Photographing Wildlife on Sanibel Island

The question of what to shoot is easily answered.

Everything in sight.

Leaving more fundamental considerations to be resolved, such as how to shoot and when to shoot.

The answers to each of those questions can fill volumes.

So we will abbreviate our answers into something you can evaluate and take home with you.

One of the most popular subjects on Sanibel for a photographer are our dolphins.  And while you may get some delightful surprises of dolphins swimming with you, those are rarely opportunities to point your camera and click away.  Even from the shore, the ability to get a good shot will be limited.

But most of our boat rides offer ample opportunity to get spectacular dolphin photography.  Lighting and speed will have everything to do with your success as you shoot from a moving boat, schools of dolphins swimming beside you.   First, check your metering, make sure you are shooting at least 1/400 shutter speed based on the lighting conditions. Make sure you have a high speed (class 10) card in your camera. Set your camera to continuous shooting and press the shutter for as long as the dolphins put on their show. Practice if you have to before you go shooting a moving subject, kids or pets. Finally, stating the obvious, be prepared to shoot a lot and edit out the bad (out of focus) shots.

We can not guarantee you will see dolphins, but the odds are greatly on your side. 

Shooting our birds may require more patience than skill.  The small song birds are generally not that easy to spot given the abundance of topicality.  It is probably more advantageous to sit in one place and wait for them rather than to go out looking.  A bench at your condo complex or chair on that deck of your rental house will be a fine perch for viewing and shooting.  Make yourself comfortable and stay cool with an iced tea and plenty of sunscreen.

But venturing out to find our wading birds  is necessary and generally successful.  Ding Darling abounds with waders from Roseate  Spoonbills to White Pelicans.  They will only be seen at low tide, but they will be in abundance providing ample opportunity to shoot them in groups or just isolate one or two as your subjects.

The waders are accustomed to people but may be at some distance.  So we suggest you get a pass into Ding Darling and drive through with your car, carrying your camera and tripod with you, stopping at the best locations.  You will know when a group of Rosies or White Pelicans are gathered on one of Ding's sandbars as the humans will be grouped there as well.  Because the distance may reach or exceed 100 feet, it is best to have  a tripod, but a very steady hand can work quite well.

The rewards of photographing in Ding Darling go well beyond Rosies and Pelicans though.  Your chances are good to excellent in seeing so many special residents there: Alligators, Raccoons, and dozens of other birds from Yellow Crowned Night Herons to Snowy Egrets can all be found in abundance.  And most of these will be close enough to shore where you will be able to shoot without a tripod.

The biggest challenge you will find is that you will quickly run out of time when using vacation hours and days to use your eyes and camera.  But you will go home with the best souvenirs. Ever!