The Wild Photographer – Details, episodes & analysis

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The Wild Photographer

Court Whelan

Education

Arts

Science

Frequency: 1 episode/27d. Total Eps: 90

The Wild Photographer is a podcast for wildlife, nature, landscape, and travel photographers who want to make better photos and get more out of photography.

Hosted by professional photographer, biologist, expedition leader, and photo guide Court Whelan, PhD, the show combines practical photography advice with lessons learned from photographing wildlife and wild places around the world.

Episodes cover wildlife photography techniques, camera settings, lenses and gear, composition, landscape and travel photography, editing, creativity, and fieldcraft, along with conversations with professional photographers and visual storytellers.

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced photographer, expect approachable advice you can actually use in the field, plus plenty of adventure, curiosity, and enthusiasm for the craft.

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Score global : 69%

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Wildlife Photography Gear for Beginners: Cameras, Lenses and Industry Trends with Allison McLaughlin

Episode 90

Tuesday, September 29, 2026 • Duration 01:20:10

What camera gear do you actually need for getting into wildlife photography? And perhaps just as importantly, what don’t you need?

In this episode, Court sits down with Allison McLaughlin for a deep dive into building a wildlife photography kit, particularly for beginner and intermediate photographers. They cover everything from why autofocus tracking and telephoto reach matter so much for wildlife, to the advantages of crop sensors, zoom lenses, used gear, and even sticking with a DSLR for a little longer.

They also get very specific, working through approachable camera bodies and wildlife lenses from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, and OM System/Micro Four Thirds. Along the way, Court and Allison talk about how much telephoto reach you really need, why a 600mm lens isn't automatically better than a 400mm lens, and why the wide end of a telephoto zoom can be every bit as important as the long end.

Perhaps the biggest lesson from this conversation is that your next camera does not have to be your final camera. Wildlife photography gear can get expensive very quickly, but there is a huge amount of excellent equipment available one or two generations back, particularly on the used market.

Connect with Allison: https://www.reddit.com/user/mpbcom/

Cameras Mentioned

Canon

Canon EOS R50
View the Canon EOS R50

Canon EOS R10
View the Canon EOS R10

Canon EOS 7D Mark II
View the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
View the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Nikon

Nikon Z50 II
View the Nikon Z50 II

Nikon D500
View the Nikon D500

Nikon Z8
View the Nikon Z8

Sony

Sony A6100
View the Sony A6100

Sony A6400
View the Sony A6400

Sony A6600
View the Sony A6600

Sony A1
View the Sony A1

Sony A1 II
View the Sony A1 II

Fujifilm

Fujifilm X-T30 II
View the Fujifilm X-T30 II

Fujifilm X-S10
View the Fujifilm X-S10

OM System

OM System OM-5
View the OM System OM-5

Lenses Mentioned

Canon

Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM
A lightweight, relatively affordable RF wildlife zoom that Allison specifically highlights as a strong starting point.

View the Canon RF 100-400mm

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
The transcript does not specify which generation of the EF 100-400mm, so both versions are included here.

View the original Canon EF 100-400mm

View the Canon EF 100-400mm II

Nikon

Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD for Nikon Z
One of Allison's budget-conscious recommendations for someone building a Nikon Z wildlife kit.

View the Tamron 70-300mm Nikon Z

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
An older F-mount wildlife favorite that can also be adapted to Nikon Z bodies.

View the Nikon 200-500mm

Sony

Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS
Allison's standout recommendation for Sony APS-C wildlife shooters.

View the Sony 70-350mm G OSS

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS
Discussed as an excellent example of the versatile long-telephoto range that works especially well for wildlife and birds.

View the Sony 200-600mm

Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS
An example of just how much reach modern wildlife lenses can provide, while also illustrating why the minimum focal length of a zoom matters.

View the Sony 400-800mm

Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS
The Sony 100-400mm is also discussed when comparing versatile wildlife zoom ranges.

View the Sony 100-400mm GM OSS

Fujifilm

Fujifilm XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 R LM OIS WR
Allison's pick for a compact Fuji wildlife setup, with stabilization and weather resistance.

View the Fujifilm XF 70-300mm

Micro Four Thirds / OM System

Olympus M.Zuiko 150-400mm f/4.5 TC1.25X IS PRO
The lens Court used in Namibia, giving a tremendous effective focal range on the Micro Four Thirds system.

