Britain has one of the highest population densities of sheep in the world, with around 200 per square mile. As a result, most of us find ourselves within easy reach of fields where you can find grazing sheep and, at this time of year, spring lambs.
Newborn lambs are, of course, very cute and photogenic, and with all that energy they also provide much amusement as they leap and play. Snapping them in action is fun and it provides a great opportunity for those wanting to practise photographing a moving subject. Don’t hesitate, though, as lambs grow quickly and it won’t be long before the frolicking stops.
- It’s best not to get too close to lambs. If possible use a telephoto lens, something like a 70mm-200mm zoom or equivalent is ideal. That way, you can keep your distance and avoid upsetting the ewes.
- Capture the lambs jumping and playing. If they’re not, be patient as it doesn’t take long for them to start gambolling again. Catching them mid-leap is more difficult than it looks but very rewarding if you succeed.
- Use aperture priority mode and set the lens to a large aperture such as f/2.8 or f/4. This ensures a fast shutter speed to freeze the action (at least 1/500sec is recommended), and also throws the background out of focus.
- Make use of the sunshine as backlight works wonders with lambs – their wool looks fluffy and their ears glow pink in the light. Increase the exposure compensation for this effect, but without blowing highlights
