Wildlife Photography Tips!

Whether you are coming to visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center or just coming to Alaska, there is a good chance you will see some pretty cool wildlife! Check out these tips to help make the most of your photos.

1. The sun is your friend (in most cases).

AWCC sits on the edge of a rainforest, so when the sun does make an appearance, it’s the perfect time to capture stunning shots! For a traditionally lit portrait, position yourself with the sun behind you to keep your subject front-lit, ensuring a well-balanced photo. If the sun is behind your subject, you’ll create a glowing backlight or a silhouette effect. The choice ultimately depends on your creative vision—experiment with different angles to find the perfect shot!

At AWCC, the sun can get very bright—especially when reflecting off white surfaces. You might glance at your light meter and realize your breathtaking, award-worthy shot is completely overexposed. So, what do you do?

When photographing unpredictable animals, boosting your shutter speed can actually work in your favor. A faster shutter speed reduces the amount of light hitting the sensor, helping to balance exposure while also freezing fast action. With the right timing, you might even capture a crystal-clear shot of a spontaneous muskox headbutt—now that’s a moment worth shooting! I tend to set my shutter speed to 1/750th or 1/1000 on bright days, and if I’m still overexposed I’ll move to increase my aperture to let less light in.

On the contrary, an underexposed shot means that there is not enough light being let in to the sensor. This is a pretty common problem during the winter months when it’s dark most of the day. In this case, try lowering your aperture as much as possible (props to you if you have a low, fixed f-stop) and decreasing your shutter speed. I wouldn’t decrease shutter speed below the reciprocal of your lens focal length. For example, if my lens is 200mm, I would try to avoid going below 1/200th shutter speed. When the shutter speed is too slow, shaky hands or a small jolt can turn a great photo into a just barely blurry one that you will never show anyone ever.

2. Patience is a virtue.

Wildlife photography is, above all, a waiting game. Whether you’re holding out for an elk to bugle, a bear to scale a tree, or a bird to spread its wings, patience is key. You might understand your subject’s typical behavior, but in the wild, nothing is guaranteed—and that’s exactly how it should be. Animals move on their own terms, which can be frustrating at times, but when you finally capture that perfect shot, every second of waiting will have been worth it.

3. Know your equipment. 

It’s not about what equipment you have—it’s about how well you know it. Shooting with a Blackberry flip phone or a Canon EOS R3? Okay… maybe they’re not exactly the same. But that’s not the point. Mastering your gear allows you to capture the best possible shot, no matter what you’re working with.

If I have a wide-angle lens, I won’t get an up-close, detailed shot of a muskox—but I will be able to frame it against the breathtaking backdrop of the surrounding mountains. Every lens, every setting, every choice tells a different story. Whether you’re capturing the amber glow of a moose’s eye or a moose dwarfed by towering peaks that have stood for millennia, every shot has meaning. It’s all about perspective—and the story you want to tell.

4. Keep calm, and be quiet. 

Don’t spook the animals! We are in their natural habitat, enough said.

5. Shoot in RAW (or whatever setting you have that reduces data loss)

Shooting in RAW gives your camera the ability to store all the essential data from your photo, ensuring the best possible post-processing experience. In contrast, formats like JPG apply automatic processing and compression, which reduces image data—leaving you with fewer details to work with when editing.

While RAW files do take up more storage space on your camera and devices, the trade-off is well worth it. When it comes time to edit, you’ll have maximum flexibility to adjust exposure, color, and details—helping you bring your perfect shot to life exactly as you envisioned.

6. Practice makes progress.

Let’s be honest—photography is rarely perfect. But the more you get comfortable with your equipment and understand what you love in a photo, the closer you’ll get to bringing your vision to life. Keep practicing, experiment with different lighting, settings, and editing styles, and most importantly—enjoy the process. Every shot is a chance to learn, grow, and refine your craft.