Simple Photography Tips - How to photograph Toads
- Michael Blyth
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
five simple photography tips on what to do when photographing Toads - Camera and Phone Camera
Move slowly
Beware of grass etc between the lens and the subject
If there's something in the way, try a different angle
Try to avoid post-adjustment
Turn your phone upside down to get a better angle
There was I, wandering alongside one of the leats in the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen; an amazing place of grown-over sand-dunes which are used as a huge water purification system to supply Amsterdam, when I saw a toad.
Now, you may wonder why this was worthy of note, but in a place where the land is covered with grass and trees, and crisscrossed by a multitude of clean, clear leats carrying water—with no bogs or damp patches so beloved by such amphibians—encountering this potential prince was indeed remarkable.
Anyway, with you in mind, dear reader, I got stuck in with my iphone to inspire you to similar antics. Let's chat through some ideas and comments on the pictures.
Image One, bulk standard image of the creature, taken using my iphone 14 Pro, on x2 zoom. I've held back, and taken an initial image as I'm not sure whether he or she, are going to scarper.
As it happens it remained still throughout.
The proximity of one of the leats gave me a slope to get down lower, and a better angle, more frog-level, up close and friendly. Image Two was taken using the ultra-wide setting, focussing on the frog, but showing background environment.
I've included Image Three, as a classic, easy to make, so easy, little piece of grass across the lens - easily dealt with if you notice it, ruiner of picture if you don't - Simple Photography Tip - check!
Image Four is the same image, more or less, without the obstruction, but with a different blade of grass across it's leg. Not so critical, doesn't affect focus, but worth moving slightly.
Image Five, shows how close you can get sometimes, but you have to be very slow , without rapid movement that will certainly scare it - Simple Photography Tip: go gently. This is at the very limit of the lens, x2, before it can no longer focus.
Image Six is, in fact, a better image than Five. I’ve stepped back slightly, which makes the focus feel less forced, and the overall composition is more balanced.
The oft-mentioned Simple Photography Technique—frequently referred to in other blogs—of holding the phone upside down allowed me to get into a much better position. Brilliant for this little chap, or chapess … though I’m not sure I’d recommend it for photographing snakes. And definitely not crocodiles!
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