Squirrel Photography

[Beauty Through a Lens]

Does anyone have any tips for photographing squirrels? I already got my bait and time of day figured, but does anyone have any suggestions?

[James G]

Hi Adrian,
Try a browse through this ancient thread...The Squirrel

I had/have a trick of sorts... slight movement on your part usually gets a squirrel to stop for just a sec while it checks out the hazard. If you refocus at that point it often results in a sharper capture.....

[marlunn]

if you hide the bait - you get some nice shots

[IzzieK]

Ouch! this is just too beautiful not to share, Mark...I love the texture of the old tree. If you look at it sideways, it has two eyes and big long mouth... the addition of the squirrels to it made this element really exquisite looking....Love it...

if you hide the bait - you get some nice shots

[Texas Dave]

Nice job Mark and I think your photo proves your advise is sound!

[Beauty Through a Lens]

I took some photographs with my camera at 600mm but the images kept turning out blurry? Also any suggestions or bait, they didn't even touch my apple.

Does anyone know how good their eye sight is?

[Beauty Through a Lens]

if you hide the bait - you get some nice shots

Wonderful photograph!

[Nicks Pics]

Do you have a bird feeder? Of course, that is a very good way to attract them. Squirrels are very much attracted to peanuts, and sunflower seeds. Those would be my top bait suggestions. If you are using bait lie down about 10-30 ft away, for some good low point of view shots, if they are on the ground at a bait pile. If in a tree approach calmly and stop if the squirrel appears to be watching you, take some photos. Most squirrels are fairly approachable compared to most wild animals. Squirrels seem to use their eyesight a lot, which leads me to think they have good eyesight for watching out for their surroundings. But mostly they use the nose for finding food on the ground.

Photos turning out blurry? Well, squirrels are twitchy and if caught in motion can cause motion blur, of course. I would use shutter speed of 1/1000 or more if there is enough light or just try to avoid shooting at the moment the squirrel moves. I have used slow shutter speeds for squirrels, and it works, unless the squirrel twitches during exposure, then it will be blurred. Here is one at about 1/50 sec. It is very sharp because the squirrel was fairly still at the moment it was recorded. This is a technique I do when light is dim and I don't want to use high ISO.

This picture presents another matter. There is an out-of- focus blade of grass in front of the squirrel's hip, and such can be bothersome or ruin a picture. So avoid sticks and grass being in front of the squirrel if possible. If shooting at a bait pile on the ground you may want to clear the way of possible obstructions between you and your subject.

[marlunn]

Ouch! this is just too beautiful not to share, Mark...I love the texture of the old tree. If you look at it sideways, it has two eyes and big long mouth... the addition of the squirrels to it made this element really exquisite looking....Love it...

Izzie, yep - the tree has been carved into a dragon - if I backed off you would see the trunk goes down to the ground and forms the body and tail so you are looking up the body to the thead where the squirrels are

[marlunn]

Good advice from Nick, they have good eyesight as they are aboreal and are hunted by big birds of prey amongst other things so need to have the ability to spot movement quickly - peanuts - birdfeed quality seem to be the favourite here - in some places they will come and take them out of your hand and then sit there eating it