Focus on Photographers: Wildlife Photography with Richard McManus

Richard McManus is a freelance wildlife film maker and photographer. He has always had a passionate interest in wildlife, and his photography has developed from a hobby he had as a boy. All forms of wildlife interest him, and he has photographed extensively in the polar regions as well as the tropics.

His photos are sold through Getty Images and can be seen on his Flickr page. The BBC, Channel 4 Microsoft, and Lonely Planet are just some of the people who have used his images. He has also had some of his footage of the mountain gorillas in Uganda broadcast on ITV.

macmanus3 ©Richard McManus

mamanus3 ©Richard McManus

Richard uses Canon equipment. For stills he uses a Canon 1D Mark 1V and a range of lenses from the 24mm to the 500mm with a 1.3 extender. For video, he uses the Canon XH A1.

The thrill of wildlife photography is capturing the beauty of nature. It is critical to research carefully where target species can be seen within photographic range. He always uses local spotters where he can. It is also critical to have a love and understanding of nature. Wild animals are unpredictable, and the photographer who thinks more about the image than the animal he is photographing is likely to encounter problems, ranging from the animal fleeing in fright to real danger to him or herself. The animal should always come first, and the photographer should be patient and try to gain the animal’s trust. That is better for the animal and is also likely to lead to better photos.

mcmanus1 ©Richard McManus

mcmanus2 ©Richard McManus

mcmanus4 ©Richard McManus

KEEP UP WITH RICHARD: Flickr | Getty Images | YouTube

October 2013