I was lying in the brush with leaves and branches around me. A big bull moose stood in the river, with autumn color behind him.
That low angle was what I loved.
You could see the water around his legs and the yellow leaves behind those enormous paddles. I wanted people to feel like they were looking into his world.
The camera mattered. But most of what I loved about that photograph was happening outside it.
The camera and lens I use
My wildlife setup is a Canon EOS 90D and a Canon EF 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6L IS II USM lens.
That is the body and lens I take into the field.
For a price reference, October 2026 used listings at MPB put the 90D body at $694 to $964 and the 100–400mm II lens at $1,329 to $1,859. Together, that is roughly $2,000 to $2,850 before tax and accessories. Prices vary with condition and availability.
That is still a lot of money. I’m sharing what I use, not telling you that you have to buy the same thing.
But I haven’t needed a $40,000 or $50,000 setup to make photographs I’m proud of. I’m happy to put my work beside photographs made with much more expensive equipment.
That isn’t a claim that every camera produces the same detail. Sharpness matters. So does giving somebody a reason to keep looking.
Look at what surrounds the animal
You find a moose, lift the camera, and understandably want to photograph the moose.
But look behind him.
A bright patch of sky might pull your eye away from his face. Branches might disappear into his antlers. The river might tell you more about where he lives than another tight photograph of his head.
Those are decisions you can learn to make with the equipment you already own.
I love light coming between the trees. I love what autumn leaves do behind a dark animal. Sometimes I want that soft glow. Other times I want less light washing through the frame so the details stand out.
Neither photograph has to be wrong. You decide what you want people to notice.
Give yourself time to notice
I would rather spend an evening watching the light change than assume a new camera will fix a photograph I haven’t thought through.
Watch where the shadows fall. Check the edges of your frame. Try leaving more of the surroundings in the picture instead of always zooming tighter.
And learn your camera well enough that you aren’t fighting the controls when something happens. Practice focusing, controlling movement with shutter speed, and adjusting exposure.
That’s work you can start doing now.
A different angle never justifies crowding wildlife. In Grand Teton, stay at least 25 yards from moose and most other wildlife, and 100 yards from bears and wolves. Give more room when needed and leave the animal’s route open. A shorter lens is not permission to move closer.
This is what I would like to teach
I’ve been thinking about helping people learn more of this, possibly through a class. I haven’t decided what that would look like yet.
But I want people to know they can begin without owning the most expensive equipment.
Learn what your camera does well. Spend time outside. Pay attention to the whole scene, even when a giant bull is doing his best to hold all of your attention.
For a Yellowstone or Grand Teton trip, the interactive wildlife map can help you choose a starting route and read recent field notes before you go. Give yourself time to watch once you arrive.
That river photograph began with the view through the brush.
I had to notice it before I could take it.
Keep wildlife wild.
