Mastering Wildlife Photography: Key Insights from Pro Photo Guide Mike Hillman

When it comes to wildlife photography, few people have the breadth of experience and storytelling ability as Mike Hillman. As a professional photo guide specializing in everything from grizzly bears to desert landscapes, Mike has built an incredible career guiding travelers and photographers to some of the world's most stunning locations.

In the latest episode of The Wild Photographer, I sat down with Mike to talk about his journey, his approach to wildlife photography, and the expert tips that can take your nature shots to the next level.

From the Woods of Michigan to the Wilds of the World

Mike’s love for nature started young, growing up in the forests of Michigan, where his mom’s dinner calls echoed through the trees. But his career in wildlife photography didn’t follow a straight path. He initially pursued zoology at Michigan State University, knowing he wanted to work with animals but unsure of the role. Turns out, veterinary medicine wasn’t for him (too much blood), academia wasn’t appealing (too much homework), and even zookeeping didn’t quite fit (too much cleaning up after animals). The lightbulb moment came when he realized he could get paid to talk about wildlife.

His career kicked off in zoo education, which then evolved into a passion for guiding—bringing people face to face with wildlife in their natural habitats. That transition naturally led him to photography as a way to capture and share those experiences. And now, as Director of Photography Expeditions at Natural Habitat Adventures, he combines all of those passions into a career that takes him across the world.

The Role of Photography in Conservation

Throughout the conversation, Mike emphasized the importance of photography as a conservation tool. He shared how powerful images—especially those that capture an animal’s emotion, environment, and behavior—can inspire people to care about wildlife in a way that statistics never will. “You don’t want to anthropomorphize them,” Mike explained, “but capturing expressions, behaviors, and how they interact with their environment tells a more compelling story.”

Top Tips for Wildlife Photography

1. Understand Your Subject’s Behavior

One of Mike’s biggest pieces of advice? Learn the behavior of the animals you’re photographing. “The best wildlife photos happen when you can predict what an animal is going to do next,” he said. Whether it’s a bear fishing for salmon or an eagle preparing to take off, knowing what to expect lets you anticipate the shot instead of reacting too late.

2. Perfect “PAWSture” in Bear Photography

Mike’s wife, a fellow wildlife photographer, coined the term perfect pawsture—and it’s a game-changer for bear photography. The goal is to capture a bear mid-stride, ensuring that all four legs are visible in the shot. That slight front paw curl as they step forward? That’s the money shot. It creates a sense of movement and power, turning a good bear photo into a great one.

3. Zoo Photography as a Training Ground

Want to improve your wildlife photography before your next big adventure? Head to your local zoo. “Zoos are a target-rich environment,” Mike explained. Practicing on zoo animals helps you refine your camera settings, understand lighting, and even learn about the behaviors of species you may photograph in the wild. Plus, it helps you get comfortable with composing shots before you’re in a high-stakes field situation.

4. Gear Up Wisely

Mike’s go-to lens for wildlife? The Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3. It’s versatile enough to capture everything from intimate animal portraits to wide-environmental shots. But his dream lens? A 600mm prime with a lower f-stop for those tricky low-light conditions (if weight and cost weren’t factors, of course). For landscape and general photography, his second must-have lens is a 24-70mm f/2.8.

5. The Surprising Importance of a Camp Toothbrush

In the list of unexpectedly useful photography tools, Mike swears by a collapsible camp toothbrush—not for oral hygiene, but for keeping his gear clean. It’s perfect for brushing sand off a telephoto lens, clearing dirt from camera dials, and keeping tripods functional after exposure to the elements. A simple but genius hack!

Editing and Style: Making Photos Pop

When it comes to editing, Mike takes a photojournalistic approach—enhancing images without making them look unnatural. A few of his favorite techniques:

• Masking: Slightly cooling the background while warming up the subject to create contrast.

• Vignetting: Darkening the edges just enough to subtly draw the viewer’s eye to the subject.

• White Balance Tweaks: Small shifts can make a huge difference in ensuring natural tones.

• Radial and Linear Gradients: Instead of heavy-handed brush strokes, Mike uses these to control exposure and emphasize focal points.

  
  

Photographing in the Desert Southwest

Beyond wildlife, Mike is an expert in desert and canyon photography. His biggest challenge in these environments? Managing extreme contrast between bright skies and dark canyon walls. His advice:

• Use HDR bracketing to balance highlights and shadows.

• Shoot at the right time—early morning and late evening offer the best light.

• Experiment with telephoto landscapes—zoom in to isolate rock formations and create abstract compositions.

• Don’t forget astrophotography—dark skies in the Southwest are perfect for Milky Way shots. (Pro tip: Always manually focus on a bright star instead of relying on infinity focus!)

Closing Thoughts

Whether you’re photographing bears in Alaska, birds in Arizona, or sandstone formations in Utah, Mike’s approach is the same: understand your subject, be prepared, and always keep pushing your creative boundaries. And if your gear ever gets too sandy? Remember the camp toothbrush trick.

For more incredible insights, listen to the full episode with Mike Hillman on The Wild Photographer!

And if you’re looking for more photography tips, conservation insights, and travel stories, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and check out my blog at courtwhelan.com.

Also, big thanks to our sponsors:

• Art Helper AI – The marketing tool every photographer needs. Enter code WILD for 30 days of a trial of their Pro Version of the software.

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• Shimoda Designs - the ultimate camera backpack--and I've tried SO many! Check out their Action series for a game-changer in the camera pack world.

If you enjoyed this, subscribing to the podcast is the best way to support it. Until next time—keep shooting, keep exploring, and never stop learning!

All the best, Court