What will you do to get that perfect picture?
"If only I can get the bird with food in mouth". "If only I can get the head on shot of the eagle diving". "I want that perfect shot!". You probably would have heard this many times repeatedly from many photographers whom you connect with on the field, or perhaps one that's close to you. There's nothing wrong with getting that perfect shot. After all, this is a personal challenge and aspiration only if you do it the organic way. One must know the limit and respect the ethics of wildlife photography, that if you understand it in the first place!
"Protecting and loving nature isn't that difficult. You just need to act responsibly!"
The migratory season takes place every year from September, lasting for several months. During this period, many uncommon and even rare non-breeding bird species will travel up north and stop over at our tropical island (Singapore) momentarily before continuing their journey. These "star birds" would often create a frenzy as updates of their arrival spread within the birding community. These locations are soon packed to the brim within hours for many days. Needless to say, in situation like this, there are bound to have unpleasant experience. Photographers hogging on to the ideal spot and hoping to get their perfect shot, oblivious of many others waiting for a chance. In extreme cases, baiting become an occurrence to lure the birds for a perfect pose. And for the record, baiting is illegal in Singapore. Those caught feeding an animal in a public park can be fined up to $5,000 for each offence.
Know the limits
Wildlife ethics is extremely important, at least for me. If you are a truly passionate wildlife photographer, ask yourself one question. Is getting the perfect photo that wins many likes more important to you than conserving the natural instinct and behavior of the animals? Earning the respect of being a credible photographer takes more than just capturing the perfect moment using artificial means. Protecting and loving nature isn't that difficult. You just need to act responsibly.