Photos and text by Tony Martins

I’m often asked about my wildlife photography, particularly how to get close enough to animals to take good-quality photos. While stalking skills are an important asset in the field, truth be told, many of my best wildlife photos are taken from the somewhat concealed comfort of my truck. To many wild animals – particularly those that spend time near roadways – a vehicle is non-threatening. Thus, the flight response is often not triggered when animals notice an approaching vehicle, which also provides cover for the wildlife watcher/photographer.

It has been my good fortune to live in Arizona’s game-rich White Mountains for the past 30 years, where encounters with wildlife are common – if you pay attention! And like most endeavors, the key to success is being prepared for those opportunities when they occur. My work as an outdoors photojournalist for more than 25 years has conditioned me to never leave home without a camera... or two. When traveling alone, my sidekick riding shotgun is a plastic tote containing all the gear I may need to view, photograph, and video roadside wildlife. Here’s a list of what I carry:

• DSLR camera with image stabilized 55-250mm zoom lens & slave flash

• Compact point-and-shoot digital camera

• Compact video camera

• Spotting scope in 20-60x82mm with window mount

• PhoneSkope “digiscoping” adapter for Smart Phone

• Binocular in 10x42mm

• Backpack with tripod, camouflage jacket & cap

Your primary camera – the one you are most comfortable with – should be positioned in the vehicle where it is available for quick access. Wild animals that ignore moving vehicles will often run away when the vehicle stops, so it pays to be ready. Most DSLR cameras have an automatic setting designed for shooting subjects in motion, and I keep mine on this setting, ready for animals that bolt. If the subject animal remains calm when the vehicle rolls to a stop, you will have more time to adjust the camera to optimal settings for the conditions present. The moving image of the collared Mexican Gray wolf in the composite below (left) was captured only because I rolled up to the animal with the window down and camera ready to shoot, after spotting him crossing the paved highway several hundred yards ahead. Likewise with the photo of the young male wolf scooting under the right-of-way highway fencing (below).

You may have noticed that I carry a tripod and backpack when traveling. After spotting wildlife from the roadside, I will grab my gear and pursue on foot when time permits. This can be productive for individual animals or small groups if they move off when the vehicle approaches but appear to remain calm. A nice image of that “scooting” young wolf (below left) was captured later, after parking and sneaking closer. Same with the yawning coyote (below right), taken at a long distance from a tripod. And, the “peek-a-boo” mule deer buck image in the composite below (center) was the result of stalking for an hour after leaving the roadside, but it was well worth the considerable effort.

“Digiscoping” (Google it) devices like the PhoneSkope are extremely popular today, and a variety of these devices are available for attaching smartphones to spotting scopes and binoculars for close-up wildlife viewing and photography. Some devices are excellent quality and easy to use and some, not-so-much. They evolved from demand, as many of us were hand-holding digital cameras and cell phones against the ocular lenses of our high-powered optics to capture images. Without question, these devices produce superior photos, and clear sharp images are necessary for commercial applications – like illustrating magazine articles. Nevertheless, with practice and a steady hand, decent images suitable for personal enjoyment as well as impressing social media friends can be captured at great distances via the handholding method. Each photo (to the right) was taken with this method, using a window- or tripod-mounted scope or binocular.

Although vehicle positioning is very important in capturing good-quality photographic images, safety is the first priority in this pursuit. Rubbernecking while driving and attempting to spot wildlife is a dangerous practice that should be avoided. When traveling alone through areas where wildlife may be present, it’s best to find a safe spot to pull off the roadway completely, and then glass the surrounding area with a binocular. Turnouts and small roads that intersect the main travel route are ideal parking/spotting locations. Larger roadways and major highways usually have right-of-way areas that are wide enough for a vehicle to park safely off the roadway. And, be sure to exercise caution when moving back onto the roadway – particularly when merging into traffic.

When viewing and photographing wildlife from a vehicle that is downhill from your position, the best vantage will often be from the same side of the road as the animal(s). Likewise, when wildlife is located uphill, the opposite side of the roadway will offer a better angle and a better view as well. Positioning the vehicle with the driver’s window toward the subject animal will often require a u-turn to the opposite side of the roadway. If executing this maneuver means the vehicle will be facing oncoming traffic, this should be done only where it is safe and legal. For example, this should never be attempted on a highway where 2 or more lanes of oncoming traffic must be crossed, or on any roadway where the roadside margin available for parking is narrow. Besides the inherent danger of parking close to moving traffic, this can also give the appearance of a wrong-way driver to oncoming vehicles. 

If video and/or photography are your primary interests, the location of the sun is an important consideration when positioning the vehicle. 

Middle right are two photos of the same bighorn ram – one from each side of the road. While the best images are usually obtained with the sun at your back, if the only option is backlighting, interesting images can still be produced when the subject is close. Using a flash can sometimes eliminate unwanted shadows when facing toward the sun, but this will often spook animals that are close enough for the flash to actually have an effect on the image produced – so just like hunting, it’s important to make your first shot count!

When spotting wildlife in hilly or mountainous terrain, I often park the vehicle and climb to a higher vantage point with the tripod and scope or camera. If the animals are close, I remain still in the vehicle while assessing their level of comfort with my intrusion. If they remain calm or ignore my presence, I prepare my equipment inside the vehicle – for example, by attaching the scope or video camera to the tripod – so departing for higher ground will cause as little commotion as possible.

Of course, when traveling in the backcountry, particularly on isolated dirt roads where other vehicles are seldom encountered, it’s usually safe to stop in the middle of the road and stick your camera out the window when a good wildlife viewing/photographing opportunity presents itself. That’s how I captured the Merriam’s wild turkey sequence below, which highlights the importance of being ready for the opportunity, whether on- or off-road. Have fun, be prepared and be safe. And, if you happen to get a good photo of Bigfoot, please send me a copy!