Last Updated on January 13, 2019
For people who love nature and wildlife, shooting great videos of these wonders comes almost naturally. In fact, for some, the fondness for similar films must have come as early as they were still in their diapers. However, as in most art, it always helps to take note of the basics in shooting a great nature and wildlife video.
Getting Started
You can learn a lot about creating videos by watching films. Even features, commercials, pop promos, dramas, and observational documentaries are excellent sources of inputs. A good storytelling is often something that a wildlife film lacks, so these genres would surely help you improve on this aspect. When it comes to procuring your equipment, invest in something that you can rely on, especially taking into account the weather conditions in the places you intend to shoot. Remember that when you are filming outdoors, the shooting scenarios may not always be ideal.
Setting Your White Balance
Now let us begin with the more technical parts, which often begin with this question: is it the camera or the filmmaker that makes a great nature and wildlife film? Well, the more accurate answer is “It is creativity.” Keep in mind that the camcorder is just a tool, and it needs to know who the one in charge is. Surprisingly, many often find the manual mode intimidating. Note though that setting the white balance manually will reveal fascinating discoveries you never thought possible, and it sets you apart from all others filming in auto mode.
Finding Your Composition
Yes, tripod makes things much more convenient for videographers. However, shooting at your eye level does not always give you the best shot possible. Sometimes, it is when you take the camera from the tripod, compose a shot, and hit “Record” that you get surprises. Usually, finding the best composition possible is just a matter of moving around and looking through the viewfinder or the LCD screen. Indeed, there must be a reason tripods have adjustable legs.
[youtube height=”500″ width=”820″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrLwraDuLd4[/youtube]
Avoiding Mistakes in the Field
Well, there are many things any filmmaker can forget in the midst of nature and wildlife. But with wildlife filming being 90 percent waiting and 10 percent a frenzied blur of activity, who could blame you if you do? In those few fleeting moments that a subject presents itself, some filmmakers just go on auto-pilot, making adjustments to their camera without giving it much thought. However, the thing to watch out for is forgetting to reverse adjustments prior to the next filming session, which basically just ruins important video footage.
Taking Advantage of Filming Opportunities in Nature
Nature always has its way of taking you back to school to teach you a few lessons you thought you already knew. So you have to be prepared to take whatever it is that nature throws at you. Always be sure to have your gear ready so that you would never be in a situation where you cannot film a subject just because you left something behind. The key is to always assume that at any moment, some unexpected wildlife opportunity would present itself, and you have to be able to capture it when it does.
Shooting videos of nature and wildlife has become easier than ever; no doubt, gadgets have become better and better. However, in the end, the difference lies in the filmmaker.