View the Olympus 150-400mm

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 75-300mm
Allison recommends the 75-300mm range as an especially compact way to get roughly a 150-600mm full-frame equivalent field of view. The episode does not specify which generation.

View the original Olympus 75-300mm

View the Olympus 75-300mm II

Panasonic Lumix G Vario 100-300mm
Another Micro Four Thirds option discussed for getting substantial wildlife reach without carrying a huge lens. The specific generation is not identified in the conversation.

View the original Panasonic 100-300mm

View the Panasonic 100-300mm II

Lens Adapters Mentioned

Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R
Allows Canon EF DSLR lenses to be used on Canon RF mirrorless bodies.

View the Canon EF-EOS R Adapter

Nikon FTZ Mount Adapter
Allows compatible Nikon F-mount DSLR lenses to be used on Nikon Z mirrorless cameras.

View the Nikon FTZ Adapter

Court's Websites

Check out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
Sign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.com
Follow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
View my camera kit and recommended camera gear

Sponsors and Promo Codes:

MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera Gear
ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design
BayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25)
ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspired
Arthelper.Ai - Smart tools to promo and showcase your art.
LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off

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Making Photography Fun (Again?)

Episode 89

Monday, September 14, 2026 • Duration 27:32

Photography is supposed to be fun. But somewhere along the way, as we get better at it, acquire more gear, learn more techniques, and start expecting more from every photograph, some of that original excitement can fade.

In this episode, Court explores how to bring some of that playfulness, curiosity, experimentation, and excitement back into photography. This isn't really an episode about taking technically better photographs. In fact, that's sort of the point. It's about enjoying the process, trying things without worrying whether they'll work, and occasionally giving yourself permission to make some genuinely bad photos along the way.

From simplifying your camera kit and creating photo assignments to breaking your own habits, printing photographs, shooting with friends, and sometimes leaving the camera at home altogether, Court shares practical ways to reset your photographic brain and rediscover some of the excitement that probably got you hooked on photography in the first place.

In This Episode

Simplify your gear. Try heading out with one camera and one lens. Removing choices forces you to work a little harder creatively and spend less time managing equipment.
Give yourself a very specific photo assignment. Photograph only shadows, reflections, textures, one color, things in motion, or subjects less than a foot off the ground.
Limit yourself to one focal length. Even with a zoom lens, pick something like 35mm and don't touch the zoom ring.
Pretend you're shooting film. Give yourself exactly 24 photographs, or tell a complete photo story using only five images.
Make photographs you never intend to share. Take Instagram, portfolios, competitions, and other people's opinions completely out of the equation.
Break your normal photographic habits. Photograph wildlife wide, landscapes with a telephoto, moving subjects at slow shutter speeds, or scenes at apertures you'd normally avoid.
Learn one small new technique. Try focus stacking, panoramas, intentional camera movement, exposure bracketing, astrophotography, macro, or black-and-white photography.
Try a completely different genre. Wildlife photographers can photograph architecture. Landscape photographers can try street photography. Travel photographers can spend an hour chasing insects and wildflowers.

Talking with Pete Ramsden - Techniques for Photographing in Challenging Conditions, Advice on Light Painting, Capturing the Northern Lights and More

Episode 88

Tuesday, September 1, 2026 • Duration 01:28:12

In this episode of The Wild Photographer, Court sits down with fellow photographer, naturalist and expedition leader Pete Ramsden for a wide-ranging conversation about what it actually takes to make great photographs in some of the more challenging environments on the planet.

They start in the rainforests of Borneo, where heat, humidity, and surprisingly low light can be challenging for both photographers and their gear. Pete shares some of the systems he has developed over years of guiding, including using silica gel and dry bags to fight moisture, acclimating cameras before heading outside, keeping lens cloths dry, and taking advantage of modern image stabilization to shoot at shutter speeds that would have seemed impossible not long ago. From there, the conversation moves north to the Arctic, with a deep dive into light painting and northern lights photography, including focusing in near-total darkness, composing around the aurora and experimenting with long exposures.

Court and Pete also get into the bigger picture of photography today. What does it mean to actually be "successful" as a photographer? How important is social media? How should photographers approach editing, culling thousands of images and traveling with increasingly complicated camera kits? Pete shares his Lightroom workflow, favorite travel tricks, current Sony setup and the one piece of gear that has become an unexpected game changer in the field.

