Light and wind on a wildlife shoot
Wind shakes the lens and pushes animals into cover. Here is how to choose the hour, the light, and a place where you can actually take the picture.
Wind shows up in the photo
A long lens shakes when the wind is strong, even on a tripod. Grass, reeds, and fur blur. Below about 10 mph, you can photograph plants and use a slower shutter speed.
Around 20 mph, use a faster shutter speed and brace the camera. Animals also leave open ground in that wind. If rain hits the front of the lens, the session is over unless you can keep the glass clear.
The best light is early and late in the day. Hard midday sun makes deep shadows. That is a reason to arrive earlier. It is not a reason to cancel.
A cloudy sky can be easier to work with. The light is even, and animals often stay out in the open longer.
Check the wind before you drive
Birds at a refuge yesterday do not mean tomorrow morning will be good for photos. If the wind is blowing across the marsh, the morning can still be poor. Check the wind before you leave home.
If the open marsh looks rough, start somewhere sheltered. A wooded edge works. So does a roadside pull-off where trees or a building block the wind. Move into the open only after the wind has calmed down.
On the coast, the tide decides whether the animals are there. A falling tide uncovers mud and sand where shorebirds feed. A rising tide pushes them onto the last dry ground. That can be the picture you want. It can also cover the spot where you planned to stand.
Look up the tide for the hour you will actually be there. Use a tide station close to that beach.
You will be waiting
Wildlife photography is mostly waiting. About 40°F to 85°F is a reasonable range for that. Outside those temperatures, pack for a long stand: a layer, something to sit on, and water.
On a bright day, bring sun protection, and do not leave the camera on a hot dark rock. On a damp morning, bring a rain cover and a cloth. Wipe the lens before the drops dry into spots.
Outside Plan scores the day for wind, light, rain, and the tide when a station is nearby. Recent sightings are on the same page, so you can see if the place and the weather fit together.
More guides
Create a free account to see this forecast on a real place and a real date.