Great Wildlife Photography, A Pro Shares How To Get Started
Interview With Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven, Part 2 OF 2
WHEN A WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER AND HIS FAMILY ALL LIVE IN A CAMPER, THERE IS NO ROOM EXTRANEOUS EQUIPMENT, EVERY PIECE HAS TO PULL ITS WEIGHT. IMAGE: ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
ROBERTA KRAVETTE, EDITOR, TRAVEL ADVISOR.
Following His Passion
Belgium born Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven has a passion for the American West.
Through his lens, we have experience wildlife as diverse as migrating butterflies to mothering bears. Jorn has shown us the majesty of the Grand Tetons and the stark beauty of the desert. Today, Jorn shares some of his favorite tips and secrets for getting the shot that tells the story.
JORN WITH NIKON 600mm f/4 LENS. “AN AMAZING LENS, BUT BIG AND HEAVY TO CARRY” IMAGE.© HANNAH VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
When You Began, What Was Your First Photography Equipment?
BULL MOOSE FACING OFF IN GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING. NIKON D500 AND 200-500MM LENS. IMAGE: ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
Jorn: My first 'real' camera was a Nikon D70 DSLR that I bought in 2005. I mounted an 18-270mm f/3.5 – 6.3 Tamron lens on this 6 megapixel DSLR camera: a great focal length range to cover everything from landscapes to wildlife portraits.
I visited places such as Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, but I was frustrated by many of the pictures I had made. I had no clue how to fix those mistakes.
How Did You Start Achieving The Results You Wanted?
GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK. NIKON D500, LENS 70-200MM IMAGE: ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
Jorn continues: I realized I had to learn how a camera body works, what exposure is, how to compose a scene, and so on. After hours, I started taking classes at the New York Institute of Photography and reading photography books.
Is It True That Your Photography Career Did Not Begin with Wildlife and Nature?
Those classes gave me the knowledge and confidence to advertise my photography skills around [where I was living at the time] Austin, Texas, photographing weddings, and making family portraits.
You may think wedding and wildlife photography are not related, but wedding photography provides invaluable experience. You encounter so many different challenges during photographing a wedding that it forces you to learn fast: how to light a scene, which focal length works best, etc.
For many years photography was my side-line, but in 2018 I took the plunge into a full-time career, only not with weddings.
I decided to follow my passion for nature and wildlife photography.
What Should People Keep in Mind When Buying Photography Equipment ?
ELK HAREM. GRAND TETONS NATIONAL PARK. NIKON D500, LENS 600.0MM IMAGE: ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
Jorn: My first DSLR camera was a Nikon camera, for no reason other than I found a good deal online.
Looking back, I'm glad I bought a Nikon as they have such a vast array of lenses and accessories.
When deciding on a camera brand, one of the most important criteria – if not the most important - is the number of lenses and accessories it offers. What good is the best camera body ever made if their manufacturer only offers two standard lenses to go with it?
My main camera body is currently the Nikon D500. I love this crop sensor camera body, especially for wildlife photography. It has good weather sealing, plenty of megapixels (20), a fast frame rate, a large buffer, handles high ISOs well, and it's ergonomic design allows you to hold it in your hand for hours on end.
Do You Have A Favorite Lens For Wildlife
Jorn: My go-to lenses for wildlife are the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8, the Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6, and the Nikon 600mm f/4. Those three cover 90% of my shooting, I'd say. I occasionally use Nikon's 24-70mm f/2.8 lens if I want to include a lot of scenery around the animal.
What About Equipment for Landscape Photography?
FOR THIS PHOTOGRAPHER, HIS FAMILY IS HIS GREATEST INSPIRATION. NIKON D800 LENS 24.0-70.0MM IMAGE: ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
Jorn: For landscape photography, I sometimes use the D500 but most often grab my old backup camera body, the Nikon D800. Even at seven years, it is still going strong, and I haven't found a reason to replace it.
Jorn Continues: At 36 megapixels, the D800's full-frame body does everything I wish for in a landscape body. I wouldn't recommend these high megapixel bodies for wildlife use due to the slow frame rate and small buffer, although the D850 does a better job. I wouldn't look forward to editing those huge D850 files since a good day of wildlife photography can yield a thousand or more shots.
The lens I most often use for landscapes is the Nikon 16-35mm f/4, with a polarizer filter and sometimes an ND filter, if the need arises. I also like playing around with the 'big stopper,' a ten stop ND filter.
What Equipment Always Goes With You?
WHEN YOUR INSPIRATION IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN YOUR “CARRY SPACE” CHOOSING THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT IS PARAMOUNT. NIKON D800, 70.0-200.0 LENS IMAGE: ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
Jorn: As the saying goes: the camera you have on you when something happens is the best camera in the world. For this reason, I always have a DSLR camera body lying behind the seat in my car. You never know when something will happen!
What is the best "Starter Kit" for Someone Who Has Never Taken Wildlife Pix Before?
ONE OF JORN’S FAVORITE SUBJECTS, GRIZZLY# 399 WITH ONE OF HER 2020 CUBS. IDEALLY YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE SETTINGS WITHOUT TAKING YOUR EYE OFF THE VIEWFINDER. NIKON D500, LENS: 600MM. IMAGE: ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
It's tough to say without looking at someone's overall photography skill level or budget.
