Shooting wildlife close to your home is rewarding and if you get it right most of the time will justify buying better and more expensive equipment to move out into more exotic places. Key to all of this is practise and experimenting so don't be afraid to try different things. Happy shooting!

When I think of animal pictures I think of one of the hardest types to get, birds. Birds in motion are extremely difficult to get and even when they're sitting still you have to be quick or else they'll be flying away. When taking shots of pets, even though they're domesticated most of the time, you still need to be fast and take pictures of them at the right moment. There is always that perfect shot when a pet gives the perfect pose.

Behaviors make the best bird photographs. Photograph birds doing natural movements such as pruning, bathing, or feeding make for much more interesting photographs than a bird sitting on a wall.

Timing is everything. Most species of birds eat in the morning or late afternoon. Get to know the habits of the bird that you are photographing and where it returns every day to feed.

The biggest difference from pet photos to people photos is that the pets don't know really what you're doing and are not going to sit still while you set up your aperture. The big question then comes... how do you take photos of pets successfully?

Different angles for the animals you photograph will result in different feelings. If you take a shot of a dog from your standing up point the dog will look like it's beginning the camera. If you get lower and towards the dogs eye level the dog will seem more normal.

Shoot flowers. An oldy but goody. Spring flowers and blossoms are always a good subject if you need an idea.

By understanding and making notes about the wildlife possibilities you can anticipate the movements and habits of your potential subjects. If a squirrel uses a particular path down a tree they often get to a point and wait for a few moments to look out for danger. It's at this point that you have pre-focused and are ready to press the shutter. The same goes for birds. They have a perch above the food they tend to land on before flying down.

There is a debate about whether we should lure wildlife to a garden with unnatural sources of food. I'm quite happy to attract garden birds and small animals such as squirrels in this way. The correct way to do it though is to plant indigenous plants and trees that will naturally attract the local bird and wild life. If you need to put out food, make sure that it's the right food which you can read about in books or on websites. They may eat exotic food but it won't be good for them.

Shoot birds as they are now coming back from the winter. Use the longest lens you have to get the bird in full frame. Use a fast shutter speed of at least 1/500 second. These critters move fast and are usually restless even while perched so you need to be prepared for their quick moves.

Take advantage of the best light. Usually morning light for warm yellow tones, late afternoon or evening light will give you a warmer hint of red to full red.

Walk softly. Learn how to approach birds quietly and with very little movement. This goes for all wildlife photography.