Wildlife photography best practice

Looking after animals

Careful with flash
Animals are very sensitive to light and can be scared or temporarily blinded by a strong flash. If the light conditions aren’t good, a night vision camera is your best bet.

Don’t get too close
If an animal is looking at you, then you are disturbing it from its natural behaviour. That might not seem a problem but all these small impacts can add up: animals can feel stress without showing it and they are likely to get stressed and panic if you get too close to their home. They may even feel forced to abandon their location. This can have fatal consequences particularly if there is young. For some protected species a license is necessary to photograph animals which highlights how serious this problem can be.

Careful where you tread
Stick to designated paths or tracks. This will mean you are less likely to damage habitat or disturb vulnerable wildlife. You may be on a protected site such as an SSSI where the fauna and flora should not be disturbed.

Protected species
Make sure you know the protected status of a species you are photographing and the laws that protect them. Photographing some species during the breeding season can be seen as a criminal offence.

Don't use tape lures
Playing calls to birds, particularly on a nest, can disrupt their natural behaviour and put chicks at risk.

Always put the welfare of the animal first. Please see further guidance and downloadable materials below.