There’s a big difference between coming upon a beautiful animal in the field and understanding how to capture a spectacular shot of your imposing subject. This tutorial with expert Kevin Hatley reveals what he says are “five essential skills for success in wildlife photography.”

Hatley is an accomplished British pro with an insightful YouTube channel devoted to photographing living subjects in the field—everything from birds and mammals to butterflies, reptiles, and insects. The handful of tips you’ll learn in this comprehensive episode is applicable when photographing the aforementioned subjects and others.

This genre of photography not only demands technical proficiency with camera equipment, but also a deep understanding of animal behavior and environmental awareness, Hatley puts it like this: “For aspiring wildlife photographers, developing a core set of essential skills is paramount to capturing stunning and impactful images.”

Hatley says a big challenge with wildlife photography is that we’re not in control because the subjects themselves determine how we proceed. In the next 19 minutes he explores recommended equipment, animal behavior, fieldcraft, subject knowledge, and a fifth skill he considers to be the most important.

Developing this handful of skills takes time, practice, and a willingness to learn. But Hatley insists that by focusing on these key considerations “you can build a strong foundation for capturing the beauty and wonder of the natural world.” Be sure to watch until the end where he reveals his top tip of the day.

Then head over to Hatley’s instructional YouTube channel and explore his many how-to videos that will prepare you for creating some wildlife magic of your own.

And don’t miss a related tutorial we featured earlier with another experienced wildlife photographer who demonstrates how to choose between Shutter Priority and Manual exposure modes when photographing animals in motion and other fast-action subjects.