Links & Resources Mentioned

Pete Ramsden

Light Painting

Light Painting Brushes

A Deep Dive into Memory Cards: Speed, Maintenance, Formatting and More

Episode 87

Tuesday, August 18, 2026 • Duration 52:01

Memory cards might be one of the least exciting things in your camera bag…right up until one fails, or a camera buffer "locks up" in the middle of an incredible wildlife moment, or you find your card simply isn't fast enough.

In this episode, Court does a deep dive into how memory cards actually work, what all those increasingly cryptic symbols on the front mean, and—more importantly—how to choose the right card for the way you photograph. The episode covers SD vs. CFexpress, read speed vs. write speed, UHS-I vs. UHS-II, V30/V60/V90 ratings, card capacity, camera buffers, dual-card setups, formatting, backups, field care, and a whole lot more.

At the end of the day, the best memory card is the one a photographer almost never has to think about. Court's advice is to choose something that matches the camera and the way it's being used, build a solid backup and formatting routine around it, take care of it in the field, and then get back to worrying about the much more interesting stuff happening on the other side of the lens.

A Quick Memory Card Cheat Sheet

General photography / landscapes / casual travel:
A good-quality SD card is usually plenty. If the camera supports UHS-II, it's worth considering, but there isn't necessarily a need for the fastest card available.

Wildlife, birds, and action:
Write speed becomes much more important. When shooting large RAW files at 15, 20, or 30+ frames per second, a slow card can become a bottleneck very quickly.

High-resolution cameras:
The bigger the files and the faster they're being captured, the more card speed matters.

Video:
Pay particular attention to sustained write speed. This is where V30, V60, and V90 ratings become important. Photographers should always check their camera's requirements for the specific video mode they're using.

CFexpress:
If a camera supports it and you're routinely shooting large RAW bursts, high-frame-rate wildlife, 4K/8K video, or RAW video, CFexpress can be a major performance upgrade.

Talking with Shem Compion: Making Memorable Wildlife Photographs on Safari and Beyond

Episode 86

Tuesday, August 4, 2026 • Duration 01:10:37

When it comes to African wildlife photography, Shem Compion has done just about everything. He is an award-winning photographer, naturalist, author, and pioneering hide builder who has spent more than 25 years exploring and photographing the wild landscapes of Africa. He is also a professional photo guide where he helps photographers experience Africa with the timing, access and creative guidance needed to come home with something truly special.

In this episode, Shem and I dig into what separates a technically good wildlife photograph from one that stops people in their tracks. For Shem, much of it comes down to combining emotion with narrative. A photograph should make the viewer feel something, but it should also tell us where the animal lives, what it is doing and why that particular moment matters.

We also explore the enormous value of photographic guides, the temptation to photograph every animal you encounter on safari and why harsh midday light is rarely your friend. Shem shares the fascinating story behind the underground photography hides at Mashatu Game Reserve, including the new overnight hide that functions almost like a wildlife photography studio, complete with controlled lighting, beds and, crucially, a coffee machine.

From there, our conversation expands into visual storytelling, conservation photography, building a lasting body of work and organizing your image library so you can actually find those photographs 15 years from now. Shem also walks us through his current Nikon kit, his relatively light-handed approach to editing and the advice he wishes he could give his younger self: take more photographs, especially of the people, experiences and behind-the-scenes moments that make a journey memorable.

Links and Resources Mentioned

Learn More About Shem...

Shem Images — Shem’s photography, books, portfolio and background
Shem Images on Instagram

Snapshot Episode: A Quick Guide to Ultra-Wide Angle Lenses

Episode 85

Tuesday, July 28, 2026 • Duration 17:21

Ultra-wide angle lenses may not take the majority of the photographs on a typical trip, but the images they produce can be some of the most immersive, useful and memorable. They are fantastic for astrophotography, Northern Lights, travel assignments, interiors and those experiential photographs that place the viewer right in the middle of the action.

In this episode, Court explores what qualifies as an ultra-wide angle lens, how crop-sensor conversions affect focal length, and why wider is not always better. He also compares prime and zoom lenses, explains the tradeoff between maximum aperture and field of view, and shares why approximately 20mm has become his personal sweet spot for many nighttime and travel-photography situations.

