The Wild Photographer cover art

The Wild Photographer

The Wild Photographer

By: Court Whelan
Listen for free

Learn techniques, tips, and tricks for improving your wildlife, travel, landscape, and general nature photography with Court Whelan. Whether you consider yourself a beginner, serious hobbyist, or advanced professional, this is the way to rapidly understand and implement new skills to elevate your photography to new heights.

© 2026 The Wild Photographer
Episodes
  • UV Filters Explained: Worth It, Overrated, or Essential Lens Protection?

    UV Filters Explained: Worth It, Overrated, or Essential Lens Protection?
    Jul 14 2026
    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 MentionedHere 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.Hoya UV Filters at B&H Photo — Hoya offers a wide range of UV and protective filters, including multi-coated and higher-end HD options.Hoya HD3 UV Filter — a premium Hoya UV filter with nano multicoating, scratch resistance, water and oil repellency, and no exposure change.B+W UV-Haze MRC MASTER Filter — a high-quality UV protection filter with MRC nano coating and low reflective qualities.B+W Clear Protection Filter — a clear protective filter option designed to protect against dust, fingerprints, splashing water, and other field hazards.B&H Photo Protective and UV Filters — a useful place to compare UV, haze, and protective filters by size, brand, price, and coating type.Lensrentals — a place where photographers can research or rent gear, including filters depending on availability.Final TakeawayUV filters are not magic. They will not transform your photos, make your colors explode, or really much of anything when it comes to look.But a good UV filter can protect your lens, make cleaning easier, reduce stress in rugged field conditions, and help preserve resale value. For most lenses, especially everyday travel, wildlife, and landscape lenses, I think they’re a very smart investment.The key is to buy a good one. Look for reputable brands, multi-coated glass, and a price point that matches the quality of the lens you’re protecting.And when you’re stacking filters, working with ultra-premium glass, or chasing the absolute highest optical quality possible, that may be the time to take the UV filter off and let the lens do its thing.Court's WebsitesCheck out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.comSign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.comFollow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tipsView my camera kit and recommended camera gearSponsors and Promo Codes:MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera GearArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website designBayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25) ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspiredArthelper.Ai - Smart tools to promo and showcase your art.LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
  • Wildlife Photography 102 and 103: Advanced Methods for Pro-Level Results

    Wildlife Photography 102 and 103: Advanced Methods for Pro-Level Results
    Jul 7 2026
    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 EpisodeWe cover:How to avoid the classic “field guide shot”Why low angles create more intimate and aesthetic wildlife imagesHow telephoto lenses can help lower your effective shooting angleHow background separation creates that pro-level wildlife portrait lookWhy distance between the animal and background matters so muchHow to choose backgrounds based on color, texture, pattern, and layersWhy patience is often the secret ingredient in great wildlife photographyHow to wait for the best moment instead of settling for the obvious oneWhat catch light is and why it brings life into an animal’s eyeWhy shooting to edit can improve your compositionsHow golden hour, clouds, and dramatic weather can elevate your photosWhen spot metering can create more dramatic or unexpected exposuresWhy shooting in RAW is essential for advanced editingWhy manual mode plus Auto ISO is my favorite setup for wildlifeHow to think about shutter speed for different kinds of wildlife behaviorWhen to use motion blur creativelyHow panning can create streaky, dynamic wildlife imagesWhy burst mode is so useful for fleeting behaviorHow pre-record features can help capture pounces, takeoffs, breaches, and other split-second momentsFinal ThoughtsWildlife Photography 102 and 103 is really about becoming more intentional and creating art vs. just documenting what you saw. It’s the shift from “I saw something amazing” to “I made something compelling out of the moment.”That comes from little choices that add up: getting lower, watching the background, waiting for behavior, catching the light in the eye, choosing the right shutter speed, and giving yourself room to edit. None of these techniques require perfection. They just require awareness — and a willingness to slow down, observe, and make decisions before the moment disappears.Court's WebsitesCheck out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.comSign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.comFollow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tipsView my camera kit and recommended camera gearSponsors and Promo Codes:MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera GearArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website designBayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25) ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspiredArthelper.Ai - Smart tools to promo and showcase your art.LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
  • Shutter Speeds Necessary for Various Types of Wildlife Movement

    Shutter Speeds Necessary for Various Types of Wildlife Movement
    Jun 30 2026
    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 secSlightly 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.Court's WebsitesCheck out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.comSign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.comFollow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tipsView my camera kit and recommended camera gearSponsors and Promo Codes:MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera GearArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website designBayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25) ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspiredArthelper.Ai - Smart tools to promo and showcase your art.LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off
    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
No reviews yet