What I find really important…
is leaving my cameras on and ready to go, which means being at a starting setting. For me, that’s 1/800 sec., ISO 200 or Auto ISO when it is working, continuous mode, f/8, and 9 point focus. The settings are the Sunny 16 rule for shooting wildlife in action. I know exactly where I’m starting so there are no surprises, and I can start shooting immediately.
I change my settings often, but I always begin at the same place. I always start ready. This particular beaver popped up out of nowhere, did a quick survey, flapped a tail, then dove back in. No time for screwing around with settings.
If I had to consciously think about how to push a button and spin to ISO 400 and then wheel around to get an aperture of f/8 and then dial up exposure compensation to account for the snow and white ice, that’s a lot of thinking, and I would have missed the beaver appearing moment. It’s important to change my shutter speed, f-stop, ISO settings, and zoom in or out without ever taking my eye from my view finder.
That is why being ready to shoot comes in handy. It is why knowing my camera helps too. I sat at this location for about an hour and a half. I did not know what and when to expect anything to happen, but it was a pretty day and scenic location. The beaver actually caught me off guard when it appeared.
That is why I clipped the tail. When I am shooting, I get so engrossed in the sense of place, I forget what lens is on my camera sometimes. A bit too much glass on the beaver.
It’s not about your adherence to the rules. It’s about being in a beautiful or interesting place likely to find a story, being prepared when you arrive, and being patient while you wait for the magical moment. Ok, a beaver is not much magic, but it seemed that way to me while I was waiting. See the post on Garden walk Garden Talk on using the rules of composition. It is a post not to miss if you like doing photography.
Nature and Wildlife Pics 
fantastic images! clear, sleek, texture….. amazing!
Thanks Z. I was rather glad I had some detail for how fast this happened.
beavers are strangely elusive; nice to see your impromptu shots.
Thanks Laura. Yes, surprises do occur unexpectedly.
Great shots! I especially love the first photo of the close up.
Thanks Sue.
Sharp images, nice and close and great advice for being “ready to go.” I am starting to remember to reset my camera at the end of a shoot, especially a night shoot. It hurts to miss a golden opportunity due to poor settings.I usually use center focus, do you find all-over that effective? Regardless, it is an opportunity to “play around ” with my camera, because they all work differently.Thanks for the tips.
Thank you. My friend just had a missed moment. It is a good idea to always check the camera and not just assume.
Well said Donna, so true it is about catching that magical moment which is yours alone. This is why I don’t use a tripod or camera strap, I am looking for that special moment also, which can be lost in less than a second. Love your beaver shots, how lovely to see them in the wild.
Thank you. I too rarely use a tripod. Wildlife can be so unpredictable.
That’s good advice. It’s so difficult to take photos of animals. Unlike plants, they move!
Thanks, Connie.