Taking Wildlife photos while on a Public safari

[abacusv]

Hello All,

I'm sure wildlife photography has been discussed quite a lot of time, this is little specific.
I'm a newbie and my interest is mostly shooting wildlife.

Every time I take shots there is dissatisfaction. I shoot always raw and manual mode. With all the post and things I still loose out on quality snaps. Still not able to figure out what is it.

This question is specific to taking snaps while you are in a public safari. You do not have leasure of getting right angle and space to take a good shot. Even though the animal has patience to pose you for the snap but, the driver would not wait long enough to take the snap.

I'm finding it difficult to take a good shot in this situation. I'm sure people here must have faced this and have a solution for it.

Any presets, choosing the right seat to get the shots or anything that helps you take quickly with very or no space of your own to take the snap.

The problem I face is in the shake. I use Nikon D80 and have 70-300 Sigma lens. Non VR was really pain while taking in dim light without tripod. I bought Nikon 18-200 VR and thought it should help. The snaps are brighter but still a lot of shake.

Here the only mode of safar is through the public bus and stay at the drivers mercy. How can I improve myself on shots in this situation?

Thanks,

[Nicole]

You could use shutter priority mode on your camera (S) so that you can set the shutter speed to one where you won't get shake and let the camera take care of the rest. I know you said you shoot M, but if this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, there's nothing wrong with shooting in a different mode so you get the shots you want. Now, that being said, in order to make sure you aren't getting shake, you're going to want to make sure your shutter speed is at least 1/300 sec when you're at the long end of your telephoto. The general rule of thumb is 1/focal length.

I don't have any advice on the actual safari stuff, but hopefully that should help out with the camera shake you're experiencing.

[teaking]

I have looked into this topic to and found that people tend to use different methods shutter priority as mentioned by Nicole for fast moving subjects. And also people who use aperture priority mode with a high ISO like 800 to control DOF and use a smaller aperture 5.6-8 as a wider one with the magnification increases DOF and with autofocus can cause unsharp pictures. They must check what kinda of shutter speeds they can get with test shots I assume.

I think its going to depend on what your comfortable with hope its fun

[RichardTaylor]

Two questions.
(1) How to set up the camera.
In line with previous posters.
RAW, Shutter priority and 1/250 if you are using your 18-200 VR (VR on)and and least 1/500 if using the Sigma lens. ISO fast enough to give you an aperture of at least F8. Centre focus point only active and focus tracking on. Use a lens hood.

(2) Where to sit on the bus.
You may have very little control over this.
What direction is the light coming from? If possible you do not want to be shooting into the sun. Ask the driver/guide what is the best side to sit on for any possible wildlife etc.
Always have your camera on and in your hand ready to shoot at all times.

It has been my experience that getting "good" shots from a tour bus are very rare.

[abacusv]

Great!!. I should have tried shutter priority.
On the ISO front, I see any thing above 600 is grainy. Or am I missing again something?

Thanks so much, I will share my experience again with shutter priority mode

[RichardTaylor]

Better grainy then a blurred or very under exposed pic.

[Scotch]

I don't have experience of shooting safari pictures from a bus, but have often taken wildlife pictures from other types of vehicle, both closed and open, and always find it helps a lot if one can support the camera, even when using VR or IS lenses.

Are you able to support your camera when you're in the safari bus? If you can shoot from a window, then use a beanbag resting on the window sill, or even on the partly open window, and support your camera on the beanbag. Sometimes you can also use a monopod from inside the bus, if you can make it firm or secure it with cable ties or by jamming it between the seat and the side of the bus.

If you are able to keep the camera steady using some form of support, then shutter speed becomes less critical and allows you to use aperture priority, so you have more control over depth of field.