in our approaches,” says Jonathan. “Angie comes from a family of artists and is inventive and spontaneous. But I have a scientific background and can’t help being more picky about carefully constructed compositions.”

Japanese photographer Mitsuaki Iwago was a big influence on Jonathan, especially when he was first living in the Masai Mara in the late 1970s. “I was getting some good pictures,” he says, “but more by default than anything else.

I couldn’t understand why Iwago – a mere visitor to the Mara – was producing images that were so much more imaginative.” Then it dawned. “I began to shoot as an artist, rather than a scientist, and my photography improved.”  

When we spoke, Jonathan and Angie were spending the weekend checking the proofs of their next book, Antarctica: Journeys to a fragile Eden. “It doesn’t matter whether you are working in Antarctica, the Mara or in your own back garden,” says Angie. “The challenges – and the immense satisfaction in getting that perfect shot – are the same.”

Jonathan and Angie’s top mammal photography tips

• Be more imaginative and adventurous

To take outstanding pictures, you have to break the boundaries created by your own way of thinking and make your photography more adventurous. “A friend once said that he would put his head inside a shark’s mouth to get the best shot,” says Jonathan. “He was speaking metaphorically, but he had a point. Just don’t overstep the mark.”

• Be organised and plan ahead

So many pictures are missed due to lack of organisation. This begins with packing – Jonathan and Angie produce detailed lists of everything they might need – and continues into the field. “You may look a bit daft in a safari vest,” says Angie, “but it does mean that everything is readily accessible and you can react quickly when the ‘moment’ happens.”