As I describe in my new book, "Beginner's Guide to Bird & Wildlife Photography," a wildlife camera needs certain features. It's almost like buying a car: if you need to haul something, buy a pick-up. If you want to drive on a race track, buy a sports car. For wildlife, look for a camera body with proper weather sealing, high ISO, and a decent frame rate (I recommend at least 7 fps, more is always better).
You want a good-sized buffer (so that you don't have to wait for your camera to save pictures to the memory card while the action is happening). And you want a camera that is comfortable to hold in your hand for extended periods.
Does the Size of the Camera Matter?
QUEEN BUTTERFLY IN TEXAS. CAPTURED WITH NIKON D500 AND 200-500 LENS. IMAGE: ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
Jorn: We all like small and lightweight cameras, like the newer mirrorless 'MILC' cameras (Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera), but when you have to hold a camera in your hand for hours on end, smaller isn't always better.
"Hand cramp" is a real thing,
And the camera body must have a comfortable button layout. Ideally, you want to change necessary settings without having to take your eye off the viewfinder!
What About Focal Lengths, Subjects with Scenery Verses Portrait Shots?
Jorn Continues: Regarding focal length, for wildlife photography, I recommend covering the 100 to 600mm lengths. I like to carry two bodies with different focal length lenses, so if I'm on foot, you'll often see me with the D500 with the 200-500mm lens and the D800 with the 70-200mm lens. That allows me creative freedom to switch from including scenery around the animal to make an intimate portrait, all in a matter of a few seconds.
The big, heavy 600mm f/4 lens only leaves my bag if I can use it on a tripod, and little or no hiking is required. These past few years, several companies like Sigma and Tamron have released terrific telephoto lenses covering 150 to 600mm f/5.6 – 6.3 for a very reasonable price. Of course, you don't get the large aperture that you get with the professional-grade f/2.8 or f/4 lenses, but those can cost 10x what you'd pay for the Tamron or Sigma variant.
For landscapes, I recommend covering wide-angle to normal focal lengths, something from 16mm to 200mm.
I’ve Heard That Previously-Owned Equipment Can Sometimes Be a Good Option?
PORTRAIT OF A BALD EAGLE IN FLIGHT. CAPTURED WITH NIKON 600MM LENS. IMAGE: ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
Jorn: As a general tip, especially for someone who is learning and is on a budget (aren't we all?), don't overlook used equipment. Vendors like Adorama sell refurbished equipment that is almost as good as new, at a fraction of the cost of buying new.
Let's say you have $1,000 to spend on a camera body: I'd recommend buying a used Nikon D4 or D4s rather than buying a new body like the D610. There's nothing wrong with the D610: but, I think the pro-grade D4 / D4s are much better in almost every way when it comes to the niche of wildlife photography.
Didn’t You Just Put All These Great Hacks Into a Book for Beginners?
Jorn: Thanks, yes, I specifically wrote The "Beginner's Guide to Bird & Wildlife Photography," from the perspective of what I would have loved to know when I started. I remember how clueless I was when I turned the camera dial from the PROGRAM/AUTO to the MANUAL setting! My goal was to create a great resource, especially for beginner photographers interested in wildlife photography.
What Photography Issues Does Your Book Address?
JORN WITH NIKON 200-500 LENS. JORN’S ADVICE: “HAND CRAMP” IS A REAL ISSUE. A SMALLER CAMERA IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER. IMAGE: ©HANNAH VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
Jorn: The book explains the basics of photography: the relationship between shutter speed, aperture, and ISO; what camera features to look for when buying a camera, what is the difference between a DSLR and a mirrorless camera body and when to use which; what makes a lens right for wildlife photography, how to compose your image, and how to start using your camera in MANUAL mode, etc.
And it addresses several questions that are always reoccurring: what camera should I buy? What lens? Why isn't my image sharp, and why did the camera mess up the exposure? How can I fix the composition?
GRAND TETONS NATIONAL PARK NIKON D800 WITH 24.0-70.0 LENS IMAGE: ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
Jorn Continues: I like to think of my book as a combination of science: explaining what goes on in your camera and Best Practices: things that I've learned from in-the-field experience that make the most significant difference in my work. But, photography learning never ends.
As a bonus, I also added in a wildlife calendar. It includes some good locations and the best time of the year to find wildlife – and the story behind some of my favorite images.
Before We Go, Tell Us: What's on Your Photography Bucket List?
SAYS JORN, … GETTING BACK TO NATURE IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL. GRAND TETONS AT SUNSET. NIKON D800 WITH 70.0-200MM LENS IMAGE: ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
The top of my list for landscape photography is Mongolia! With its vast steppe and sprinkling of wildlife such as grey wolves, Mongolia speaks directly to my imagination. I hope for an extended road trip from Europe into Asia one day.
For wildlife photography, Russia tops my list, specifically the bears in the Kamchatka region. I imagine it would be an experience similar to Grand Teton or Yellowstone 100 years ago: few if any tourists, just you and nature.
Closer to home, I'd love to spend more time in Southeast Alaska and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. I envision myself walking into nature for days or weeks with nothing more than my camera and a backpack, looking for the more elusive animals like mountain lions, wolverines, or wolves.
One Last Thought?
ALASKA. GRIZZLY BEAR SWIMMING. NIKON 600MM LENS. IMAGE: ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
Jorn: Getting away from the crowds is especially crucial in nature photography, but getting back to nature is good for the soul.
Roberta: Thanks Jorn! Can’t wait to see what you send us next!
