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POINT & CLICK CHECKLIST
How to Take a Photo in Denali National Park

We asked Healy photographer Jimmy Tohill to tell us how to take a
successful photo of wildlife and terrain in Denali Park. Here’s what he said.

1. Always have a camera handy

Consistent quality photographs require being at the right place at the right time with the proper equipment and the knowledge to use it. Always have an extra battery, extra film or memory cards. Read yourcamera manual with your camera in hand, and practice shooting in different lighting, into the sun, with a flash and without a flash. Take notes.

2. Develop an eye for subject and contrast

How is the lighting? Is it too bright, from the wrong direction, or too dull? Keep an eye on the sky. Are the clouds moving? If you wait a few minutes or come back later will the lighting be more pleasing? Bright overhead sun can sometimes make for too much contrast and shadows. Mornings and evenings tend to have better lighting for outdoor photography.

3. Keep looking and always be ready

You need patience and commitment. Keep looking and always be ready. It helps doing a little research on animal habitat – where different species are likely to be at different times of the year.

4. Fill the viewfinder with your subject

Too often the over eagerness to get the wildlife shot results in a speck somewhere in the photo. Don’t get me wrong... these shots make for great memory photos for yourself, which is important, but don’t expect all your friends and family to get much out of it.

5. Try different angles

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Try different angles – from ground level, from up on a rock. Move around your subject, and have fun with it. Most of all get outdoors, and enjoy it for all its beauty!

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