Court's Websites

Check out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
Sign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.com
Follow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
View my camera kit and recommended camera gear

Sponsors and Promo Codes:

MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera Gear
ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design
BayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25)
ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspired

All About Camera Sensors: Understand them and Improve your Photography

Episode 84

Monday, July 20, 2026 • Duration 48:39

In this episode of The Wild Photographer, Court takes a deep dive into one of the most important but often misunderstood parts of your camera: the digital sensor.

While camera sensors can sound technical at first, understanding how they work has a very real impact on the photos you make in the field. From ISO and noise to dynamic range, RAW files, megapixels, sensor size, rolling shutter, and even sensor dust, this episode breaks down the core concepts with practical advice in a photographer-friendly way.

Court explains the sensor as a light-gathering tool—the digital equivalent of film—and uses the helpful analogy of tiny “light buckets” to explain exposure, blown highlights, low-light performance, and why getting more real light to your sensor is often the key to better image quality.

Whether you’re photographing a jaguar at dusk, a polar bear on snow, birds in flight, or a sunrise landscape, understanding your sensor helps you make better decisions in the field. This episode is all about turning the technical side of photography into practical knowledge you can actually use.

Expect to Learn:

What a digital camera sensor actually does
The difference between photosites and pixels
Why high ISO creates noise—and why ISO is not the enemy
How sensor size affects low-light performance and dynamic range
When more megapixels help, and when they can create trade-offs
Why protecting highlights matters so much in digital photography
How RAW files preserve more of what your sensor captures
How cameras interpret color
Why a properly exposed high ISO image can beat an underexposed low ISO image
What ISO invariance and dual gain sensors mean in practical terms
When to use mechanical vs. electronic shutter
How rolling shutter can affect wildlife and action photography
What BSI and stacked sensors mean for modern camera performance
Why phone cameras are impressive—but still different from larger-sensor cameras
How to prevent and manage sensor dust in the field

Key Takeaways:

UV Filters Explained: Worth It, Overrated, or Essential Lens Protection?

Episode 83

Tuesday, July 14, 2026 • Duration 14:40

UV filters are one of those deceptively simple pieces of camera gear that somehow manage to spark wildly passionate opinions.

Some photographers swear by them. Others won’t let them anywhere near their expensive glass. And somewhere in the middle are a whole lot of people wondering, “Wait… do I actually need one of these things?”

In this episode of The Wild Photographer, we’re taking a practical, field-tested look at UV filters: what they are, why they exist, why they mattered more in the film era, and why many photographers still use them today even though digital cameras don’t really need UV filtration in the same way.

The big shift is this: for most modern photographers, UV filters are no longer about filtering UV light. They’re about protection.

A good UV filter acts like a clear, protective layer in front of your lens. It can help shield your front element from scratches, smudges, dust, rain, mud, salt spray, and the occasional “oops, that branch was closer than I thought” moment. And for photographers who travel, guide, shoot in rough conditions, or frequently clean their gear in the field, that extra layer can provide a lot of peace of mind.

But there are trade-offs. Cheap filters can potentially degrade image quality, stacking filters can cause issues like vignetting or optical weirdness, and if you’re using extremely high-end prime lenses, there’s a very reasonable argument that you may not want to place a lower-quality piece of glass in front of a truly elite lens.

So this episode is less about declaring UV filters “good” or “bad,” and more about understanding when they make sense, when they don’t, and how to shop for one if you decide to use them.

UV Filter Product Links Mentioned

Here are the UV filter brands and shopping resources mentioned in the episode:

PolarPro QuartzLine UV Filters — a higher-end UV filter option with quartz glass, anti-reflection coatings, scratch protection, and no exposure adjustment needed.

Wildlife Photography 102 and 103: Advanced Methods for Pro-Level Results

Episode 82

Tuesday, July 7, 2026 • Duration 44:48

There’s a big difference between taking a photo of wildlife and making a wildlife photograph.

That’s really the heart of this episode. In Wildlife Photography 102 and 103, we move beyond the basics and into the field-tested techniques that help transform a good wildlife sighting into a more captivating, artful, professional-looking image.

