Welcome to the Jungle

October 2, 2026

Animal photography is tough. It is physically tough because you generally need at least 300mm lens, and those things are heavy.

It’s also physically tough because it usually involves lots of walking in humid weather and under hot sun.

eg birding… it requires full awareness of the surrounding nature, listening to the bird calls, trying to peep thru thick foliage camouflage and trying to spot the elusive flutter of the wings that’s a giveaway. Then it is just waiting and observing. It requires a lot of patience.

The temptation is to spray and pray. Afterall, you spent a fortune on my auto-everything. It figures out the exposure, the focus, everything. Just press and hold the button. But of course, after downloading the contents of the SD card, it’s just photos after vapid photos, with miniscule differences inbetween, each as dull as the next.

So stop worrying about the heat and the sweat. Stop thinking about getting back into an aircon room and enjoying the glass of teh peng, extra ice. Take your time, take in the nature.

To me, I treat each animal photo like a character study. Each one has their own unique personality. Take the time to empathise, understand and appreciate. They’ll show you their personality. That’s when you see something magical.