This isn’t about needing the fanciest camera or the biggest lens. It’s about learning how to stack the deck in your favor, first with Technique... choosing your angle, understanding light, reading behavior, waiting for the moment, managing your background, and dialing in the right settings so that when the magic happens, you’re ready for it. And, why the best wildlife photographers are often the ones who watch first and shoot second.

Then we shift into the Settings side of the equation: why shooting in RAW is such a game changer, why I love manual mode with Auto ISO, how to think about shutter speed for calm wildlife versus true action, and when to use burst mode or pre-record features to capture moments that happen faster than your brain can react.

The overall goal? To move past the “field guide shot” and create wildlife images that feel more alive, more intentional, and more memorable.

In This Episode

We cover:

How to avoid the classic “field guide shot”
Why low angles create more intimate and aesthetic wildlife images
How telephoto lenses can help lower your effective shooting angle
How background separation creates that pro-level wildlife portrait look
Why distance between the animal and background matters so much
How to choose backgrounds based on color, texture, pattern, and layers
Why patience is often the secret ingredient in great wildlife photography
How to wait for the best moment instead of settling for the obvious one
What catch light is and why it brings life into an animal’s eye
Why shooting to edit can improve your compositions
How golden hour, clouds, and dramatic weather can elevate your photos

Shutter Speeds Necessary for Various Types of Wildlife Movement

Episode 81

Tuesday, June 30, 2026 • Duration 32:23

There are few things more frustrating in wildlife photography than thinking you nailed the moment… only to later realize the animal is just a little bit soft. That is, you didn't freeze the wildlife movement.

In this episode of The Wild Photographer, we’re diving into one of the most practical, field-tested topics in wildlife photography: what shutter speeds you actually need to freeze motion.

But here’s the important part: not all movement is created equal. A sleeping polar bear, a restless lion, a nursing cub, a walking raccoon (any raccoon photographers out ther?), a sparring bear, a flying bird, and a twitchy little forest bird all require different thinking. And while faster shutter speeds are usually safer, they come with trade-offs: higher ISO, more noise, wider apertures, less depth of field, or the need to lean on de-noise software later.

We’ll start by separating two types of movement: camera movement and subject movement. Camera shake can sometimes be handled with the classic “one over focal length” rule, image stabilization, tripods, monopods, or good bracing technique. But subject movement? That’s a whole different beast — sometimes literally.

From there, we walk through practical shutter speed ranges for different wildlife scenarios, from resting animals all the way up to fast, frenetic movement like birds in flight, pouncing predators, or fast-twitch action. We also talk about when not to freeze motion, because intentional motion blur can be one of the most creative ways to make your wildlife photography stand out.

The goal here isn’t to memorize a rigid formula. It’s to build a mental field guide so that when the action starts, you can make fast, confident decisions — instead of fumbling with settings while the cheetah, bear cub, or twitchy bird does something spectacular and then immediately pretends nothing happened.

Here’s the summary list of shutter speeds discussed in the episode:

Wildlife Scenarios | Recommended Shutter Speed Range

Resting animal / no movement | 1/100 to 1/250 sec
Slightly restless animal / periodic movement | 1/200 to 1/320 secRestful interaction — nursing cubs, gentle behavior | 1/250 to 1/500 secSteadily moving but calm — slow bear, relaxed walking, gentle movement | 1/320 to 1/600 secPlayful interaction — gorilla baby playing, active family behavior | 1/500 to 1/800 secWalking or trotting mammal | 1/800 to 1/1250 secFast movement — sparring, chasing, rolling, running | 1/1600 to 1/2000 secFrenetic movement — birds in flight, pouncing, twitchy action | 1/1600 to 1/3200 secExtremely fast wings — hummingbirds, insects, wingbeats | 1/4000 to 1/8000 sec may help, but even this may not fully freeze wing motionTwitchy birds on branches | Can range from 1/250 to 1/1600 sec, depending on timingIntentional motion blur | Start around 1/40 sec, then experiment slower Slow-motion blur experiments | Try 1/20, 1/10, 1/8, 1/5, or 1/2 secPanning wildlife | Often around 1/40 to 1/20 secHandheld landscapes | Absolute slow end around 1/50 sec, but often safer at 1/200 to 1/250 secTripod landscapes | Much slower shutter speeds are possible because the subject usually isn’t moving, and tripods take out all hand movement.

The Wild Photographer – Details, episodes & analysis

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The Wild Photographer – Details, episodes & analysis

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